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Lufcfan,
We are debating the technical/ergonomic merits of a system. Not how many units have sold, or how many crappy games there are for that system.
The ATI video chip in the GC is technically superior to the GF3 in the GameCube. It's the equivalent of ATI's current top-of-the-line 9x00 series cards for the PC, which are already faster than the GF4 line, and faster ALSO than the new GF-FX cards.
The processor is RISC like the PS2, but faster than the PS2. RISC is inherently better than CISC (the crippled P3 in the XBOX is CISC). A 350Mhz RISC chip (roughly what the GC has) is EASILY as fast a a Gigahertz CISC chip, depending on implementation. Since the XBOX is well under a Gigahertz, again the GC wins.
The system itself is small and ergonomic. Games load near instantaneously (with the exception of the horrific Turok: Evolution. Yik!), and the controller fits all hand sizes. The XBOX controller gives even the biggest handed nasty cramps, and us mere mortals can't even get a good grip on it.
Now, let's list some more good things:
GC - Anti-flicker filter built in. When playing on a standard TV, the GC looks tremendously smooth due to ATI's tv-out superiority. When playing on a HDTV or monitor, it deactivates and you get the crispness you want while maintaining fluidity.
GC - MiniDV's are the bomb. While standard DVD's hold more, we must be realistic and realize that there are less than 5 DVD9 titles available for the PS2, and around that many for the XBox. Nintendo is following suit with a full-sized DVD adapter for the Gamecube.
GC - Portable. Runs off batteries and has a clip-on LCD screen. Nuff said.
The XBOX... has a hard drive. Which, unless you MOD it and break the law, is unusable for anything other than saving games.
Don't start in on the "look at the way cool games that PS2 has!" bull, because we KNOW that Nintendo is lagging in the game release department. That's the GC's biggest (only) weakness right now.
Go play Mario Sunshine, and then go play Spyro. No competition. End of story. Go play Rogue Squadron 2, and play ANY space combat game on ANY other system. No competition. At all. Period.
- Gurm
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