You have spent time saving money and working towards a savings goal to purchase a new gaming console. Once you have the money saved up, however, which console is right for you? It can be difficult to tell the differences between the PS4 and the Xbox One at first glance. Which console is a better value for the money? What are the benefits and detriments of the two major systems? This article will break down the PS4 and Xbox One specifications and hopefully help you determine which one is right for you – and which one is worth your hard-earned money.
Firstly, consider the basic statistics of the two machines. The Xbox One models is, on average, cheaper than the comparable PS4 models. Xbox and Microsoft has exclusive game agreements with the Halo, Gears of War, and Forza franchises. Playstation and Sony have exclusive game agreements with Uncharted, God of War, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. For some players, exclusive game agreements are enough to decide which console they are going to purchase – so if you are in love with any of the above listed franchises, factor that into your final decision. The Xbox One offers 4K graphics support whereas the PS4 does not, however, this only matters if you have a 4K compatible TV. The Xbox One has 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options and the Playstation 4 has 500GB and 1TB storage options. Xbox One also offers backwards compatibility; you can play any original Xbox or Xbox 360 in the Xbox One system, which is a huge bonus if you have a big game library. Finally, only the Playstation 4 offers support for VR (virtual reality) gaming. These are the main overview stats of the systems, however, they do not paint a complete picture of the choice. These can, however, for some players be enough to make a decision with.
In more specific game libraries, PS4 has the slightest edge when it comes to games available for the system. Sony’s exclusive game deals are higher rated and more numerous than those of Microsoft, as the PS4 boasts: Uncharted 4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and God of War. Xbox One and Microsoft have some good exclusive agreements as well, but they are just not as competitive. For instance, Microsoft has Forza Horizon 4, Gears of War 4, Halo 5, Sunset Overdrive, Crackdown 3, and Sea of Thieves. In terms of sports games, these pretty much always come to both consoles. If you are into sports games as your primary genre, then you will need to look for anther deciding factor. If your favourite niche of gaming genre is fighting games, then you should most likely decide to go with the PS4, as it has Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator 2, and King of Fighters XIV – whereas Microsoft has only Killer Instinct. Both consoles, obviously, play a ton of games, but these exclusive lineups may be the tipping point in the decision process for some players.
Backwards compatibility is also more an in-depth mention. If you have a massive collection of original Xbox and Xbox 360 discs, stop reading this right now and just get an Xbox One. The backwards compatibility is a huge bonus for the Microsoft console as it allows you to play the releases for three different systems on one console, which is a benefit that Playstation just does not have and cannot match. Microsoft also has a ‘Play Anywhere’ program, which basically lets you play the games that you own on your computer as well. Sony has this as well, but it is called ‘Remote Play.’ While this is a cool feature, it is kind of worthless. If you have a computer that is powerful enough to run these high demand games, then it is pointless to even buy a console in the first place. Thus, while innovative and cool, these features often end up barely used. Thus, Xbox One is the clear winner when it comes to backwards compatibility for some, but the ability to play on a PC is not really a selling point for anyone as it is largely useless.
Once the library of playable games is considered, what do the actually hardware and components under the hood look like? The PS4 is slightly bigger, but the controllers for each system have unique features. The Xbox controllers have textured grips and the Playstation controllers are incredibly ergonomic. The PS4 controllers are able to be charged via micro-USB cord, whereas the Xbox One controllers require AA batteries, or a charging kit for an additional cost. While both consoles allow the player to add an external hard drive for more space, only the Playstation offers a safe way to open up the casing and add, replace, or upgrade parts. PS4 systems support VR, whereas the Xbox One systems support keyboard and mouse play. For the lowest model of the consoles, PS4 performs better in terms of processing and graphics. For the most premium version of the consoles, Xbox One performs better in the same categories. Thus, if you have a limited budget, PS4 is probably the better option here. If you have a much higher, or unlimited budget for a gaming console, Xbox One is probably the right option here. Just don’t forget to get the most premium version of the console.
There are also other, smaller considerations. For instance, the console menu on the PS4 is nicer than the one on the Xbox One. While Microsoft has made a plethora of improvements here, none of them have made the menu overall better than the one on the Playstation. The PS4 also makes it easy to share screenshots or video streams with friends, whereas this is a bit more complex and involved of a task on the Xbox. Both consoles supply the ability to stream from various entertainment sources. Both consoles offer streaming from the standard online services, like Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, and the like. Xbox, however, also has Kodi compatibility, which gives a player access to their home library of media as well. Both systems offer an online experience or pass, for the same price. These online passes enable online gameplay for most games, as well as several exclusive goodies and freebies. For most players, the better online option is Xbox, as it is more stable overall and has slightly better signup bonuses. These differences between the two consoles, however, in these fields is quite small, and probably not a deal breaker for either side on their own.
So which console is the winner? You have saved up your money and budgeted smartly for some time in order to buy a gaming console. If none of the above factors was single-handedly a deal breaker, then consider the Playstation 4 console the overall winner of this discussion – by a slight, slight margin. Xbox One has superior network capabilities, backwards compatibility, and hardware in higher end models, this is true. The PS4, however, offers a better value in the low end models and better hardware in those same models. This makes it a better value for the money. Sony’s exclusive game agreements also sweeten the deal for Playstation, as those games are better than the Microsoft exclusives. Both systems are good, however, so if you find a good deal or price on one or the other, you are not missing out. Both systems are fantastic and will provide hours of fun and entertainment for whatever you decide to play or watch on them.
You have spent time saving money and working towards a savings goal to purchase a new gaming console. Once you have the money saved up, however, which console is right for you? It can be difficult to tell the differences between the PS4 and the Xbox One at first glance. Which console is a better value for the money? What are the benefits and detriments of the two major systems? This article will break down the PS4 and Xbox One specifications and hopefully help you determine which one is right for you – and which one is worth your hard-earned money.
Firstly, consider the basic statistics of the two machines. The Xbox One models is, on average, cheaper than the comparable PS4 models. Xbox and Microsoft has exclusive game agreements with the Halo, Gears of War, and Forza franchises. Playstation and Sony have exclusive game agreements with Uncharted, God of War, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. For some players, exclusive game agreements are enough to decide which console they are going to purchase – so if you are in love with any of the above listed franchises, factor that into your final decision. The Xbox One offers 4K graphics support whereas the PS4 does not, however, this only matters if you have a 4K compatible TV. The Xbox One has 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options and the Playstation 4 has 500GB and 1TB storage options. Xbox One also offers backwards compatibility; you can play any original Xbox or Xbox 360 in the Xbox One system, which is a huge bonus if you have a big game library. Finally, only the Playstation 4 offers support for VR (virtual reality) gaming. These are the main overview stats of the systems, however, they do not paint a complete picture of the choice. These can, however, for some players be enough to make a decision with.
In more specific game libraries, PS4 has the slightest edge when it comes to games available for the system. Sony’s exclusive game deals are higher rated and more numerous than those of Microsoft, as the PS4 boasts: Uncharted 4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and God of War. Xbox One and Microsoft have some good exclusive agreements as well, but they are just not as competitive. For instance, Microsoft has Forza Horizon 4, Gears of War 4, Halo 5, Sunset Overdrive, Crackdown 3, and Sea of Thieves. In terms of sports games, these pretty much always come to both consoles. If you are into sports games as your primary genre, then you will need to look for anther deciding factor. If your favourite niche of gaming genre is fighting games, then you should most likely decide to go with the PS4, as it has Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator 2, and King of Fighters XIV – whereas Microsoft has only Killer Instinct. Both consoles, obviously, play a ton of games, but these exclusive lineups may be the tipping point in the decision process for some players.
Backwards compatibility is also more an in-depth mention. If you have a massive collection of original Xbox and Xbox 360 discs, stop reading this right now and just get an Xbox One. The backwards compatibility is a huge bonus for the Microsoft console as it allows you to play the releases for three different systems on one console, which is a benefit that Playstation just does not have and cannot match. Microsoft also has a ‘Play Anywhere’ program, which basically lets you play the games that you own on your computer as well. Sony has this as well, but it is called ‘Remote Play.’ While this is a cool feature, it is kind of worthless. If you have a computer that is powerful enough to run these high demand games, then it is pointless to even buy a console in the first place. Thus, while innovative and cool, these features often end up barely used. Thus, Xbox One is the clear winner when it comes to backwards compatibility for some, but the ability to play on a PC is not really a selling point for anyone as it is largely useless.
Once the library of playable games is considered, what do the actually hardware and components under the hood look like? The PS4 is slightly bigger, but the controllers for each system have unique features. The Xbox controllers have textured grips and the Playstation controllers are incredibly ergonomic. The PS4 controllers are able to be charged via micro-USB cord, whereas the Xbox One controllers require AA batteries, or a charging kit for an additional cost. While both consoles allow the player to add an external hard drive for more space, only the Playstation offers a safe way to open up the casing and add, replace, or upgrade parts. PS4 systems support VR, whereas the Xbox One systems support keyboard and mouse play. For the lowest model of the consoles, PS4 performs better in terms of processing and graphics. For the most premium version of the consoles, Xbox One performs better in the same categories. Thus, if you have a limited budget, PS4 is probably the better option here. If you have a much higher, or unlimited budget for a gaming console, Xbox One is probably the right option here. Just don’t forget to get the most premium version of the console.
There are also other, smaller considerations. For instance, the console menu on the PS4 is nicer than the one on the Xbox One. While Microsoft has made a plethora of improvements here, none of them have made the menu overall better than the one on the Playstation. The PS4 also makes it easy to share screenshots or video streams with friends, whereas this is a bit more complex and involved of a task on the Xbox. Both consoles supply the ability to stream from various entertainment sources. Both consoles offer streaming from the standard online services, like Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, and the like. Xbox, however, also has Kodi compatibility, which gives a player access to their home library of media as well. Both systems offer an online experience or pass, for the same price. These online passes enable online gameplay for most games, as well as several exclusive goodies and freebies. For most players, the better online option is Xbox, as it is more stable overall and has slightly better signup bonuses. These differences between the two consoles, however, in these fields is quite small, and probably not a deal breaker for either side on their own.
So which console is the winner? You have saved up your money and budgeted smartly for some time in order to buy a gaming console. If none of the above factors was single-handedly a deal breaker, then consider the Playstation 4 console the overall winner of this discussion – by a slight, slight margin. Xbox One has superior network capabilities, backwards compatibility, and hardware in higher end models, this is true. The PS4, however, offers a better value in the low end models and better hardware in those same models. This makes it a better value for the money. Sony’s exclusive game agreements also sweeten the deal for Playstation, as those games are better than the Microsoft exclusives. Both systems are good, however, so if you find a good deal or price on one or the other, you are not missing out. Both systems are fantastic and will provide hours of fun and entertainment for whatever you decide to play or watch on them.
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