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Should You Buy The Xbox One Or The PS4?
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Should You Buy The Xbox One Or The PS4?
AskMen

Should You Buy The Xbox One Or The PS4?

Xbox One vs. PS4: The AM Verdict

At long last the wait is over. The Xbox One?will be available around the world later this year. But while the company’s big Xbox Reveal event earlier this week managed to put some of the questions we had to bed, just as many were left unanswered. The most pressing? Is it better than Sony’s PlayStation 4?

Ultimately, we don’t know. There’s been such a confusing mish-mash of information about the Xbox One that comprehensively comparing the two is impossible, especially with more stuff bound to be revealed at E3.

So view the following as a rough guide to our first impressions — who’s got the upper hand going into E3, and who has the most to prove?


Exclusives
Xbox One:?One of the more interesting points of Microsoft’s announcement was that the company plans to release 15 exclusive titles for the Xbox One over the next year, of which eight will be brand new franchises.

While we already know about Forza Motorsport 5 and can safely assume Halo 5 and a new Gears of War title are in development, it’s the new IPs that are most interesting. The two we’ve seen so far, Ryse and Quantum Break, seem interesting but it’s unclear whether they’re strong enough to pull gamers away from Sony. E3 is just around the corner and Microsoft still has everything to prove.?
[0]

PS4:?
While Microsoft undoubtedly has more to show, Sony is looking really strong here. The company has already revealed a host of strong new series including Driveclub, Knack and Deep Down, while next-gen instalments in familiar franchises like Killzone and Infamous have also been announced.

Once again, it comes down to what we get out of E3. We know a new?
Final Fantasy game will be shown, but Sony’s been fairly tight-lipped about other big reveals. Microsoft is sure to come out all guns blazing after the criticism levelled at it for not showing enough games this week. Can Sony rise to the challenge??[1]



The Controller
Xbox One:?Microsoft’s made over 40 enhancements, mainly in the name of making the Xbox One controller more ergonomically pleasing. The triggers have “magnetic” sensors and small rumble motors in for greater precision, while the d-pad is no longer disc-shaped, instead boasting a four-way design for easier inputting. It’s looking like a strong evolution of the familiar PS3 controller that clearly respects its legacy and leaves its strongest qualities intact. ?[1]

PS4:?
The PlayStation 4 controller now has new integrated LEDs, a touchpad, microphone port and light bar, as well as that already infamous share button that’ll let you upload video whenever you please. Like the Xbox One controller, this is an iteration of a previously popular design, but there are far more unknown quantities here. Will the touchpad be used well, or as a gimmick? Will the light bar really make tracking your movements more accurate? We don’t know for sure, but we can’t wait to find out. ?[1]



The Console
Xbox One:?The upside? We actually know what Microsoft’s console will look like. The downside? It’s reminiscent of a 1980’s VCR on steroids. The company didn’t stop saying it wants the Xbox One to be the only box you’ve got under your TV, and it seems to have opted to make sure there’s room for nothing else as an added precaution.?[1]

PS4:?
It was a fairly underhand tactic to release a blurry teaser vid of the PlayStation 4 hardware the day before the Xbox Reveal, especially as it didn’t tell us much. The snapshots we’ve seen of the PlayStation 4 look like it’s sleek and smartly designed. If it’s significantly smaller than the Xbox One, Sony could be on to a winner, but we won’t know for sure until E3. ?[0]

Tech Specs
Xbox One:?Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One will contain an 8-core AMD CPU with 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB hard drive, HDMI in/out, USB 3.0, and Gigabit Ethernet. Got it? Good. As we’re not techxperts, we can’t delve into the nitty gritty, but rest assured that all signs point to both consoles having very similar hardware.?[1]

PS4:?
In comparison, the PlayStation 4 has an 8-core Jaguar AMD CPU, with a GPU that’s around the same level as the Radeon 7870. While that may not mean much to everyone, experts are saying?it’s likely that graphics on the Xbox One and PS4 will look very similar, and probably slightly better than high-end PCs for a good few years after they launch.?[1]


Multimedia Features
Xbox One:?If you live in America and happen to like sports, Microsoft’s new TV deals mean you’re in for a treat. If you live anywhere else in the world though? Not so much. All of the TV stuff will only work in the US at launch, with a gradual global rollout planned. Additionally, we’ve seen time and time again that while people like the idea of voice control, in practice it’s often shied away from due to being awkward and gimmicky. ?[0]

PS4:?
The PS4’s major focus was sharing, be that through the integrated video services (which Xbox One will also have) and the integration of social features into its cloud service. Being able to jump in and play with friends easily and see what they’re doing could be quite interesting. While the full list of extra services hasn’t been confirmed, PS3 veterans Netflix and Amazon Instant will both be appearing, as will most catch-up services.?[1]


Reaction
Xbox One:?Bit of a tricky one, this. While ardent videogame fans were sorely disappointed (IGN polled its audience and discovered 75% of its readers weren’t impressed), the mainstream media was fairly positive, though a lot of outlets weren’t sure what to make of it. What’s more confusing is why a hardcore gaming brand would hold a press conference, fully aware that gamers would be the main demographic to tune in... and then not talk about games for more than half of it. It was also a very US-centric pitch.?[1]

PS4:?Because it went first, Sony reaped the benefits of the PlayStation 4 offering the world its first glimpse at the next-generation. Additionally, as its conference was twice as long as Microsoft’s and clearly presented games, gamers and developers as the focus, it’s generated a lot more goodwill. The real question now is where can they go from here? While a strong showing of games from Microsoft at E3 could easily redeem the company, Sony needs to be sure to keep momentum not just in the coming weeks, but in the months leading up to launch. Can they do it? Time will tell. [1]

The PS4 Wins With A 5-4 Victory
The PlayStation 4 has pipped it by a point, mainly due to the fact that the information that's come out has been clearer. We know we'll be getting a solid games console, while Microsoft is in danger of wandering into Jack-of-all-trades, master of none territory. E3 could change all this though. With roughly nine months to go until launch, battle lines have been drawn, now we just need to wait for either company's opening salvo.

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