Coming from me, someone that spent the generation on the system, and also had a ps3 :
The paid online seemed justified at the time, it was revolutionary in how seamless and integrated all games were at a system level standard, unlike now. Compared to the ps3 at the time it was a no contest.
I dont buy micro transaction and have no recollection of ms leading the charge.
HDMI came post 2005, this is hardly a talking point? Every tv was using component for HD at the time
No hdd was a mind bender, but everything ran fine anyway designed to stream of the dvd. It was a suprise and non issue till much later games started requiring a hdd.
Mine came with wireless controllers, didn’t even know they were sold with wired.
RROD sucked, but my ps3 also YLOD even with significantly less usage, so my experience wasn’t as catastrophic. Regardless, reliability aside, the experience and games all ticked the right boxes…till they started chasing the casual crowd towards the twilight years.