With the initial frenzy and hype around the release of these two consoles now subsided and with them being widely available to buy once again, the big question being posed is, which one do I buy? Our goal is to take a look at the pros and cons of both and give you an idea of where to put your money to get the best gaming experience.
Sales to date
Both consoles launched with all the usual hype, leading to demand far outstripping supply. This led to most people not being able to get their hands on a console until January 2014, which is now commonplace in tech launch days. Both Sony and Microsoft reported that more than a million units of their console were sold on launch day. This does not give much information on who is doing better. If you look at the latest released sales figures, Microsoft says that Xbox One has sold 3.9 million units. This compares with Sony, which posted sales figures of 4.2 million units. That’s a difference of only 300,000, so not much to compare here. Both companies, unsurprisingly, are predicting that increased sales will continue for a while.
Price
The Xbox One base unit is priced at £ 429 and the PlayStation 4 at £ 349. That’s a big difference in starting prices, but what do you really get for your money? Both come with the basics to get you started: console, power cord, HDMI cable, controller, and headphones. The Xbox comes with the Kinect 2 bar; The alternative PlayStation camera will cost around £ 55. The question on these two additional devices is will I use them? Only time will tell, but at least there is an option to buy at a later date with the PS4, while you have to pay the extra independently with the Xbox.
Games
Both machines were released with a meager variety of games. Since launch, the games released have been very similar. This doesn’t seem likely to change at this point, as only Xbox can boast Halo above anything else PlayStation will release.
A big problem with the PlayStation 3 was the price of the software needed to develop games for the machine. This meant that the games were proving costly to develop compared to the Xbox 360. Sony has identified this as a problem and has been affectionately loaning the software to developers in the hopes that more games will be developed for their machine. Microsoft has not changed its policy on this and does not disclose the cost of its software. Sony’s approach may prove to be a winner in the long run, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Neither machine is backward compatible, so you can’t play your old favorites while waiting for the big game to release. However, Sony revealed at launch a cloud gaming facility streaming older games, called PlayStation Now. With the US launch expected in the summer, everyone will have to wait and see how it works.
The console itself
Both machines have higher specs than their predecessors, unsurprisingly. Side by side, they look familiar – same storage, both have Blu-Ray drives, both have Wi-Fi. However, the raw power of the PlayStation, combined with its superior graphics capabilities, put the Xbox behind the PlayStation. The big question is whether the developers will harness this added power and release superior games on PlayStation. Only time will tell, but history shows that developers don’t always take advantage of the added power.
Online service
Microsoft established with Xbox 360 its online service known as Xbox Live. This required a monthly subscription and was quite successful. Sony, on the other hand, offered this service free with the PlayStation 3. Microsoft will continue to provide the Xbox Live service with the Xbox One. Sony has introduced PlayStation Plus, which has an annual cost of £ 39.99 to match that of Xbox Live.
User interface
They both have their own unique setup and PlayStation users will argue that they prefer their system and Xbox users will argue that they prefer theirs. It really comes down to what the user prefers. The addition of the social media upload will attract some, but players will want to play the games and may not necessarily want to post on their social media account about progress. Therefore, many people see this as a useless trick.
The Kinect 2 gives the Xbox an edge here. The voice activation and hands-free system are a huge plus and it seems like this is the way technology is advancing. This is a gaming machine though, and modern TVs come with these kinds of features anyway. A gaming machine is what most people will want, so the additions will look like a gimmick, especially after the initial use has worn off.
The verdict
You have to say that both machines are very close even and both look excellent. Sony seems to have gone the more direct gaming route and Microsoft has come out to produce a complete machine. The initial Xbox problems may have delayed a bit, especially considering the sales figures, although not by much.
All that said, a gamer will want a gaming machine. This appears to be what Sony, with the PlayStation 4, has produced. The power, the thinking behind the development, the simplicity, it all gives the PlayStation 4 the edge. That takes nothing away from the Xbox One, which is shaping up to be an excellent machine, but there are too many “picky” elements that would put many off. With this in mind, the PlayStation 4 simply comes out on top.
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