The Sony PlayStation 3 is a huge landmark for Sony and gaming. The original PlayStation was one of the biggest gaming consoles of all time, and the PlayStation 2 had a great run. The only difference with those two consoles and the PlayStation 3 is that now gaming credentials are more critical, more is expected, and competition is more active than ever.

Aesthetically, the Sony PlayStation 3 is some nice eye candy. Sure, it's gigantic - I mean HUGE. Very bulky. According to Amazon, it is "12.8 x 10.8 x 3.9 inches ; 11 pounds." Or, well, it would SEEM that it was huge. Surprisingly, the Xbox 360 is "13 x 11 x 4 inches ; 20 pounds." So, disregard all those Negative Nancies that say that the PlayStation 3 is huge.

Although, personally, it does seem larger even to me (although I don't make that claim, because I know it's not - just at first sight it looks as if it is. I guess because the difference is just fractions of an inch, but still). With that nonsense out of the way, it's a very aesthetically pleasing machine. The font used is very reminiscent of that used in the Spiderman movie posters, and it looks nice with the black finish.

Now, before I even go any further with this review, I'd like to mention the most acclaimed functionality of the console; Blu-ray capability. Most Blu-ray players on the market cost close to or even above the cost of the Sony PlayStation 3. So, if you're looking to get into super-Hi-Def video, look no further - One package, gaming and hi-def entertainment. And with the games in this format, the game discs have much more space, allowing for larger games and quicker load times (well, this is also because of the fact that parts of the game are saved onto the hard drive, but I'm sure the disc capacity doesn't hurt). And with 1080p output... Well, I'm not surprised that HD-DVD lost the format war.

One great thing with this console is it's backward-compatibility. It's predecessors had some amazing groundbreaking games, and now you can still enjoy them. All models support PlayStation backward-compatibility, and some play PlayStation 2 games (might want to check the models out before making your purchase - My cousin bought a model that was not backward-compatible, and... Needless to say, he was quite angry). And seeing as the layout of the controller really hasn't changed over the years, it's just as comfortable playing all your favourite PlayStation games hasn't changed.

The built-in WiFi that you get with the PS3 is a convenience. With the Xbox 360, it's a hassle to have to spend the extra bucks to get WiFi compatibility. Now, the online play and environment is (in my opinion) not nearly as good as Xbox Live, but... Hey, it's free. There's no reason not to go with it, unless you're a huge online gamer and want to have a bunch of features - In that case, go with Xbox Live.

Now, the game selection is great, but... Well, they're lacking in exclusive titles. Don't get me wrong - There are some amazing exclusive titles coming out for the Sony PlayStation 3, but the numbers are lesser than that of the other consoles. Most of the games that are on the PlayStation 3 are also on the Xbox 360. For this reason, I'd like to try and persuade you away from the PlayStation 3 if you already own an Xbox 360. Unless, of course, you have reasons to want one other than game selection - Such as the Blu-ray, or if you just have enough money for the luxury of having both.

One thing that I think is a huge plus for the Sony PlayStation 3 is how it comes with a cable to charge the controller. With the 360, you have to pay extra for something like that. With the PS3, it comes with it, so if you're running low on battery power, just plug it in and keep playing. Of course, with it plugged in, you can't go nearly as far as with it wireless, but it's only temporary while it charges.

And, keep in mind, it's the small things that count. Like the slot-loading disc drive. The Xbox 360 does not have this very cool feature, although the Nintendo Wii does, and it's a nice convenience. Of course, it does not really add much functionality to the console, but it's nice, and it makes the console look more sleek aesthetically.

The built-in ports on the front of the console are nice. You get media readers and USB ports (4 count) right there. Some people say that it would be nice to have some USB ports in the back, too, but... Well, frankly, I see it as unnecessary. How many USB ports do you really need for a gaming console? Maybe that's just me...

One thing that you'll want to do if you're obsessed with how your console looks (don't worry, we won't judge you) is keep a cleaning rag nearby or something, because the finish on the console really attracts fingerprints, and they will build up in no time. Whether you're resting your hand on the top of the console while your disc ejects or you're moving it around, your mark will be left, and it's very noticeable.