PlayStation 4 or Xbox One? Bidness Etc compares the two
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Sony Corp. (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) have been locked in a never-ending battle to gain supremacy over each other. Fanboys invest time in debating which of their beloved console is better, and try to justify their purchase or purchase-to-be.
Xbox One, successor to the Xbox 360, competes directly against PlayStation 4, successor to the PlayStation 3. Both consoles saw a 2013 release, and have been engaged in a heated console war since then. While the journey of the PlayStation 4 has been nothing but stellar, the Xbox One has struggled to keep up in comparison. This is mainly because the console received much criticism over its policies when it was unveiled. A lot has changed since then, and Xbox One is the complete opposite of what it used to be. From new leadership to a renewed focus on games, the Xbox One is on the right path. Here, Bidness Etc discusses pros and cons of each console and compares the two.
Hardware
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are nearly identical in the kind of hardware and architecture they use. This is due to the fact that both consoles use the same chip vendor – AMD. The consoles use a custom APU that features two clusters of 4 CPU cores, making it 8 CPU cores in total. The PlayStation 4 CPU is clocked at 1.6 GHz and the Xbox One at 1.75 GHz.
The GPU used in the two is derived from AMD’s GCN architecture. This is where the PlayStation 4 takes a lead. The PlayStation 4 has a total of 18 Compute Units and 1152 Shader Processors, versus Xbox One’s 12 Compute Units and 768 Shader Processors. The Xbox One is clocked at 852 MHz versus PlayStation 4’s 800 MHz. Both the systems use 8GB of system memory, but the PlayStation 4 uses faster GDDR5 RAM, versus Xbox One’s DDR3. This gives the former 175GB/s of bandwidth and leaves Xbox One’s DDR3 at 68.3 GB/s. However, the Xbox One uses an ESRAM buffer to compensate for the shortcoming in system memory’s bandwidth, and gives 204GB/s of theoretical bandwidth.
This difference in hardware is what gives the PlayStation 4 a lead in delivering better-performing multiplatforms. Games often fail to meet native 1080p on Xbox One, while the overwhelming majority of PlayStation 4’s library is native 1080p. The lack of power in comparison, combined with the ESRAM, which is widely reported to be painful to work with, is the Achilles heel of Xbox One. However, a console’s performance improves overtime; Xbox One’s situation has certainly improved, and it might be able to deliver 1080p more easily once DirectX12 arrives and Microsoft further improves the ESRAM development tools. For now at least, the PlayStation 4 has a clear advantage in delivering better multiplatforms. Recent examples are Batman: Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which run on 900p on the Xbox One and native 1080p on the PlayStation 4.
Xbox Live Vs. PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network began as a free service but has changed to a paid service and introduced PlayStation Plus, similar to Xbox Live Gold. For $50 a year, you get access to online multiplayer and two free games each month. Xbox Live is $10 more expensive for a year-long membership, and you get the same benefits. You also have the option to pay $25 per three months, or choose $10 per month pay-as-you-go on Xbox Live.
Bear in mind that free games received through PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold only work as long as you’re an active member. You only lose access to them and they do not disappear from your library. PlayStation Network has lagged behind Xbox Live in delivering a reliable and stable network. A 2011 cyber-attack kept the network down for a month and random outages are often heard of, though not on such a large scale. Xbox Live is powered by Microsoft’s Azure network, which is a collection of 300,000 servers. That is a strong point in favor of Xbox Live.
Since PlayStation 4 has sold almost twice the number of consoles, it is not false to say you get access to a larger pool of players on PlayStation Network. Both networks run discounts on games every month. It is fair to say Xbox Live has the upper hand in delivering a reliable network and PlayStation 4 has the lead in the number of players online.
Games
This is where everything becomes subjective. A massive blockbuster might seem like a must-have for some while it may be totally unappealing to others. This is where you, as a customer, must ask yourself: What kind of games do you play? What kind of franchises you are most eager to play? Which systems are owned by your friends? If you love names like Halo, Gears of War, Forza Motorsport, then Xbox One is for you. If you’re into games like God of War, Uncharted, Gran Turismo, then PlayStation 4 should be your pick. However, PlayStation 4 has been on a slow uptake on releasing exclusives, and there is no killer app for holiday 2015; Sony even acknowledges it.
The Xbox One, on the other hand, is about to have the second year with the most numbers of exclusives, with Halo 5: Guardians, Forza Motorsport 6, and Rise of The Tomb Raider, all releasing between September and November, 2015. Many more are already announced for 2016 release. So, Xbox One for 2015, at least, is a better buy. Of course, nothing can move you if you have your mind set to a particular exclusive.
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