Is it too early to accurately gauge which next-generation console is going to be the leader where raw processing power is concerned? Perhaps so, but that hasn't stopped critics and gamers alike from forming strong opinions about these attractive new machines.

According to a recent IGN.com poll of more than 15,000 readers, nearly 55% or some 8,234 participants believe that Sony's PlayStation 3 will be the most powerful next-generation console. Meanwhile, 31% of those polled, or 4846 readers, believe that Microsoft's Xbox 360 system will offer the most processing muscle during the next round.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, scheduled to launch in America this November, aims to deliver gamers immersive new play experiences enveloped in high-definition visuals. The system will also capitalize on the company's well-established Xbox Live service, which promises to bridge distances and bring gamers together for online-based matches and tournaments. Games for the system look sharper and more realistic than ever before. In fact, titles like Gears of War show dramatic graphical enhancements over current-generation software.

However, some pundits believe that a surprisingly strong showing of PlayStation 3 at last May's Electronics Entertainment Expo may have taken Microsoft by surprise and swayed some potential 360 owners just as the console was gaining steam. Others suggest that Sony's unparalleled marketing powers, which kicked off well before PS3 materialized with talk of its powerful Cell chip, may have influenced gamers' opinions about the hardware.

The most logical reason that readers believe in PS3's power, though, may have less to do with E3 showings or marketing muscle and more to do with Moore's Law, which states that in general processing power doubles every 18 months while prices fall. The fact of the matter is, PlayStation 3 is set to release at least six months after Xbox 360, and possibly longer still, which in of itself suggests the machine will be more powerful.

That's all good and fine. But why, then, do only 10%, or 1,591 of readers polled, believe that Nintendo's next-generation consoled, codenamed Revolution, will be the most powerful of the bunch? The machine is expected to debut in late 2006, making it the last of the next-generation platforms. Doesn't Moore's Law apply? Apparently not. Nintendo has publicly stated on several occasions that its focus with Revolution is not raw processing power, but rather to create a small, quiet and affordable console.

Only 4.3%, or 669 readers polled, said they had not yet formed an opinion about which console would be the most powerful in the next-generation wars.