I was just leafing through a Best Buy flyer and noticed (again) that the price of the Xbox 360 here in Canada is $500Cdn. The price of the PS3 Jr here in Canada will be $550Cdn. That’s a $50 difference. They both have a 20GB HDD, both lack wireless networking out of the box, and both have wireless controllers. Neither have an HDMI port, with both requiring component video cables for HD use. **
About the only real difference, hardware-wise, is that the PS3 Jr will include a BD player, while the Xbox 360 uses a DVD player. So basically, for an extra $50, you get a high definition disc 
player thrown in. If you want to get the full-blown PS3 (for $660), you’ll pay an extra $160 over the price of an Xbox 360 for an extra 40GB in HDD space, the BD player, wireless, and an HDMI output. That’s a bargain!
My friend Todd has an Xbox 360 and sometimes he likes to poke fun at Sony and the high price of the PS3. But it occured to me today that in Canada, the difference in price isn’t as great as it is in the US. That’s because Sony’s price is more in line with the exchange rate than Microsoft’s price is.* So I don’t think that the Sony’s high price will be that much of an issue here.
* Subject to change.
** I am comparing the regular (non-Core) Xbox 360 to the 20GB PS3 Jr.
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Written by: Blackstaffer
- Founder of PS3Blog.net 
#1 by WonderSteve on June 2nd, 2006
Totally agree with you here. I live in Canada too
Honestly in my opinion, if the PS3′s library is going to be as strong as the PS2′s library. The 50 dollars difference is worth it.
#2 by gary on June 2nd, 2006
Why can’t I live in canada!!!
I’m going to migrate. Or emigrate or whatever it’s called. Maybe I should become an asylum seeker & claim the British government is planning to assasinate me as I have evidence of Tony Blair in a passionate clinch with George Bush Jr…..hmm.
I’ve always been a fan of Canada mainly thanks to Due South, Bret Hart & the beautiful looking country. Aahh the memories. It was a great show Due South.
I’m quite amazed at the price difference between the two ‘basic’ packs. It truly is a bargain. So is the PS3 tipped for big things in Canada?
#3 by Annie on June 2nd, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
That’s not the price difference between the basic packages. It’s the price different between the PS3 Jr and the Xbox 360 Sr. I was comparing the two models closest in functionality.
Canadian Prices:
PS3 – $660
PS3 Jr – $550
Xbox 360 – $500
360 Core – $400
#4 by gary on June 2nd, 2006
My mistake I still have a cold & don’t feel too great. That’s even more of a bargain then. The PS3 should wipe the floor with the 360 in Canada then.
#5 by Annie on June 2nd, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
I don’t understand you sometimes Gary.
#6 by gary on June 2nd, 2006
Sorry what don’t you understand? I’ve said that going by price difference of $50 between the PS3 Jr. & the 360 with the HDD the PS3 Jr. should sell more because like you said for an extra $50 you’re getting a BR player. Even taking into account the price of the $660 PS3 you’re getting far superior specs for just $160 more than the main 360 pack.
Is that clearer for you or is there something else you don’t understand?
#7 by Annie on June 2nd, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
Hmmmm…. I guess I misunderstood.
Never mind!!!
#8 by Gary on June 2nd, 2006
OK well my first comment was a joke about the British Prime Minister with his ‘friend’ George Bush but it was basically a joke. I don’t know what else you might’ve misunderstood but if there are times that you don’t understand what I’m saying I would appreciate it if you could let me know so I can rephrase what I’m saying because if you’re having problems understanding me that means other people must have problems understanding me & that benefits no-one.
#9 by Bflow on June 2nd, 2006
I thought 360 core packs came with a WIRED controller. Is it different in Canada?
#10 by Annie on June 2nd, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
No.
Again, I was comparing the regular (not Core) Xbox 360 with the PS3 Jr.
I edited the article to make this clearer.
#11 by Alex on June 2nd, 2006
Im canadian and I dont have a problem paying $160 more for the PS3. I didnt realize it was only that much more.
#12 by bikoko on June 2nd, 2006
if you take into account everything that come bundled with the ps3 (jr or not), it IS a bargain, it’s just full featured and for some customer it will be just a great deal (like me who wants both a great game machine and a hd movie player), the probleme is for those who just want a game machine to play game. Then the price tag is high
#13 by Sino on June 3rd, 2006
By the time PS3 is released, xbox360 will drop its price by 50 CND. But to me Blu-ray still jutisfies the 100 dollar difference. I think PS3 will sell a lot more this round. They are getting more FPS titles, they have all the support from Japanese developers. Some of the games are really great, like 8 days is amazing. If you remember the E3 in 05 where they show a gas station blowing up and a car was damaged by bullets, that was the same thing they show in 8 days trailer this year.
#14 by Jonathan. on September 12th, 2006
Some one told me that there only going to produce a million ps3s.Which to me is prety crap if its the truth.
#15 by Jonathan. on September 12th, 2006
Also i think spending the extra 160 for what you will be getting will be worth it.If your gona spend 550 on one you might as well spend the extra cash.
#16 by Annie on September 12th, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
400,000 to NA at launch.
100,000 to Japan at launch.
An additional 800,000 to NA by year’s end.
Same to Japan, I think.
#17 by travis on October 20th, 2006
yea i live in newfoundland canada and its gonna release maybe novembre 20 and i herd that its twice as powerfull as the x-box 360 and onece again the online is free!!! x-box 360 its not
and i hope its $550.oh yea one more thing you can brouse the internet with it !(a.k.a surf the internet)
#18 by Brad on October 27th, 2006
With the problems of the blue ray stability it should be interessting to see how it works out for sony. X-box live is free for a base and you pay for an upgraded version of it. X-box 360 is the better way to go.
#19 by Annie on October 27th, 2006 [ 0 Points ]
I’d like to see a reference for this supposed “blue ray stability” problem. There have been no reports anywhere that I saw about the stability of Blu-ray. Frankly, I don’t even know what that means.
Xbox Live is free for base (Silver), true. But you don’t get online play in the free package. You do with the PS3.
Xbox 360 is the better way to go for those people who prefer its style of games and for those for whom Xbox Live is really important. That does not describe everybody, however. Lots of people, like me, would prefer a PS3.
#20 by canadaguy79 on November 1st, 2006
I have decided to go with the high end ps3. There is no comparing it to the jr. model or even with the 360 for that matter. The wifi the BD, 60gb hdd, etc etc make this a NO BRAINER!
IMO, microsoft should have stuck to making software, and let the “entertainment” companies ie: sony take care of the “entertainment” systems.
EEEP! getting giddy for the ps3 WOOOOOT!