Playstation 4 vs Xbox One
The year 2013 marked the new era of video game consoles. Sony and Microsoft, two heavyweight entertainment companies that are both fighting for the title of the best console. In one corner you have Sony’s Playstation 4 and in the other sits Microsoft’s Xbox one. Both of these are next generation consoles that use the latest technologies to give the gamer a better feel for the game that he or she plays. Both of these consoles are similar in a variety of ways but, for the similarities that they share they also contain many differences.
Sony’s Playstation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox one are both two powerful consoles but, are completely different from each other before I can one I need to compare the two. The Playstation 4’s console design is similar to the its predecessor on the outside sporting a similar sleek design scheme but, this is where the similarity ends. The ps4 uses a semi custom accelerated processing unit that combines a central processing unit and graphics processing unit all in one chip.
This chip is used to amplify the power of the simulation and graphics on the console. The console also holds several chips that assist in its multitasking ability and can be utilized even while the system is in sleep mode. The ps4 houses a special audio chip that can be used to support in game chat ability among other players and supports in game mp3 streaming. The console comes with 8 gigabytes of GDDR memory and a bandwidth of 176 gigabytes a second which is sixteen times the amount the ps3 had.
The ps4 will contain a bluray disc drive that reads discs at 6x CAV for a read speed of 27 megabytes a second. The ps4 boasts a massive 500 gb pre-installed memory that can be modified so that user can add more whenever he or she wishes. Like the rest of the latest gaming consoles the PS4 will have wireless connectivity; an Ethernet port will also be integrated into the system to for wired connections. The playstation 4 is also Bluetooth compatible. The ps4 will support HDMI cables recognizing up to 1080p isually. The system will also come bundled with a mono stero headset and a peripheral motion detection device, The Playstation Camera. This year’s model of the Playstation will mark the debut of a a radical change to dual shock controller, the DualShock 4. The DualShock 4, being the latest in the series of controllers is well more advanced than the previous three. The basics of the controller haven’t changed much over the years besides the addition of new buttons, functions and capabilities.
The Dual Shock 4 comes with a touchscreen pad on the back, a share button that will allow user to upload videos of their own gameplay experiences, a small built in mono speaker, and a lightbar that changes color to indicate which player is which and can be used by the ps4’s Playstation Camera to determine real life movement and depth of the player. Even the select and start buttons have been merged into a single button called, options. These features aren’t included on any other gaming controller available to the public.
This controller even took an Emmy for best “Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers” by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on January 8, 2007. In the other corner of the ring, you have Microsoft’s new fighter, the Xbox One. The Xbox One is a gaming console and all around entertainment system. This year Microsoft has decided to move away from the PowerPC chip and is now utilizing an AMD processor in this new console.
The Xbox One was built with heavy emphasis on the Kinect peripheral camera device and comes with numerous functions that use this device as well. Console users can hook up their cable boxes and watch live television through the gaming console. Xbox live, the consoles signature gaming service has also been improved. Gamers will have the ability to record live footage of their game play and be able to stream that footage to certain outlets or share it with their friends online. The Xbox one comes bundled with the Kinect motion camera device and the standard Xbox one controller.
The kinect will play a much more important role on the Xbox One. The kinect will integrate with the Xbox One allowing users to use functions such as voice commands, it will have different hand motions for different functions, and the most critical part is, the Xbox one will not work without the kinect attached but, doesn’t need to enter a powered state just as along as its hooked up to the console. The Xbox One controller still has the same design as the original xbox but, will have a slightly different layout and features.
The directional pad has been changed to a four-way design, the battery compartment has been made slimmer, the start and back buttons has been renamed menu and view respectively. The two triggers on the controller have been outfitted with a new feature as well. Both of the triggers have independent rumble motors called, Impulse Triggers, these Impulse Triggers allow video game developers to bring vibration to controllers independently. Now both of these consoles sound great right? They both come with amazing features and do amazing things.
Both the PS4 and Xbox One come bundled with controllers and devices and have loaded these devices with many features. The Playstation 4 comes priced at $399. 00 USD, comes with a 500 gigabyte hard drive, a AMD 8-core jaguar processor, and 8 gigabytes of RAM. The Playstation camera comes separately from the gaming console. The PS4 is also Bluetooth compatible. The Xbox One and the included Kinect will be priced at $ 499. 00 USD, will have a 500 gigabyte hard drive, will have a custom 8 core chip built by microsoft, and is not Bluetooth compatible.
The Kinect utilizes voice commands, can detect body and hand motions and can track up to 6 people at one time. Xbox one controllers have been designed to include vibration packs in the triggers. So as you can see these system both share similar functions, equipment, and hardware specs. One of the most obvious differences is the price with the PS4 priced at a hundred dollars cheaper than the Xbox one. If I or anyone else has interest in these gaming consoles and wishes to purchase one, this information would be needed to compare the two before I can make a decision.
