Sony and Microsoft are both set to sell their new gaming consoles this month.  Sony’s PlayStation 4 will hit the store shelves today, while Xbox fans will have to wait until the Nov 22 to get their hands on the Xbox ONE.

Earlier reports stated that more gamers are more interested in the PS4, based on the fact that more people pre-ordered the Sony gaming console.  For one, the PS4 is much cheaper than the Xbox ONE, costing $100 less, so that’s one obvious reason.  Another could be that Microsoft fans want to wait in line like fanbois do, instead of pre-ordering the device.  Some say the excitement builds up as they wait in line.  So come launch day, we could be seeing console sales higher for Xbox ONE.

Aside from the price difference, what makes the two consoles different?  What makes them better than the other?

PlayStation 4 vs Xbox ONE

 

Launch date:

PlayStation 4: November 15, 2013

Xbox ONE: November 22, 2013

 

Price:

PlayStation 4: $399.99

Xbox ONE: $499.99

 

Processor:

PlayStation 4: 8-core x86-64 AMD “Jaguar” CPU

Xbox ONE: 8-Core AMD Custom Microsoft CPU

Graphics processor:

PlayStation 4: 1.84 TFlops, AMD Radeon Graphics Core

 Xbox ONE: D3D 11.1 chip with 32 MB embedded memory

 

Memory:

PlayStation 4: 8GB GDDR5

Xbox ONE: 8GB DDR3

 

Storage:

PlayStation 4: 500GB hard drive, 3GB cloud storage

Xbox ONE: 500GB hard drive, unlimited cloud storage

 

Camera:

PlayStation 4: PlayStation 4 Camera – sold separately for $59.99

Xbox ONE: Kinect 2 – comes with the purchase of an Xbox ONE

 

Online service:

PlayStation 4: PlayStation Network

Xbox ONE: Xbox Live

 

Bluetooth:

PlayStation 4: Bluetooth 2.1

Xbox ONE: None

 

4K support:

PlayStation 4: Yes

Xbox ONE: Yes

 

Media format:

PlayStation 4: Blu-ray (Blu-ray and DVD movies)

Xbox ONE: Blu-ray (Blu-ray and DVD movies)

 

Motion control:

PlayStation 4: Kinect 2

Xbox ONE: DualShock 4, PlayStation 4 Camera (optional)

 

Online multiplayer subscription:

PlayStation 4: PlayStation Plus – $10/month or $50/year

Xbox ONE: Xbox Live Gold – $60/year

 

Gave DVR:

PlayStation 4: Yes

Xbox ONE: Yes

 

Subscription for game DVR:

PlayStation 4: No

Xbox ONE: Yes

 

Cross game chat:

PlayStation 4: Yes

Xbox ONE: Yes

 

Play games while downloading:

PlayStation 4: Yes

Xbox ONE: Yes

 

Day 1 update size:

PlayStation 4: 300MB

Xbox ONE: 500MB

 

Maximum number of friends:

PlayStation 4: 2,000

Xbox ONE: 1,000

 

Boot up time:

PlayStation 4: 30 seconds

Xbox ONE: 17 seconds, 11 seconds from low-power mode

 

Apps:

PlayStation 4: Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Hulu Plus, Redbox Instant, Twitch, NBA Game Time, NHL GameCenter Live, Crackle, Epic, Crunchyroll, Sony Music Unlimited, Sony Video Unlimited, Yupp TV

Xbox ONE: Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Hulu Plus, Redbox Instant, Twitch, HBO Go coming soon, ESPN, NFL, Verizon FiOS TV, CWTV, Fox Now, FX Now, Machinima, Muzu TV, Target Ticket, Ted, Univision Deportes, Xbox Fitness, Xbox Music, Xbox Video,

 

Games at launch:

PlayStation 4: 16 titles including exclusive titles such as InFamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Driveclub, Knack, Shadow of the Beast, Deep Down, The Order: 1886, Resogun

Xbox ONE: 23 titles including exclusive titles such as Titanfall, Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, Halo 5, Project Spark, Forza Motorsport 5, Quantum Break, Ryse: Son of Rome, Sunset Overdrive

 

Controllers:

PlayStation 4: The Dual Shock 4 controller has some new features like the capacitive touchpad for additional game control, a new share button for sharing recorded or livestream gameplay, integrated speaker and headset jack, and a four-color light bar to easily identify which player is which controller.

Xbox ONE: The Xbox ONE controller doesn’t have a lot of new features but it has been redesigned a bit for a more comfortable hold, the battery now fits inside the controller so players can hold it better, a new expansion port for faster data transfer and richer add-on experience, a vibrating impulse trigger, redesigned directional pad which is now ultra-responsive to sweeping and directional movements, redesigned thumbstick for better grip, and no more wondering which player is holding which controller as it automatically tracks the players and the controllers.

Design:

PlayStation 4: Looks like a italicized version of the Xbox ONE

Xbox ONE: Looks like the bold version of the PS4

Exclusive features:

PlayStation 4: The new dynamic menu replaces the PS3’s XMB bar which features a home screen that also shows your personal profile, social network interface , that is easier and faster to navigate.

Because of the the new share button on the PS4’s dual shock controller, it will be easier for players to record and share gameplay videos.  The difference with Xbox ONE is PS4 gamers won’t need a subscription to share videos.

Xbox ONE: The new Xbox ONE menu looks a lot like Windows 8, complete with the live tiles.  But thanks to the new Kinect 2, you have more ways of controlling the console.  You can choose content using the game control buttons, voice command, or even hand gestures.

Microsoft is creating a new social world for gamers with its Friends app.  Through this app, you can view your friends’ recorded gameplay clips, check out their activities and achievements, and even follow people around, like on Twitter, without the other party having to follow you back.

Gamers can still use other apps while immersed in a game as you can put apps such as Friends, Xbox Music, Internet Explorer, and Skype on either the left or right side of your screen, and keep them locked there as you play.  Always available but never obstructing.

Microsoft is no longer focusing on gamers with the Xbox ONE as they are packaging it as an all-in-one entertainment box.  You can connect the console to your cable or satellite box and enjoy your favorite shows right on the Xbox ONE.

 

The verdict:

 

So which gaming console is better?  Just like mobile devices, it depends on what features you like.  If you like more entertainment apps, the Xbox One may be the best choice.  For gamers, well, that depends on what games you like to play, especially for exclusive games.  If you are a fan of InFamous, you’d probably get the PS4, but if you like Halo more, then go for the Xbox ONE.

For the internal parts, the Xbox ONE and PS4 almost have the same processor but the Xbox ONE may have a slighte edge when it comes to gaming as it has a faster clock speed than what the PS4 uses.  But in the end, if you will be connected to the internet for your gaming and entertainment needs, the experience will depend on your internet connection.  Some may be turned off by the fact that the new PlayStation camera is not included in the package, but it only costs $59.99, so even if you get the camera, it will still cost less than the Xbox ONE.

According to reports, both Sony and Microsoft used the same Jaguar chip that’s meant for low-power systems like tablets and low-end to mid-range laptops.  But that doesn’t mean the consoles are slow.  You have to remember that the Jaguar has more, slower CPU cores to facilitate multitasking, unlike AMD’s Piledriver. Though Piledriver is speedier, it has lesser cores.

“The extra power and area associated with getting that additional [instructions per clock] boost going from Jaguar to Piledriver… It’s not the right decision to make for a console,” Nick Baker, a member of the Xbox team, said.

“Being able to hit the sweet spot of power/performance per area and make it a more parallel problem. That’s what it’s all about. How we’re partitioning cores between the title and the operating system works out as well in that respect.”

In the end, it all depends on whether you are a fan of Microsoft or Sony because even if there are a lot of bashers, loyalists will stick to the brand they grew up with.

Sources: IGN, CNET, PCMag, Xbox, Joystiq