Sony and Microsoft have long been warring for the title of the best console producer; having left the Nintendo Wii spluttering in their technologically superior dust.

We are now around halfway through the lifespan of the current generation of gaming console behemoths - Sony's sleek black PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's curvy white Xbox 360 - both full to their processor powered gills with mind numbing graphical goodies and an incredibly vast and varied collection of triple A games, how could we possibly aim to find a victor in this competition of the Titans I hear you ask!?

The answer, is how well they fare in the online department; that is how much fun it is to run around Airfield on COD: World at War, massacaring your foes and claiming a resounding victory in front of your peers... Amongst other things of course.

So, without further hesitation, here is your match programme accopmanying one of the grittiest conflicts ever to grace the gaming world to decide, who will be crowned...

KING OF ONLINE!

Features:

• Headset Support
• Friends List
• Animated Customisable Avatars
• Gamerscore for Tracking in Game Achievements
• 4 Way Voice Chat
• Downloadable Demos
• Downloadable Game and Film Trailers
• Downloadable Community Arcade and Retail Arcade Games
• Downloadable Game Addons
  
• Film Rental Service
  
• Reputation Rating
  
• Windows Live Messenger
• Community News and Entertainment
• Online Gaming
  

So, those are the weapons of choice for the Xbox Live Experience, pretty high caliber eh?

The Xbox experience is unique due to the intense community spirit that you can not find anywhere else, a community spirit that will have you laughing raucously like a blood drunk psychopath one minute and then cursing your face off the next courtesy of a lucky sniper shot to your helmeted cranium.

It is the spirit of the gamers that bring millions of people together, on a quest for the unimaginable glories that the Xbox 360 has to offer, be it searching for that elusive IWHBYD skull on halo 3, or just trying get 1000 Gamerscore points on Bioshock, you will find someone who shares your passion for adventure...

Features:

• Headset Support
• Rankings for Player Comparisons
• In Game Trophies
• Animated Avatars
• Friends List
• Internet Browser and Search Engine
• Downloadable Content From PlayStation Store

Okay, the sexy black machine is all kitted out, lets see what it's made of...

The first major hit that the PS3 blasts out is that the online gaming comes absolutely free of charge to all gamers using this platform, great news for those of you who would rather not spend even more money on games than you already do!

The second blow is dealt by the on board web browser and Google search engine (although you will need a USB mouse and keyboard to operate this with any hope of getting to your favorite website displayed in a reasonable amount of time.) Surprisingly, for a free service the web browser is very sleek and easy to use.

And for all you Linux fans out there, you will be pleased to know that the PS3 is perfectly capable of running your desired operating system, and can even accept larger hard drives if you wish! But I digress, this is about the online capabilities...

As mentioned before, PSN does not require a subscription and as such there is much less support from Sony in regards to bug fixing and dashboard updates, but you do get what you pay for, which is a solid online platform, with little not to like!

Now is the time to break these two monsters apart and decide who has fought the most courageously, in this battle for online survival...

Xbox Live:

Pros:

• Incredible Community Experience
• Great Support From Microsoft
• Xbox Live Interface is Sleek
• Wide Variety of Free and Paid Downloadable Content
• Great Points System

Cons:

• Subscription Costs £39.99 Per Year
• Sometimes Items Seem Overpriced In Marketplace

Score: 8/10

PlayStation Network:

Pros:

• No Subscription Charge
• Web Browser and Search Engine Included

Cons:

• Little Support From Developers Regarding Bugs
• UI Can Be Hard To Navigate
• Dashboard Doesn't Look as Polished as Xbox Live.

Score: 6/10

The Conclusion:

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, the results of the King of Online place Xbox Live ahead of PlayStation Network, a close battle until the end, but Microsoft just clinched it with their excellent presentation, support and community spirit...

I guess you really do get what you pay for...