Sony’s PlayStation 4 is unveiled tomorrow, and it’s ready to do battle with Microsoft’s Xbox One. Already the arguments are raging online about which console is superior, but choosing which one you want can be a minefield if you don’t have any hard and fast loyalty to either.
So which one should you choose? We took a look at both and compared some of the consoles’ features to help you make that all-important decision.
Hardware
The Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have similar hardware. Both are built on an eight-core processor – the Xbox One has a 1.75ghz AMD custom CPU, with the PS4 opting for a 1.6ghz AMD "Jaguar" processor, which means they'll both make a good job of multitasking.
However, it's in the graphics department that Sony could just edge it, with a more powerful GPU. Xbox One, meanwhile, reserves about 10 per cent of the GPU power for Kinect. That's a bit of a hindrance for the console.
Both have 8GB of RAM, but the PS4 uses a more powerful version.
Looking at some of the third-party games, the PS4 will run them at 1080p, compared with 720 for the Xbox One. So out of the box, the PlayStation 4 wins on graphics power.
Storage
The consoles have identically sized hard drives of 500GB. That's a lot of space to save games and install apps, although the Xbox requires you to install games to your hard drive to play them. That will be a few GB of data eaten up every time you install a new game, and you'll still need the discs to play; you don't get the benefit of being able to ditch the disc to make up for it.
The Xbox One allows external storage via USB, but the PS4 has an upgradable hard drive, which could be a benefit in the future.
Motion
The updated Microsoft Kinect is far superior to its predecessor. Not only is the camera high definition, but it also works much better in smaller (read: average sized) livingrooms, and can perform well even in the dark. It is so sensitive it can read the pulse off your face, which is both impressive and a little creepy. And it integrates with your Xbox One system to ensure that you can work on that ambition of becoming the best couch potato in Ireland.
The PlayStation Eye camera, meanwhile, is an additional accessory. It doesn’t have quite the same firepower as the Kinect, but it does a decent enough job. It also tracks players through the new dual shock controller, similar to how Move controllers and the Eye camera work together. Voice recognition also comes with this peripheral, so you can find games and apps on the PlayStation system with minimal effort.
Entertainment
The consoles are fairly evenly matched on the entertainment front. The consoles will both play Blu-ray DVDs – Microsoft long ago dropped the failed HD DVD format – and they're almost silent while running, which is a major bonus.
Both offer their own version of a music streaming service; both allow you to use services such as Netflix.
However, the implementation is slightly different. To get access to extra apps like Netflix on the Xbox One, you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold membership. That will also cover things like Xbox Fitness and online multiplayer gaming, but it will cost you about €65 for the year.
On the other hand, Sony doesn’t require any additional subscriptions to use Netflix or similar apps. But you will require a PlayStation Plus subscription (about €5 per month) to play multiplayer games online, a significant change from Sony’s previous policy.
Microsoft has been working on something else though. The ultimate plan is for the Xbox One to hook up with your TV and offer interactive programming and the ability to change the channel by voice commands.
That may be some time off for Irish consumers – it will require all sorts of deals with local TV providers – but the possibility is there for the future.
Second screen
Xbox SmartGlass has been around for quite a while, and Microsoft has built a new version for Xbox One. The app interacts with your console, allowing you to set it up more easily, customise your start-up menu and track your game achievements.
It also acts as a companion app for some games, movies and apps on your console. For example, in In Dead Rising 3, SmartGlass is your in-game smartphone, with new side missions and rewards, the ability to track your mission and a real-time map – a few things that might come in handy when you're trying to escape the zombie hordes.
Sony isn’t being left behind. It also has an app, the PlayStation app, which allows you to interact with your Sony account, buying games and pushing them to your PS4 console while you’re away from your livingroom. But that’s not all. The PlayStation Vita can act as a remote screen for the PS4, allowing you to transfer your game to the console and free up the livingroom TV, so you can take your PS4 games mobile – once you’re in wifi range.
Games
Each console comes with its own exclusives. Xbox One gets Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, Capcon's Dead Rising 3 and the as-yet unreleased Titanfall, which will also appear on the Xbox 360 and for PC. Sony will have Killzone: Shadow Fall, child-friendly title Knack and, in a few weeks, Gran Turismo 6. Infamous: Second Son is another Sony exclusive that is worth waiting for.
But aside from that, both consoles will have a steady supply of third-party titles, from Call of Duty: Ghosts to Just Dance 2014. And the games are a similar price, ranging from €65 to €70.
Both consoles are also heavily targeting the indie games developers in the hopes there will be a (more reasonably priced) gem or two in there that players will take to their hearts. Although Sony made it a point to announce just how much support they’d be giving developers from the very beginning, Microsoft has countered with its ID@Xbox programme, which allows developers to self-publish on the Xbox platform. Expect good things from both platforms in this regard.
Price
In the end, it may just comes down to price. At €499, the Xbox One is certainly the more expensive of the two consoles. This is partly due to the inclusion of Kinect as standard with the console; when you take into account the cost of the Sony PlayStation camera the gap narrows, to between €30 and €40.
Verdict
With superior graphics power, the PS4 may be the choice for core gamers. However, for a more all-round entertainment experience, the Xbox One definitely has the edge this Christmas.
