Baby's First Console

[frogboy]

Well, not technically. I guess I am considered older than a 'baby'.

Anyways, I have never owned a proper gaming console. I'm debating between a PS3 and a 360. I would eventually like to hack the console I end up with. I know that new PS3s are impossible to hack, and the newer 360 Slims are a bit tougher, so I'd probably have to get a used one no matter what. Based on price and ease of hacking, which one should I go for?

(mods, if this is in the wrong section, feel free to move it.)

 

[DinohScene]

360.
Cheapest solution is flashing your DVD and burning discs.

ODDE...
360 is easier (only needing your DVD key)
PS3, you'll need to downgrade it to 3.50 and then extract the keys iirc) and then upgrade to 4.21 and set it all up

Then comes game size.
Max for the 360 is 8.5 GB
I've seen PS3 games go by with 40+ GB

And finally, your own choice ;p
What do you got more interest in.
PS3 has a wider library (RPG's/JRPG's hardly appear on the 360)

 

[emigre]

Just go legit. You'll get more out of it that way particularly with online. Especially as you can get a lot of games pretty cheap now.

 

[Gahars]

The Xbox 360 and PS3 share many third party titles. You pay for Xbox Live, but you also get the superior controller by far (seriously, the 360 controller is a work of art) and often get the superior versions of games. I don't know if this is still an issue, but having to install every PS3 game around launch was just horrible (and some games have strange performance issues, like the PS3 version of Skyrim). Then again, PS+ gives you a boatload of free games. Subscribe for a while and you'll be drowning in quality titles.

Either way, you should be set.

 

[frogboy]

Thanks for the info.

360.
Cheapest solution is flashing your DVD and burning discs.

Let's say I wanted the absolute cheapest method, would I be better off getting a used Phat?

 

[DinohScene]

if you're a bit good with soldering and have a spare cap laying around then get a Phatty.
Liteon drives need a PMT (Pogo mo thoin) probe to have their keys extracted.
Powering the drive can be done with the 360 itself (although I don't recommend this) and extracting can be done with certain SATA chipsets.
You can also pay someone to flash the drive for you (might be.... 30 quid max?)
And with the latest LT+ 3.0 you won't have to reburn your backups ;]

 

[Tokiopop]

Have you considered PC? Consoles are pretty dead.

(seriously, the 360 controller is a work of art)

I't okay... I wouldn't really go that far, seeing as half the 3rd party ones are actually better than the official (something you can't say for any consoles since the N64 with the hori mini pad).

 

[ilman]

Get an old PS3, one that has never been to 3.56 or onwards and try to find a Slim. They're usually pretty cheap. Hacking it doesn't require any soldiering and is pretty easy. Try to get a big hard drive due to the game size (up to 50 GB) and if you have a good Internet connection, you're all set.
But, as emigre said, just go legit. It's too much of a hassle to download 40 GB torrents worth of games.
Also, get the PS3, as it has more exclusives(Forza, Gears of War and Halo(pretty much these) vs. God of War, Uncharted, Little Big Planet, Infamous, Wipeout and more).
You can also play PS1 and PS2 backups on your PS3, so that's also a bonus.

 

[trumpet-205]

You need to look at exclusive games for both consoles to decide.

In general, PS3 has more casual, adventures, and RPG/JRPG games, while X360 has more hardcore games.

Have you considered PC? Consoles are pretty dead.

Consoles are nowhere near being dead. One big disadvantage (that is assuming you have a good gaming PC running) with PC gaming is multiple DRMs on AAA titles.

 

[AaronZ]

360 is definitely easier to hack, but I'm a JRPG fan (seriously I can't get enough of them lol) and the PS3 offers them second to none this gen pretty much. Problem is, is PS3 games like God of War and Uncharted are HUGE to download if you do hack the PS3.

 

[frogboy]

360 is definitely easier to hack...

I thought you had to buy tools to flash the 360 drive, while on the PS3 you only have to install CFW from firmware 3.55 or lower.

Have you considered PC? Consoles are pretty dead.

I have a PC with a pretty pricey video card in it, yet it still stumbles quite a bit with newer games.

 

[nukeboy95]

you can get a 360 phatty (any one but xexon) with the new r-jtag hack

 

[Tokiopop]

I have a PC with a pretty pricey video card in it, yet it still stumbles quite a bit with newer games.

Really? What card is it, latest drivers etc.? If it's a decent card from the past few years it shouldn't have any trouble playing today's games (even more so if you have the graphics set to what the consoles look like).

 

[Shoat]

For the cheapest&easiest you will probably have to go for a used one anyway (and even then 360 is still easier to hack).
However, the decision of which of the two consoles to choose should be based on available games.
More big AAA Action-y games -> 360
More RPGS -> PS3

If you were to go legit instead of hacking it in order to play multiplayer, you should also consider that the xbox is ripping you off with a monthly fee for the online service, but for some odd reason still has a larger playerbase for many of the multiplayer games.

(seriously, the 360 controller is a work of art)

For some type of hand that may be the case. I don't find it very comfortable.
Then again, the PS3 controller somehow ended up worse than it's predecessors, but is still more comfortable than the wonky xbox controller.
Sigh... this controller nonsense could be easily solvable if all consoles would just switch to USB controllers so you could mix and match first party controllers at will.

 

[frogboy]

you can get a 360 phatty (any one but xexon) with the new r-jtag hack

I'm a bit of a noob (read as: I know nothing) when it comes to the R-JTAG, does it require any soldering?

 

[nukeboy95]

I'm a bit of a noob (read as: I know nothing) when it comes to the R-JTAG, does it require any soldering?

well the eta is June and you need a small level of soldering (but it is worth it) and if you dont feel like doing it there are some members that will do it for you (ask around)