Sony SIXAXIS PS398040 controller for PlayStation 3

Sony and Microsoft, both notorious for pulling out all the stops, are going head to head with their latest game machines. Although not a gamer, I'm drawn to the PS3 and the Xbox 360 (and its new trimmings) as feats of hitherto unseen technological wonder. Both companies have bet recklessly on their platforms, and both see them as gaming plus a whole lot more. So while the gaming world has its own critiques — and while the Nintendo Wii continues to charm with its less performance-based attitude — my desire was to see what the Xbox and PS3 could do in the way of movies, music and other entertainment. I tethered both of them to a smokin' 46-in. Sharp 1080p high-definition LCD TV and let them rip.

Most gamers know that the PS3's delay was caused by its Blu-ray drive, and many suggest that the Blu-ray advantage isn't worth the price or the wait. Sure, movies on Blu-ray have a picture quality six times higher than a standard DVD, but the vast majority of so-called high definition TVs don't even have the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution (known as 1080p) to show Blu-ray's full glory. From a home-theater point of view, though, the PS3 was not only the first Blu-ray player to be priced well under $1,000, but the first to be introduced from Sony, the mother of the Blu-ray initiative. In other words, for anyone who already has a sweet 1080p TV, or is planning to spend $2,500 or more to get one, the PS3 is almost a requirement, being one of the only reliable sources of full HD video.

If you don't know about Blu-ray, it's because it's not the only successor to the DVD. A few companies, including Microsoft, support a different standard for next-generation movie discs, called HD DVD. The conflict between the two formats has made it tough for consumers to make any decisions, so sales have been miniscule. But now that Sony's Blu-ray is appearing in Sony's eagerly anticipated PS3, Microsoft's HD DVD format is appearing in, you guessed it, Microsoft's Xbox 360. Okay, not "in" the Xbox-an accessory drive that connects to the console via USB has just gone on sale for $200. That brings the total for Microsoft's premium high-def-movie playing system to $600, the same price as the premium PS3.

I'm a big fan of high-definition TVs, even the more affordable 720p sets, and I can vouch for the fact that whether they're on Blu-ray or HD DVD, movies look much better than they do on standard DVDs. Pop in the Blu-ray edition of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby that comes with the PS3, and you're blown away by the detail (and by how old and pockmarked Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly look up close). Likewise, load up the copy of Peter Jackson's King Kong that ships with the Xbox HD DVD player, fast forward to an action scene and suddenly, there are two T-Rexes and a gorilla duking it out in your living room. I can't spot the difference between Blu-ray and HD DVD movie; no one but the most finicky of videophiles could. So when looking at both game consoles as a source of high-def movie content, forget about differences in video quality and think more about your gaming preferences as well as the movies themselves, the Blu-ray and HD DVD lineups on Amazon.com or Netflix.