Comparing Comdex And E3

City

Comdex had its faults, but the mega-event's location wasn't one of them. Pound for pound, Las Vegas is the best location for a major conference in the U.S., and there's no point in arguing otherwise. The Strip is loaded with good hotels that boast plenty of convention space, there are almost always plenty of cabs, and now there's that silly monorail. Plus, Vegas has no shortage of entertainment options. L.A., meanwhile, has more traffic, limited public transportation, and fewer hotels; for whatever reason, there just aren't that many near the L.A. Convention Center.

Convention centers are all the same to me: the really crucial elements for conferences are hotel and restaurant options. Personally, I'll take the Hard Rock Hotel and the Benihana steakhouse any day over the Holiday Inn and California Pizza Kitchen (yuck).

Advantage: Comdex

Vegas, baby, Vegas!

After Hours

This one isn't even close. People talk a lot about the parties at E3, but the parties are like a lot of the games themselves these days - they just don't live up to the hype. Sure, you could have gone to the House of Blues in L.A. for the big Access E3 party this year and tried to get a glimpse of all the big name celebrities - except that none of them showed up! As for non-E3 social life in the city, you can visit some of L.A.'s finest bars. Oh wait, I forgot. L.A. doesn't have any bars - just clubs.

On the other hand, Sin City has it all. Great restaurants, plenty of bars (sports bars, pubs, ritzy bars, dancing bars, smoking bars, and, um, gentleman's clubs), gambling, amusement park rides, wild shows, hopping clubs, tons of scenery, and train wrecks like Charles Barkley and John Daly. Hands down, the women are better-looking in L.A. But since we're geeks, we couldn't get within 10 feet of those models and actresses anyway, so what's the point? You might as well get wasted on free alcohol at the tables in Vegas and beer-goggle your way to victory, so to speak.

Advantage: Comdex