An Xbox connected through a High Definition AV pack to an existing HDTV is closer, and in a select few cases (games that make use of the machine's highest resolutions), that's it. Put simply, for Xbox 360 gaming, what counts is 720p.
With 1080i offering little, if any, visual improvement and 1080p shrouded in uncertainty, this is the guaranteed face of the HD era, at least as far as Microsoft is concerned.
The inevitable question, then: just how much does PS3 complicate matters with its potentially greater requirements? At E3 Sony delighted in exerting numerical superiority over its competitor, but is a 1080p future a realistic enough prospect to give consumers cause for concern?
Together with brute horsepower, the textural and geometric detail required by such 1920x1080 games would be quite simply incredible, especially when introduced to the fast-motion scenes that are common among console games.
Above: The HD era's arrival is set to make 16:9 picture ratio - that of a conventional widescreen set - the norm
Ultimately, as ever, the buy-now/buy-later decision will hinge on individual perspectives: many will maintain that there'll always be something better on the horizon and that the advent of widespread HD generally is a worthier milestone than the arrival of 1080p.
Stop. Rewind. Let's climb on top of things again and discuss the notion of native resolution.
Unlike that of conventional CRTs, the technology present in most HDTVs will dictate one specific resolution at which their image will be displayed purely and precisely.
Anything above or below must be upscaled or downscaled to suit, meaning that a set with a native resolution of 1280x720 is ideal (or as close to it as you'll get) for displaying 720p.
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