Choosing a games console

Xbox 360
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been around since November 2005, and offers a similar blend of HD gaming and Media Center-like features as the PS3.

There are two versions of the 360 currently available – a £200 ‘Core’ package that doesn’t include a hard disk and a £280 ‘Premium’ edition, which comes with a wireless controller instead of the Core pack’s wired one, as well as a 20GB hard disk and a headset for online communication.

There is also a third version on the way - the black Xbox 360 'Elite' will come with a 120GB hard drive and HDMI port.

The saving for the Core edition might be tempting, but the hard disk is a pretty essential component (particularly if you’re going to use Microsoft’s online service to download movies demos and games), so paying less is a false economy.

Out of the box, the Xbox 360 can play CDs and standard DVDs and it will also play music, movie and photo files from either internal storage or external USB devices. Unlike the PS3, it can also stream media from your PC but, also unlike the PS3, there’s no built-in Wifi support, although there is a network socket.

All Xbox 360 games are in HD, but if you’re interested in HD movies, you can purchase the separate HD-DVD player add-on for £130.

The Xbox 360 has a wide range of games. You can save the human race from extinction with the first-person combat game Gears of War, enjoy the near endless adventure of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or race through the streets of London in Project Gotham Racing 3 using the official Xbox wireless racing wheel.

Nintendo Wii
Finally we have the Nintendo Wii. In many ways, the Wii is much more of a traditional games console than the other two. It doesn’t have as many multimedia features (other than a photo browser and some online shopping, news and weather reports) and it isn’t HD-ready. Instead the Wii focuses squarely on gaming.

However, a combination of unique hardware – specifically the motion sensor and on-screen pointer technology in the Wii Remote controller – and a distinctly different approach to software development means that gaming on the Wii is quite a singular experience. Games like Wii Sports are simple, accessible titles that are designed to appeal to anyone and not just hardcore gamers. Many games use the innovative controller to imitate actions such as swinging a golf club, using a steering wheel or aiming a gun at the screen, making them great fun to play.

The Wii is also comparatively cheap at £180, including a copy of the Wii Sports game.