The Xbox One and the Playstation 4 are the next-gen consoles that everyone has been talking about. In fact, they’re no longer next-gen… they’re current gen.
Though the Playstation 4 is leading in sales, it’s a close call between the two consoles – both Microsoft and Sony have done a good job taking console performance to the next level.
In this article we’ll take look at the two consoles side by side to see which comes out top!
Aesthetics
The PlayStation has a beautifully angular look, with strong design that makes it really stand out in a good way amongst your other devices. The Xbox One on the other hand is a basic box design that fails to inspire. The PS4 clearly comes out on top here, being smaller in dimension, lighter and better looking!
Performance
The Xbox One has a custom 1.75GHz AMD 8-core CPU whereas the PS4 has a less powerful 1.6GHz AMD 8-core CPU with x86 based architecture. While this is a win for the Xbox One, it has a weaker graphics processor that makes the PS4 come out on top. This isn’t merely on a technical level, the difference is very noticeable in real life!
Controllers
Both the PS4 and the Xbox One come with brilliant controllers. Microsoft have tweaked the Xbox One design to near perfection, having sculpted the controller more and given it some nifty features such as vibrating triggers. Sony have done a brilliant job at improving on the dualshock design, with a touch pad and internal speaker bringing new levels of interactivity to the console world.
Extras
The Xbox One has a ton of extras, with the interface working as a total multimedia system, with access to popular apps, game stores and streaming and a whole host of Xbox live perks. The PS4 on the other hand feels less developed with more of a focus on gaming, that being said it does have it’s fair share of features. The Xbox One comes out clearly in front in our opinion.
Price
Both of the consoles cost the same amount thanks to Microsoft dropping the price to ensure that the Xbox One could compete on launch. For the price of £350 it’s pretty good value considering that you’re getting a brilliant next gen console and multimedia system. GAME’s currently offering Destiny free with a PS4 and bundle deals while Amazon’s undercutting the market by £10 on the PS4, selling the basic console for £339.85.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s a close call between the two consoles. Given that there’s virtually no difference in price between them, the decision comes down to the age old question of Sony vs Microsoft. If you’re looking for a multimedia system capable of “next-gen” gaming, the Xbox is the one. If you’re looking for a pure gaming machine with incredible graphics, the PS4 is probably your best bet. That… or you could skip both and go for the ultimate system, the PC.
In summary, let’s look at those pros and cons:
Playstation 4 (PS4)
Pros:
- Best PlayStation controller so far
- Incredible graphics
- Truly next-gen console
- Brilliant design
Cons:
- Not enough games yet
- Not backwards compatible
- Lacks DLNA compatibility or media playback support
Xbox One (Xbone)
Pros:
- Best entertainment hub
- Blu Ray player
- Voice control
Cons:
- Xbox Live subscription
- Few games
- Not backwards compatible
Thoughts?
If you’ve been holding out on picking up a new console, I hope you’ve found this information useful. I would also love to hear what you think about this generations console race. I think things are going to get pretty hot this time. The stakes are higher than ever for Microsoft and Sony.
