Which Console for Christmas?

If you want a Nintendo Wii Console, you really should have bought one already! It’s been nearly a year since the launch of the Wii, and again it's this Christmas' must-have present. While the Nintendo Wii is the least powerful of the current generation consoles, its innovative motion-sensing control system has contributed to the Wii becoming more popular than even Nintendo had anticipated. High demand & limited supplies have caused retailers to experience stock shortages ever since the launch last December ('06). Prices started to rise early this October, with several major retailers only selling the Wii console bundled with games. Amazon reported a recent delivery of 1,400 Wiis sold out within ten minutes. The market for Wiis on eBay also looks set to match last year's frenzy of inflated pricing, with many sellers getting their stock from elsewhere in Europe. Nintendo has said it is "doing everything possible" to keep up with demand, aiming to ship an extra 3.5 million consoles before Christmas...

During September, XBOX 360 overtook the Wii as the top-selling console that month, thanks to a major boost from the blockbuster game HALO 3 & recent release of the new 120GB XBOX 360 Elite. Microsoft’s XBOX 360 console may be the oldest of the "next-generation" consoles, but it’s still a very powerful high-definition games machine, with a varied range of impressive titles to choose from, including exclusive bestsellers such as Gears of War, Forza Motorsport 2, Mass Effect & Bioshock. If you are comparing prices with the PlayStation 3 console you should consider the additional cost for XBOX 360 add-ons (HD DVD Player, Wi-Fi, etc.) and Xbox LIVE Membership fees. There's now 4 models of the Microsoft XBOX 360 console to choose from: the black 120GB XBOX 360 Elite, the chrome 20GB Premium Package, the new Arcade Console, plus the green & gold 20GB HALO 3 Limited Edition

It’s been a confusing first year for the much-anticipated PlayStation 3 console, with a delayed launch and the rapidly discontinued 20GB & 60GB models. Sony's PlayStation 3 has the edge on the Microsoft XBOX 360 with more processing power, superior graphics potential and state-of-the-art gaming capabilities. It also has a high-definition Blu-ray Disc player and Wi-Fi built-in to the console. Now the price of the console is more competitive, 2008 should be the year when the big, black, shinny PlayStation 3 starts to challenge the competition. There are already many outstanding PS3 exclusive games - Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm, etc. - with more lined-up for the New Year. And, the virtual world of PlayStation Home is set to soon add an extra dimension to interaction between console owners...