PS4 vs Xbox One Reviews on Amazon
The PS4 vs Xbox One. These are the two most popular consoles of our generation. With hundreds of millions of dollars in sales at their helm, it’s fair to say that there’s no stopping the companies behind them from making more of these magnificent powerboxes.
This is why in just less than a month, the next generation of consoles will become available to the public in the form of Sony’s Playstation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X.
But before that, let’s honor these two consoles for a second and talk about their legacies, what made them popular, and how these two consoles will ultimately affect the general population’s decision as to what next-gen console they’re going to go for.
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 is Sony’s entry to the eighth generation of video game consoles. It was initially released in November of 2013 in North America. During its release, it was notable for having an incredibly more powerful processor than its predecessor.
The PS4’s accelerated processing unit, or APU, was developed by AMD, a noteworthy computer processor manufacturing company. At its time, the PS4’s APU was the most powerful AMD had ever built.
Among the PS4’s most notable changes over the PS3 was its new DualShock controller. Its buttons and analog sticks felt so much better than its predecessors, and the integration of a new touchpad was met with praise.
The console was released to critical acclaim, and it was highly beloved by fans. People praised how Sony took after the needs of its players, not allowing the restriction of digital rights, giving its first-party developers artistic freedom, and giving attention to indie game developers.
The PS4 went on to sell over 112 million copies worldwide, and that number is still growing as the PS4 is still available for purchase on the market today.
The other versions of the PS4
In September of 2016, Sony released two different variations of the PS4, the PS4 Slim, and the PS4 Pro. The PS4 Slim was simply a smaller version of the console, with no changes to its internal specifications. Conversely, the PS4 Pro is an improved, more powerful version of the base PS4.
The PS4 Pro had a more powerful GPU. The base PS4 can clock up to 1.84 teraflops, while the PS4 Pro can go up to 4.20 teraflops. This made the PS4 Pro capable of running games on 4k resolution.
Notable features
The PS4 had a couple of hardware that players of the console can take advantage of. Perhaps its most popular and positively received is the PSVR.
The PSVR is PlayStation’s own way of integrating virtual reality into gaming. The PSVR features a 1080p display panel and a surround headset. The headset has LED lights on its sides which an additional PS Camera can detect to track a player’s head movements.
The PS4 has an online service called the PlayStation Network.
This is a place players can go to buy games digitally, interact with other players online, and subscribe to a video game streaming service called PlayStation Now, where players can download a wide array of games under a monthly subscription.
Xbox One
The Xbox One is Microsoft’s weapon against Sony’s PS4. The console was released in November of 2013. Its processing architecture took inspiration from the original Xbox, which used an x86 architecture, instead of its direct predecessor which used a PowerPC architecture.
Microsoft’s aim when they released the console was to make it an all-in-one entertainment system, which is why they aptly named the console Xbox One. The console can play Blu-Ray discs and overlay live TV programming.
The Xbox One controller only slightly deviates from the controller of the Xbox 360, although certain changes were quite noticeable. It has a repurposed design, the buttons are improved, and the triggers are capable of delivering directional haptic feedback.
The console was positively received at launch, with most praises pointed towards its controller design and features that make the console highly accessible. However, many criticisms were also widely called.
One, many noted that the console was nowhere near as powerful as its competitor, the PS4. Its user interface was also very confusing which discombobulated many players. Thankfully, the latter issue was later fixed via a software update.
The Xbox One’s commercial success was nowhere near to that of the PS4. To date, The Xbox One has sold over 50 million units.
Xbox One S & Xbox One X
The Xbox One was eventually succeeded by two different versions of the console called the Xbox One S and the Xbox One X. The Xbox One S is a smaller version of the base console, but it has a more powerful capability.
Unlike the base version of the console, the Xbox One S is capable of upscaling games from 1080p to 4k. It can also support HDR video. An all-digital edition of the One S was released later on.
The Xbox One X is ultimately the most powerful of the bunch. It has a fully upgraded hardware, with a more powerful CPU, GPU, and RAM. The console can easily run games on 4k resolution while running at 60 FPS. This version of the console was positively received and notable for being more powerful than the PS4 Pro.
Praiseworthy features
The players had the option to purchase a Kinect device along with the Xbox One upon launch.
The Kinect was positively received by both fans and critics for its accuracy in motion tracking and the ability to facially recognize which can allow players to log in directly.
The most renowned feature of the Xbox is its Xbox Game Pass feature. The Game Pass is a game streaming service where players can play a wide array of games for a monthly subscription.
Amazingly, many of Microsoft’s first-party titles can become available on the service on its first day of release, which means subscribers can enjoy a brand new game without having to buy it at full price.
PS4 vs Xbox One Specs
Here is a breakdown of the PS4’s specs:
- CPU: x86-64 AMD Jaguar, 8 cores
- GPU: 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon™ based graphics engine
- RAM: GDDR5 8GB
- Storage: 500GB, 1TB HDD
- Dimensions: 265×39×288 mm ( W x H x L )
- Power: AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz
And here is an overview of the specifications for the Xbox One:
- CPU: X86 AMD custom APU, 8 cores
- GPU: 1.31 Tflops, 853 MHz
- RAM: DDR3 8GB
- Storage: 500GB HDD, external hard drives compatible
- Dimensions: 13.1in W, 10.8 Depth, 3.1 H
- Power: 70-120W
Is The PS4 More Powerful than Xbox One?
If we’re going to base the PS4 vs Xbox One specifications, the PS4 is the more powerful console.
The PS4 has a more powerful GPU, which can clock a5 1.84 teraflops, while the Xbox One’s GPU can only go up to 1.31 teraflops. The PS4’s ram is also faster.
PS4 vs Xbox One: Which Console Should You Buy?
So, PS4 vs Xbox One. Which console wins? It can be argued by many that if the console war between the PS4 and the Xbox One were based on metrics, the PS4 has ultimately won the war.
Although the Xbox One had a more powerful console with its Xbox One X compared to the PS4 Pro, and its Xbox Game Pass is more accessible and has more incredible games compared to the PSNow, the PS4 has a lot more exclusives that are superior in every way imaginable.
Not to mention the PS4 sold over 61 million units more than the Xbox One.
In less than a month, the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, the new consoles pushed by Sony and Microsoft, will hit shelves all around the world.
Both of these consoles are highly anticipated and many people are already calling which is going to win the next console war before it has already begun. In truth, only time will tell.
But, if we’re going to base it on history, Sony will have a clear advantage.
However, the console war is not always adherent to history. Many things can change in one generation and the Xbox Series X, alongside its incredible features, is already shaping up to be an incredible entry to the ninth generation of video game consoles.
This doesn’t mean Sony’s PS5 is backing down, though. The best thing to do is to try the consoles out for yourselves.
Console Exclusive Games – PS4
One of the reasons, if not the main reason, as to why the PS4 is so successful is because of its impressive catalog of exclusive games.
Many of these games have won multiple awards, sold an incredible amount of copies, and are critically acclaimed. Here are some of the most notable PS4 games you can play right now:
- God of War
- Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection
- Uncharted 4
- Marvel’s Spider-Man
- Bloodborne
- The Last of Us
- The Last of Us 2
- Days Gone
- Shadow of the Colossus
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- InFamous: Second Son
- The Last Guardian
- Ghost of Tsushima
Exclusive Games XBox
The exclusive games for Xbox One are also widely beloved. Microsoft has a few of the game industry’s most recognizable titles and a few of them made its way to the Xbox catalog during the Xbox One’s run.
Here are some of them:
- Forza Motorsport 7
- Halo: Master Chief Collection
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Halo Wars 2
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Gears of War
- Sea of Thieves
Final Thoughts
Video gamers from all over the world are no doubt highly looking forward to the next console’s arrival.
Taking a look at the discussion between the PS4 vs Xbox One, the consoles we currently have in this generation, can generate a few selling points as to what you can expect when the PS5 and the Xbox Series X comes out.
Whatever the case, it still is a win for gamers. The gaming community is about to be treated with two amazing consoles, even better than the PS4 and the Xbox One. If you’re willing and able, you won’t even have to choose one or the other.
You can just go with both. But, if you’re only planning on getting just one, make sure you get the console that suits your preferences the most.
Originally Published October 16, 2020; Updated October 20, 2020.
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