Do you have some evidence of this - that it is "almost as bad as the 360"? I know that the PS3 has some failure problems, but I didn't think they were anywhere near those of the 360. Or are you making assumptions based on what you've seen in forums, etc.?Niode wrote:The hardware does malfunction. It's getting to the point where it's almost as bad as the 360. Failure rates are creeping up, especially on the older models.
In many ways I think I am the opposite of Niode - I own a Sony TV, home theater, numerous headphones, portable players, cameras, etc. and have always found their equipment to be of excellent build quality - the Sony stuff I own has always lasted for a looong time and been well worth the investment. They are my preferred brand for almost all electronics (unless I feel the need to shell out for really high-end stuff).
I own both systems and prefer the dualshock for all kinds of games (better d-pad, more responsive/tactile thumb sticks, better button labeling and placement, etc.) I usually buy PS3 versions unless the 360 version is known to be significantly better in terms of graphics, etc. I probably play the PS3 3:1 or 4:1 over the time I give to the 360, which I primarily use to play exclusives like the Raiden games, Halo games, etc. I do not pay for XBL Gold, as it doesn't provide a single thing of interest that I can't get on the PSN or XBL Silver for free. I don't find the download/install times to be that much worse than those on the 360, and they certainly aren't unreasonable.