Console Wars: Xbox One vs. PS4

Ah, here we are again, waiting for the return of the newest consoles for the season. We will not mention Nintendo or the Wii. We are going to let them rest in peace (we will deal with that train wreck later). As always, there are Xbox fanboys as well as Playstation. If you ask anyone on either side why their console is better, they will both have valid arguments. However,  with the unveiling of Xbox One, the game is about to change. While the specs are pretty much the same, consumers' decisions will come down to a few things: price, overall game play, privacy, and titles.

After Sony's recent unveiling of the PS4, Microsoft should be extremely worried. The Xbox One's unveiling flopped and Microsoft was very vague on the one thing its consumers really care about;  games.
Sony has upped the ante this time.

Here are some technical specs of both systems and some rumors (& facts) about each console:

Xbox One Specs:

• Camera- 1080p 
• x64 8-core AMD cpu
• 8GB DDR3 RAM
• 802.11n Wi-Fi
• 500GB hard drive 
• HDMI port
• USB ports (3)

For Xbox One, rumor has is that:

• The Xbox One will be cloud-based
• Xbox One will have a blu-ray player
• Xbox One will be over $400
• Xbox One will be an entertainment/media hub as well as a game console (although the focus seems to be more toward media than actual game play)
• Xbox one will have an "always-online" requirement OR it will have to sync with Microsoft's servers at least once every hour
• Xbox one will require the new Kinect 2 to be connected and always-on, leaving your privacy at risk
• The Kinect 2 sensor will be much more powerful and have 1080p resolution
• Xbox one will still be able to monitor everything (visual and audio) even when it is off (even when it is off, you just say the words "Xbox on" and it turns on (proving the point that it is always listening
• The controller has been redesigned to some extent which is supposed to be more responsive and comfortable
• It will require a fee to lend games to friends
• There are restrictions on used games (you may not be able to buy or sell depending on the developer)
• It will NOT be backwards-compatible
• Xbox One may not play well with independent developers (meaning they may not allow indie developers to make games for the new console)
• Xbox one will cater more to the sports crowd (which is great IF you are a sports fan, which I am not)
• There will be about 15 games released for the console within its first year
• Sony's (Playstation) stock jumped almost 10% after the Xbox one reveal

PS4 specs:

• Camera- 1280 x 800
• x64 8-core AMD Jaguar cpu
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi 
• Will have a built-in hard drive
• HDMI port
• USB ports (3)

For Playstation 4, rumor has it that:

• The PS4 will not have an always-online requirement
• The PS4 may also come equipped with a camera sensor
• The PS4 will be under $400
• The Playstation Vita will interact with the PS4
• The PS4 will have  free-to-play games and demos
• The controller will also include a touch pad and LED lights that alert you to your character’s health status and much more
• If Sony's servers are down (which they are a lot), you will still be able to play your games in single-player mode
• Sony's PS4 will have more exclusives than Xbox One (no huge surprise there).
• The PS4 will have over four times the amount of titles as the Xbox One (to be fair, there was no specified release date so this could be over a period of years as opposed to just the first year)

While new information is still being released on both systems and the specs are relatively similar, it is pretty clear who wins this console war. Although I have been an Xbox fan for a while, I do not like the restrictions that they are placing on their consumers. In addition, I should not have to trade my privacy for a few rounds of 'Halo'. I already have two big brothers, I do not need another one. Instead of naming the console 'Xbox One', perhaps it should have been named 'Prism' (Google it).

-M.S. Johnson

Posted in: console, games, ps4, sony, tech, xbox, xbox live, xbox one