Xbox One vs PS4

Perhaps the biggest battle in console “war” history is set to take place in just over a month.  The Playstation 4 and Xbox One will meet on store shelves mid November.  The PS4 is set to release on Friday, November 15 with the Xbox One nipping at its heels, set for November 22, exactly a week later.  For many people the decision of which console to buy may be as simple as sticking to what they know or currently have.  Both consoles make it very simple to upgrade from their previous iterations by migrating current accounts to the next generation.  Sony, Microsoft, and third party publishers are even offering low cost ways to upgrade split-gen games and in most cases you can upgrade your current generation Xbox 360 or PS3 game (Watch Dogs for example) to an Xbox One or PS4 version for just $10.  This is a great deal compared to the last console generation in which you would have to pay full price if you were too impatient to wait.  It is unclear how long this offer will last though.

If you are unsure on which console is the better purchase for your hard earned cash let’s take a look at the information out there and what you should base your decision on.

Graphics and Power

There is no question that we will continue to get much better graphics over the life of these new consoles.  Game developers will also be able to put more on the screen as seen in previews of games like Knack and Dead Rising 3.  The question is will one console have a graphical advantage over the other.  Both consoles have the same amount of RAM in the box, but while the Xbox One settles for the older DDR3, PS4 utilizes the newer GDDR5 which should give developers more power to work with.  There are some claims that the Xbox One is trying to close this power gap with some differences in their GPU but this remains to be seen.  Still the PS4 boasts a more powerful GPU than the Xbox One so the adjustments may be null and void.  Both consoles utilize custom AMD 8-core, single chip, CPUs.
Though the PS4 boasts more power, it’s important to remember that the PS3 had a power advantage over the 360 as well, yet the advantage didn’t show much of a difference in cross-platform games throughout the generation. If and when we see a visual difference in PS4 and Xbox One games it will come mid to late generation.  Games made for both consoles usually work towards the lowest common denominator.  The real difference will show in PS4 exclusives, which we will get into in a bit.

Features

It will come up again and again but there are a lot of similarities between these two consoles. Both allow you to record your gameplay and share it with friends. Both have live streaming support.  Both are importing and improving their Trophy/Achievement systems. Both have deeply integrated second screen experiences through your tablet and phone. And both consoles now feature Blu-ray drives. The controllers have both seen design tweeks.  The PS4 controller is more comfortable in hand, features a touch pad in the center and a light bar that works with the Playstation Eye.  The Xbox controller features an improved D-pad as well as extra rumble devices in the triggers for unique player feedback.

Xbox Features

Hence the name, the Xbox One is really striving to be your all-in-one media destination.  The Xbox One sports an HDMI Input, allowing you to route your cable or satellite connection through the Xbox One.  Using this connection you will be able to control your cable/satellite box using your Xbox One.  This includes the ability to use voice commands via the power of Kinect. Xbox Live will continue to improve with 300,000 dedicated servers at launch.  These will allow developers unique opportunities to provide improvements for online multiplayer like dedicated servers and cloud support. This includes the new “Smart Match” feature which allows you to queue up a multiplayer match while you watch tv, play a different game, or are using a different app. Xbox is also partnering with the NFL, though the extent of the partnership is not yet known.  Xbox Live Gold members will also get access to Xbox Fitness free for the first year of the console which provides popular workout routines such as P90x, Insanity, and more. Xbox Live Gold members have also begun receiving two free games a month.  

PS4 Features

The Playstation 4 has been very focused on console integration with the Playstation Vita handheld. With the ability to play your PS4 games remotely via your Vita, the Vita provides another level of second screen experiences.  Sony has also promised the ability to stream games to your devices with Sony’s acquisition Gaikai. The extent and viability of the streaming is yet to be seen however.  Playstation Plus has already been a very popular service, providing free games and deep discounts to subscribers.  While PS+ will now be needed in order to play your games online, the service is not required to access streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix. 

Price and What’s in the Package

Playstation 4	Xbox One
$400 (United States)	$500 (United States)
Dualshock 4 Wireless Controller, rechargeable(built-in).	Wireless Xbox Controller, 2 AA batteries (recharge pack sold separately)
Wired earbud headset	Wired headset
HDMI Cable	HDMI Cable
14 days of PS+	14 days of Xbox Live Gold
(Playstation Eye not included) $60 amazon	Kinect 2.0

Games

A big part of your next generation console decision should be console exclusive games.  While there are plenty of cross-platform games, there are also plenty of timed-exclusives and first party games to consider.  Sony has shown exciting new iterations of old favorites Killzone and Infamous, while Microsoft showed off Forza 5 and teased the next Halo. Playstation has seen an increased focus on smaller “Indie” games, though Microsoft has introduced the Indie Initiative which we’re still waiting to see a large number of developers jump on to.  Microsoft has also gained exclusivity on big games like Dead Rising 3 and the much hyped Titanfall.  Both consoles have exciting new titles coming down the line like Playstation’s The Order: 1866 and Xbox’s television/game hybrid Quantum Break.  Many see a lackluster launch, but that’s not a terrible thing. The lineup is missing many first party studio games, such as the next big game from Uncharted and Last of Us developer, Naughty Dog.

The Long Haul

The current console generation started in 2005 with the launch of the Xbox 360. Though the Playstation 3 would be released later, that’s eight years for the consoles.  There’s no reason to think that this cycle will be any shorter so you have to be prepared for the long haul.  We’ve seen both console’s online services improve by leaps and bounds. (Remember the “Blades” interface?)

Friends and Family

Perhaps the biggest factor in your decision is where your friends are playing continuing to play with your Call of Duty clan, or continuing to build your dynasty in your favorite sports game. Also what does your family want? Maybe you need to convince your parents that the Xbox One is a great buy because you they can utilize it’s Kinect and television features.  Maybe you need to convince your significant other by showing them the awesome motion controlled games of the Xbox One’s improved Kinect with the added bonus of getting into shape with Xbox Fitness.  

There really is no right or wrong answer here.  I think if the Microsoft policy changes show anything, it’s that Sony and Microsoft are going to be borrowing ideas from one another a lot more.  These consoles are going to remain very similar and you can bet that Sony is going to be adding features to make the PS4 an entertainment hub while the Xbox One is still very much a games machine.  Either way, make an informed decision on how to spend that next big paycheck. Both consoles are extremely exciting and have incredible potential. The future of gaming is looking very bright!  Game on!