Is the Xbox 360 more hi-def than the PS3?
This is a question that has been on many gamers’ minds since the PS3 launched. Gamers have been arguing over this very topic for two years now and there is still no clear answer if the PS3 is truly more hi-def than the Xbox 360 or vice versa. However, early games seem to indicate that the Xbox 360 might have been easier to develop HD games.
“True hi-definition” became the industry buzzword during 2007, similarly to the way LittleBigPlanet became the buzzword for 2008. It became such a key topic; Microsoft even added a HDMI port to the Xbox 360 just so that they could say the console was truly hi-def.
As many of your may know games do not have to be in 1080p to be considered hi-def, but at some point the silly term “true hi-definition” was coined by Sony to push the PS3 for its HDMI and Blu-ray capabilities. Of course Microsoft who shrugged off the importance of hi-def gaming early on, later jumped on the bandwagon by shouting, “me too.”
I would say for the most part that around 98 percent of the multiplatform titles have the same resolution on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. However, there are several games where the resolution doesn’t quite reach hi-def quality.
Ported Games
Here are just a few games analyzed by the graphics gurus over at Beyond3D by pixel counting. These guys were the first to break news that Halo 3 was in fact 640p and not 720p before it was verified by the developers. They were also the site that broke news that GTA IV was 640p on the PS3.
Xbox 360:
Dark Sector = 1280×720
MX vs ATV = 1280×720
Grand Theft Auto IV = 1280×720
Fracture = 1280×720
PS3:
Dark Sector = 1152×640
MX vs ATV = 1024×576
Grand Theft Auto IV = 1152×640
Fracture = 1152×648
Oddly enough it seems that there are a few games that the Xbox 360 is capable of outputting at a higher resolution than the PS3. Considering that most of these games are Xbox 360 ports, it seems likely that it is more difficult to port games over to the PS3 at the same resolution.
However, that doesn’t seem to always be the case. There are a couple of games that were not hi-def on the Xbox 360 but became hi-def once ported to the PS3, but these were rare instances.
Xbox 360:
Tomb Raider Underworld = 1024×576
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion = 1024×600
PS3:
Tomb Raider: Underworld = 1280×720
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion = 1280×720
For the most part, it seems that the PS3 version suffers greatly when games are ported from Xbox 360. Considering that development is easier on the Xbox 360 than the PS3, chances are smaller studios may go this route to save cost. This will mean that if the developers do not put extra effort into porting the game over to the PS3, games will continue to suffer on that platform.
1080p Games
Despite all the hype over 1080p, there really are not that many games in that resolution. There are practically no multiplatform games that are in 1080p except a few sports titles.
However, it looks like Sony has been pushing more native 1080p games than Microsoft.
Here is a list of PS3 games that are only 1080p on the PS3 (including exclusives):
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 = 1920×1080
Wipeout HD = 1920×1080
Go Puzzle = 1920×1080
GT5 Prologue = 1920×1080
Lair = 800×1080/1600×1080
Ridge Racer 7 = 1920×1080
NBA07 = 1920×1080
NBA08 = 1920×1080
Blast Factor = 1920×1080
Calling All Cars = 1920×1080
Echochrome = 1920×1080
Elefunk = 1920×1080
High Velocity Bowling = 1920×1080
Locoroco Cocoreccho = 1920×1080
Mainichi Issyo = 1440×1080
Pixel Junk Monsters/Racers/Eden = 1920×1080
Rub’a'dub = 1600×1080
Snakeball = 1280×1080
Stardust HD = 1280×1080
Sudoku = 1920×1080
Super Rub-a-Dub = 1600×1080
Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection = 1920×1080
Currently the only Xbox 360 exclusive to be pixel-counted to be native 1080p is:
Boogie Bunnies = 1920×1080
One could deduce from looking at the list, that when games are developed independently, the PS3 might be easier to develop 1080p games than the Xbox 360. However, I believe this may be because Sony’s emphasis on 1080p games might have contributed to these studios pushing the games to that resolution.
In conclusion, it seems that most multiplatform developers are not willing to push games to 1080p and there is also a slight chance that an Xbox 360 port might have a lower resolution on the PS3. If this development paradigm continues, the Xbox 360 might have a very small edge over the PS3 in hi-def gaming by default with the ports. Although, to be clear for the most part, the vast majority of the multiplatform games have the same resolution on both systems.
However, fortunately for PS3 owners many third party developers such as EA, Activision and Ubisoft have indicated that they will use the PS3 as the lead development platform (Prince of Persia, Mirror’s Edge and Dead Space to name a few). The net result of using the PS3 as the lead platform seems to be that ports to the Xbox 360 looks identical to the lead platform in resolution and quality.
So the reality is, most games will probably never be in 1080p and most multiplatform games will look identical in every way. It is really up to the first party developers to push hi-def gaming because studios like Infinity Ward and Treyarch seems to be satisfied with offering 600p games.
The Final word – Are hi-def games overrated? Yes they are.
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26 Responses to “Is the Xbox 360 more hi-def than the PS3?”
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December 31st, 2008
Unfortunatly the native 1080p games are mainly on PSN. Thankgod for gt5:p
December 31st, 2008
Yeah, that’s a list of 1080p winners there. You could right a rather hilarious poem with titles like Rub a Dub, Elefunk, and Snakeball… but the 360 has it’s fair share as well, just not as many in 1080p.
I think “casual” was the gaming buzzword for last year, not sure about LBP for this year.
December 31st, 2008
I know what super rub a dub is but what is rub a dub?
December 31st, 2008
So it only produces 1080P on PSN arcade games. Probably because they don’t push the envelope. But I want to know if games that say they are 720P if the PS3 Upscales them to 1080P or does it stay rendered at 720P
December 31st, 2008
I didn’t think I’d be a pixel whiner before I got my 40″ Bravia, but the problem is that because the TV is so close to where I sit (my bedroom is tiny), you can really tell the difference between the 1080p games and the rest of them. Even Uncharted in all its sexy glory, feels a bit pixelly compared to Wipeout HD.
In my lounge it isn’t a problem, because the TV is further away, but in my bedroom, that ol’ 720p (or less) feels a bit cheap to look at. Ok I said it, and yep I’m a snob.
December 31st, 2008
Oh yeh and for the record, regarding the poll, I agree Harry Sachz definitely counts most when buying a particular videogame.
December 31st, 2008
Ok so the majority of PS3 games don’t upscale to 1080P. The only game I heard that does this is COD4 but I read it depends on the game. All 360 games wether 720p OR 1080p or whatever upscale to 1080P. So I guess the 360 is more Hi-Def.
December 31st, 2008
kinda makes the whole “bluray is the only true hidef” claim look very, very silly.
i just feel bad for the morons who ponied up $600+ on that hype, only to have a console provide hidef gaming at half the price….
no wonder sony’s falling farther back everyday. consumers aren’t *that* stupid.
December 31st, 2008
upscaling depends on your settings on your ps3. If you have 1080p selected as a possible resolution and also have the upscaling option on it will do it. Upscaling however isn’t comparable to native resolution. It’s like poor mans 1080p.
and kev….. you’re retarded.
December 31st, 2008
My XBox 360 looks really nice on my 1080p HD TV.
(and I don’t really understand them making such a big deal over the connection with movies – most ‘1080p’ movies aren’t fullscreen @ 1920×1080 anyways.
With a common aspect ratio of 2.35:1 they are 1920×816.)
December 31st, 2008
Chuck Norris is the most important factor when buying a game.
Chuck Norris doesn’t need to play games; he stares at the disc until he’s finished the game in his head.
December 31st, 2008
The simple fact is that there are more native 1080p games on the PS3 than there are on the 360 so seeing as true HD is native 1080p the PS3 is more HD than the 360. Fact. End of discussion /
December 31st, 2008
Kev, you are right, you don’t need BluRay to play Boogie Bunnies in native 1080p. If Kev is happy with that, then the rest of the world should be happy. I know I am.
December 31st, 2008
What about MGS4?!?!? I’m almost positive it’s native 1080P. Right?
December 31st, 2008
No Barnabee, its probably upscaled on your tv probably, but not native.
December 31st, 2008
[to the last point as "are high def games overrated" yes they are]
Stick with the wii than if you don’t like high def games.
December 31st, 2008
Here’s a new angle on things I’ve come across, it also has a little comment on how come the PS3 chipset was so delayed – on top of the Blu-ray delays :
“A new book from the designer of the heart of Sony’s PS3 – the Cell processor – reveals how Sony inadvertently worked with Microsoft on games consoles. The book, The Race for a New Game Machine, details how Sony, working with Toshiba and IBM to produce the powerful processor found itself in bed with arch-gaming rival Microsoft due to business alliances.
Two authors produced the book: Mickie Phipps who worked with David Shippy. The latter was chief architect for the power processing unit for the Cell processor at IBM in Austin, Texas. Prior to this he had worked on the G3 PowerPC.
The Race for a New Game Machine details how Sony, Toshiba and IBM formed the Cell partnership in 2001, each committing several hundred million dollars.
It was agreed that IBM would be able to sell the Cell to third-parties. Everybody gathered at IBM’s Austin HQ.
Then, in 2002, Microsoft approached its old ally-cum-adversary, IBM, with a view to Big Blue creating a chip for a new game console.
This lead to what could be seen either as a comedy or a tragedy depending on your loyalty.
Agreements meant that engineers within the IBM team could not share knowledge with Toshiba or Sony colleagues regarding their Xbox 360 chip design.
This lead to work being hidden while simultaneously the Sony Cell was in test just below the room where the Xbox 360 internals were being put through their paces.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr Shippy “felt ‘contaminated’ as he sat down with the Microsoft engineers, helping them to sketch out their architectural requirements with lessons learned from his earlier work on PlayStation”.
While Shippy may have felt that way about a Microsoft chip designed with money from Sony, Microsoft’s ahead planning was uncontaminated by amateurism.
The chips for both consoles arrived on time at IBM’s manufacturing facility… but errors occurred in the first batch leaving Sony hanging.
Microsoft had arranged for a third-party facility as back-up. Sony had not.”
http://news.spong.com/article/16821/Cell_Chip_Designer_Felt_Contaminated_by_Xbox?cb=213
December 31st, 2008
Meaning overrated at this time considering most of the top games coming out are not “true HD”. I’m sure he would enjoy native 1080p games just as much as the rest of us, but they are the exception right now, not the rule, and unless you are a videophile, it probably will not make a huge difference for most games.
December 31st, 2008
As someone who owns both the 360 and PS3 I’m surprised this article doesn’t even mention that the 360 upscales *all* games to at least 1080i, while the PS3 can’t upscale at all (except ps2 games) and actually downscales all 720p games to only 480p. For me, and anyone else who owns a 1080i TV, this alone answers the question clearly: The 360 is the only true HD console this generation. The POS3 is an utter joke in this category except for bluray. The PS3 is a major dissapointment for me and millions of others. I’ve bought 3 games *total* for POS3 due to shitty scaler.. but 360 has been great.
Anyone with a rear-projection TV should stay far away from the crappy PS3 and do yourself a favor and get a 360. Then you won’t be dissapointed like me for all the crappy 480p games.
December 31st, 2008
Little Big Planet, Dead Space, NHL 2008, Need for Speed Undercover, NBA Live 09, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009, Tomb Raider Underworld, Valkeria Chronicles, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift…
All of these games *downscale* to only 480p for TV’s that don’t support 720p. Utter crap!
January 1st, 2009
Everyone with the exception of a few of you people are morons! The whole argument was is the PS3 or the 360 “more hi-def?” For you uneducated types here is a lesson, the “scaler” your talking about is the GPU. The PS3 does not downscale a resolution unless you tell it to upscale a game that can’t be upscaled(ex. Devil May Cry 4). Most game developers today use 720p as the standard, it seems to be an easily attainable goal. Another thing to consider is that upscaling is just “stretching” the image to fill the 1920×1080 screen, it is not something to be proud of. “Poor man’s” HD indeed!!! The 360’s main menu (the dashboard) is only at 720p resolution, while the XMB is at a resolution of 1080p. And lastly while the 360 upscales all games to the max resolution of your tv, it is possible for the PS3 to upscale your games too. And before I forget the living if your tv does not support at least 720p it’s not a hi-def set, don’t blame your electronics for scaling the image to fit your screen, jackass!!
January 1st, 2009
Ok, I measure 9 and a half inches. Who wants me to pass the measuring tape to them next?
January 1st, 2009
theliving. no they don’t. my old man has 1080i and dead space and LBP look awesome. Bring you FUD somewhere else
January 1st, 2009
They make TV’s that run 1080i and not 720p. Whats the point in that?
January 4th, 2009
@theliving:
Take your love of your POS CRT RPTV elsewhere. This argument is about hi def, not your 20+ year old technology crap projector!
As to the argument, who gives a crap really? Play the damn games. If it looks good to you and you enjoy the game, quit whining about what games are “true” high def. All this pixel counting bullshit is just to incite further flame wars.
January 6th, 2009
DavidB,
Apparently you do, while riding your death steed of newness. Thank goodness you came with your wisdom to enlighten us all that that LED DLP rear projection stuff is “20+ year old technology crap.”