Engadget Comparison Finds GameCube Had More Power, PS2 Won Commercially

The PlayStation 2 launched in North America in October 2000, and the GameCube followed in November 2001. Both consoles built libraries that remain popular, according to the report. The comparison separates raw technical power from selling power.

On hardware, the PS2 used Sony's Emotion Engine, a 295 MHz CPU that split tasks between a main CPU and two Vector Units for geometry calculations and lighting effects. Early in the system's life, many developers found assigning specific processing jobs to different parts of the architecture too time-consuming and labor-intensive, Engadget reported. Criterion's RenderWare design software later helped ease PS2 programming.

The GameCube used a 485 MHz Gekko CPU and a custom GPU called Flipper. Flipper could render up to eight polygon effects layers in one pass, while the PS2 used a multi-pass rendering system, allowing GameCube developers to render more in less time. Flipper also included onboard S3 texture compression, which was more CPU-friendly than in-software compression, according to the article. The GameCube had 40MB of RAM against the PS2's 32MB, and used MoSys memory instead of Rambus RAM for lower latency.

Julian Eggebrecht, former president of developer Factor 5, told IGN that "based on our calculations, GameCube's CPU has all the power PS2's CPU and VU0 have combined and then some." He added that the GameCube matched the PS2 in textures and hardware lights but "just plain kills it" in that area, saying "there is simply no comparison." The article states that by all accounts the GameCube was the more powerful machine.

The GameCube's main hardware shortcoming was its disc size. Its miniature discs held 1.5GB, while competitors' full-size DVDs held at least 4.7GB. Engadget said this was a major limitation for third-party ports.

From a sales standpoint, the PS2 is the best-selling console of all time, with 160 million units sold between its release and discontinuation in 2013. The GameCube sold 21.7 million units between 2001 and 2007 before being phased out in favor of the Wii.

The report attributes much of the PS2's success to broader appeal. The GameCube was seen more as a product for children, while the PS2 used adult-focused advertising, including an infamous campaign featuring condoms shaped like the console's controller buttons, and more mature-oriented games. The PS2 also worked as a DVD player, was one of the most affordable DVD players at the time, and had a sleeker, understated design that fit living room entertainment centers.

The PS2 had an almost 4,500-title library and better third-party support than the GameCube, helped by the GameCube's disc-size limitations and the PS2's early sales boost from its earlier release date, according to Engadget. The PS2 hosted iconic exclusives in the Ratchet and Clank, Jak, Metal Gear Solid and Persona series. Its backward compatibility opened an even bigger library. Engadget also noted that the GameCube had several masterpiece exclusives.