Battle of the console browsers: Wii vs PS3
by Ed Stasick 
{ Apr 17th 2007 at 10:00PM }
It's always fun to pit one console against another in a steel-caged match to the death. In this case, the fine folks over at Games Digest have created a battle royale between the browsing capabilities of the big, black monolith and the little, white cottonball. To determine a winner, each browser was sent onto the dangerous Interweb all by itself to see how it faired against 15 different Web 2.0ish sites, including the likes of Facebook, ebay and Digg. Scoring was simple: you get 0 points for total failure to render, 1 point for partial success and 2 points for full-on success.
The ultimate conclusion?
"Wii: 26. PS3: 20. Victory goes to Opera's Wii browser, hurt by the fact that two sites (Bloglines and Google Maps) didn't work at all on the PS3 browser. However, it's worth stressing that PS3's ability to upload photos and (possibly) video gives it an advantage if you're big on this user-generated content lark."
Both browsers are frankly lacking. They have more in common with a cellphone browser than they do their PC counterparts. Until we see a full-featured browser, backed by a keyboard (fullsize or thumbpad), we'll continue to do the vast majority of our browsing on a dedicated computer. Over time, we expect this to change.
[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kingofwale @ Apr 17th 2007 10:26PM
>1. live pwns both.
hmmmmm... live pwns nobody because it doesn't even have a browsers.
how sad indeed.
Dreadhead541 @ Apr 17th 2007 10:37PM
isn't that excluding linux?
Magma @ Apr 17th 2007 10:38PM
If I was to pay for xbox live, I expect a damn browser. Since I'm paying they have no excuse not to have that and MORE.
Jason B. @ Apr 17th 2007 10:55PM
With the exception of the double click feature that IE seems to have, Google Maps works fine for me. I even turned satellite on for my address. It runs a little slow, though. Probably because it tries caching the pictures everytime.
Bloglines works for me too. I even signed up from my PS3 browser. Then I went to my ISP's homepage, signed into my java enabled email account and clicked the validation link. However, it doesn't work 100%. Once the PS3 supports RSS feeds like the PSP, then you won't need bloglines anyways.
Colin @ Apr 17th 2007 11:03PM
Firefox works fine in Yellow Dog.
Just saying.
Yah...itsaPS3..sowhat @ Apr 17th 2007 11:13PM
Hmmm...
The Wii cant or doesn't support keyboards right? ...
I'd go with a few less sites being usable so that I can use a keyboard for those that do work.
PS3 wins just for ability to use proper inputs.
ShadowHawk01 @ Apr 18th 2007 12:23AM
The browser on my PC has none of these problems. Seriously.. I cannot see any reason to use my console to browse the internet.
2Perfect @ Apr 18th 2007 12:50AM
err can you go to like getfirefox.com and download firefox on the Wii/PS3? :P
LOL @ #1 comment...
Dahk @ Apr 18th 2007 1:12AM
Actually on a massive HDTV, going on to engadget or even ps3fanboy is quite awesome. I do it for my morning dose of gadget stuff so I don't have to turn on my computer lol.
And can wii use firefox?
Gnizmo @ Apr 18th 2007 2:45AM
I don't think the Wii can run Firefox, but if it can you shouldn't. Opera is a better browser.
Personally I agree with ShadowHawk. I just cannot see a reason to actually use a console based web browser. Very very very few webpages are made better by adding 30inches of screen space.
Naaiif @ Apr 18th 2007 5:54AM
It's true that the Wii's browser has better functionality, but the fact that it doesn't and never will support a HD resolution makes it terrible.
Wow it has flash and that's really nice but it doesn't stop it from looking like shit on my television. Plus it doesn't even support a keyboard, PFFT.
It's like the article just took a look at the program itself and overlooked everything else important screen resolution, display, control inputs. Yeh the ps3 might not load this site, but that can be improved in the future quite easily.
1080p + keyboard input = instant win
If opera were on the ps3 then that would be perfection.
KilgoreTrout XL @ Apr 18th 2007 8:43AM
Bloglines is the greatest website ever created.
So, does it work or not?
John @ Apr 18th 2007 10:09AM
It should be mentioned that a PS3 with free Linux installed would easily run Firefox, a free, full-featured web browser. I'm doing it now. With Linux. And Firefox. No Explorer, here. No viruses, either.
Extinction @ Apr 18th 2007 12:29PM
" It's true that the Wii's browser has better functionality"
No it doesn't. 1080p and keyboard/mouse support are features. Features Wii doesn't support, and PS3 does.
PS3s flash player is better, and PS3 supports java applets as well.
mamardilla69 @ Apr 18th 2007 2:57PM
actually this is a question for a weeks i havent been able to open on the ps3s browser any weblogs.inc urls like ps3fanboy.com pspfanboy.com etc it seems to be loading but suddenly the white loading icon on the upper right corner dissapers. can anybody help me ps3fanboy is my favourite url
Colin @ Apr 18th 2007 3:58PM
@mamardilla69
A temp work around would be to use the mobile verisons
m.pspfanboy.com or m.ps3fanboy.com etc etc
wiiboyuk2007 @ Apr 18th 2007 6:10PM
the wii dosnt or carnt support keyboad moron ALERT!!! WIIMOTE 3D MOUSE PERFECT for sofa bsousing wii can easily suppost a mini keyboard that plugs into wiimote PRESTO A PERECT WIRLESS NET SURFING FROM A SOFA SET UP NO ONE WANTS TO NAVAGATE THE WEB WITH A DUALCOCK WEN WIIMOTE IS THE PERFECT TV REMOTE POINTER/MOUSE SONY FANBOY PACK UR BAGS GO H0ME AND WHO WANTS A KEYBOARD WIRE OR MOUSE WIRE ACROSS A LIVING ROOM FLOOR SAME GOES THE MOUSE AND WOT DO I PRESS THE MOUSE AGAIST TO USE IT RELAXED ON A SOFA YET AGAIN COMMONSENCE GOES OVER SONY FANBOYS HEAD
commonsenceguy @ Apr 18th 2007 6:24PM
1080p bla bla bla.....wii gpu patent proves hollywood has a image enhansing trick to give sharper support between photos and video text and graphics i.e wii dosnt need hd to do great image quality wen its displaying web media and text SONY FANBOYS GET WITH THE ROGRAMME my own tv allso supports xdengine a image enhancer HD FAKER so why do i need 1080p wen i surf 480p plus wiis web enhancing trick and ,y tvs hd faker switched on try harder Fanboys ur web text requires a hd monitor like a pc argument does not hold water by the way iv just posted this on my wii opera brouser on a hd tv 5 feet away from my eyes sony fans wii rocks just accept it