pros:

-mgs4 (its a given)
-20GB/60GB have near perfect ps2 compatibility (80GB has like 75%-80%)
-hdmi and hard drives in every model from the start
-ability to upgrade hard drive without voiding the warranty
-ability to use different video and audio source at the same time (hdmi for video and optical for sound, or composite for video, and hdmi for sound, etc)
-gigabit ethernet
-psu is integrated inside the console, aka no massive power brick
-better gamepad for fighting games (im sorry, there is no d-pad on the xbox 360 controller, period. that “d-pad” is worthless on it)
-better gamepad in general
-60GB/80GB models have SD, CF, and MS readers, which is nice to view videos and photos on
-every model (except the 20GB) has wifi built in
-online is free and no restrictions like xbox live silver and gold has
-ps1 compatibility in every model
-no major hardware problems (RROD)
-playstation heritage
-slot-loading blu-ray player
-clean and simple interface
-pretty unique playstation store games to download (fat princess haha)
-best blu-ray player, as it is completely futureproof unlike most standalone blu-ray players
-can output 1080p from the start
-can output dolby trueHD and DTS-MA (music to my ears)
-blu-ray won out over hd-dvd basically because of the inclusion of it in every ps3
-awesome as a home theater/multimedia/all-in-one machine
-plays divx and other encoded formats of movies, and plays back audio perfectly
-life with playstation has potential
-folding at home rocks
-very quiet machine, even when reading from a disc
-usb peripherals work nicely on it
-internet browser! (yes youtube works perfectly)
-the playstation store actually looks good now
-ability to use memory cards (SD, CF, MS) to save and transfer saved games to/from it
-consistent firmware updates
-upscaling of ps1/ps2 (ps2 in 20/60/80GB models) games and dvds all the way up to 1080p via hdmi

cons:

-VERY expensive from the start, and still is today for people to consider as a gaming machine, especially when the 360 and wii are much cheaper and offer better “value” for gaming
-feels more of a entertainment machine first, and a gaming machine second
-had to go against the 360, which had a year head start, and the wii, which was 1/2 the price
-relied too much on ps1/ps2 heritage and then shot itself in the foot when it didnt sell nearly as well
-sony continues to lose money on each console sold, even today
-removed ps2 compatibility in the later models
-removed card readers in the later models
-gimped 20GB with no wifi at the start (now its standard)
-why remove the chrome trim from todays models? console looks cheap without it
-console exclusivity of some games are gone
-apparently, its hard to develop for
-costly to develop for
-still only comes in black in north america, but japan has had white, silver, and black for a while now
-launching with a rumble-less controller, saying rumble in controllers was “last-gen”, then putting it back in after a pending lawsuit and HUGE backlash from consumers
-calling the dualshock 3 as a “brand-new” controller, as its really just a dualshock 2 with motion sensing
-playstation “home” just sucks. period.
-felt underwhelming at the start – nothing really “stood” out from the 360 or wii.
-launch lineup of games just sucked.
-most of todays games on it just are underwhelming (except the obvious blockbuster ones – mgs4, uncharted, etc)
-online play is lacking compared to xbox live (MUCH better than wii though – gay friend codes)
-trophies are just a complete copy-off from xbox achievements
-blu-ray felt (sometimes still feels) like an afterthought
-still being outsold by the 360, wii, DS, and even its little brother, the ps2

conclusion: 8/10. if you want an AWESOME entertainment/all-in-one/home theater machine, the ps3 is for you. as of today, sony’s faults from the start have *mostly* been rectified, minus the removal of several features from todays models and the crippling of the original 20GB model. that is a stupid decision to make, but its “cost-effective” they say. yeah fucking right.

if you want the best ps3, track down a 60GB or a mgs4 80GB model. if you dont really care about ps2 compatibility, todays models will serve you just fine.

i changed the review format a little bit. no one has to follow what im doing, but i like this new method better. its just a hell of a lot easier to put everything like this, and not write paragraph after paragraph.

pros:

-finally including dvd playback out of the box.

-xbox live.

-halo 3

-everyone has one, so its easy to find friends

-integration with friends, console, online, and basically just everything.

-certain “exclusive” games

-ability to play music in any game.

-ipod works perfectly when connected to the 360

-wmp11 streaming works perfectly, as well as storage devices (flash drive, external hdd).

-first to launch out of the big 3 companies (2005).

-best value today.

cons:

-cheaply made console.

-looks like crap (IMO) compared to the wii and the ps3.

-avatars are a direct copyoff from nintendos mii’s. get your own idea.

-why is it so loud when running games? thank god they put the install feature in the NXE.

-4 fucking revisions internally to get the heat problems and RROD down.

-RROD in general.

-no internet browser still? cmon, even the wii has one.

-no original xbox accessories work with the 360.

-3 usb ports only. what if 4 people are using a play and charge kit? or if that person has the xbox wireless adapter? then what?

-huge-ass PSU. if the ps3 can get it in their console, you can too. no excuses.

-needing a hard drive to play old xbox games. wii doesnt need it for gc games, and ps3 includes a hard drive in every model to play ps1 (some models also can play ps2) games.

-120GB hard drive for $150? LOL what kind of joke is that? you can get a desktop size 1.5TB drive for $100, and a 500GB laptop hard drive for $100…probably even less now as we speak. even back in 2005, you could get at least 120-160GB for cheap.

-why use a proprietary memory card standard? use SD, CF, hell even memory stick! god i hate proprietary crap, fucking greedy pigs, even nintendo and sony didnt cheap out there.

-should have included every model with a hard drive, even the old xbox had a 10GB in it.

-where is the fucking wireless? cheapasses, making everyone pay $100 for theirs or getting a wireless bridge. again, the wii/ps3 has this built in. hell even the psp and ds have it built in.

-20GB is standard for a “next-gen” console? really? you could have easily put more in.

-took you 3 years to get the pro/premium model to 3x the storage? unacceptable.

-charging for live gold – this can be debated, but honestly, im coming from free online gaming (PC, wii, ps3) so no one should have to pay for that. DLC and the other xbox live crap whatever, but at least to play online? that should be free.

rating 6.5/10.

ideas for the next xbox:

-dont fucking rush the console only to beat nintendo/sony but cheap out on the materials. look on how much you screwed over people. now its commonplace for 360’s to fail and people expect it to last for just a year or two at most.

-make the console look better.

-shove the psu inside the box. i know you couldnt this time around because the heat inside the damn thing would have been too much for it. if you cant do that, make the fucking brick smaller. the ps3 has similar specs, yet it got the psu inside it, yet its much quieter. make it happen.

-FULL xbox 360 backwards compatibility, doesnt have to be hardware compatibility either.

-include every model with a hard drive, WIRELESS, and 360 backwards compatibility

-upgrade the 10/100 ethernet to gigabit ethernet

-make existing accessories compatible with the new xbox.

-no more fucking RROD, period. sort it out.

even though you wont implement any of those ideas, im pretty sure you’re going to pull a sony and just “ride on the success of the xbox brand”. thats okay, cause i’d love to see you guys fail because of it.

update: none of my ipods work with it. looks like microsoft broke that feature a while back. typical. and while the integration of your friends is very cool, sometimes it gets a little too…creepy. knowing what games, what achievements they’ve unlocked is a little bit too much. im sure people dont care, but its very weird knowing that whatever you do on xbox live, you can be tracked.