Today we will try to figure out which is better to buy: Xbox One or PlayStation 4. So, why not Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro? Yes, because the era of 4K has not yet arrived, and financially it will not be the best buy
Let’s start with the most important thing – games. We buy consoles not to watch movies, but to play. Originally game consoles were famous for their exclusives, which lured the audience to the side of a certain brand. In the eighth generation, the battle of exclusives turned into a beating of the lame.
Back in the year so 2016 Microsoft ditched “Xbox One Exclusive” and switched to “Microsoft Exclusive”. Now all the games for Xbox One appear over time and on the PC, which is very disappointing for fans of the “X box”. This is not as terrible as it might seem at first glance, but more on that later.
At the same time, PlayStation 4 offers many exclusive games that are really worth buying a console. Just go to Metacritic and see for yourself. This is where the PS4 goes unconditionally, and we move on.
Performance
Consoles from Microsoft and Sony use almost identical hardware, but with one difference. Sony engineers did not trick and did everything for the convenience of developers, stuffing 8 GB of DDR4 RAM.
In turn, Microsoft uses the same 8 GB, but already DDR3. In order to compensate for this shortcoming, they use ESRAM memory. The problem is that you need to learn how to work with this, and not all developers want to steam with such an architecture.
For example, most games on Xbox One run at 960p, while PS4 boasts 1080p. But this is difficult to notice, since the difference is leveled at a distance from the TV-sofa.
A similar case was in the seventh generation, when the PS3 was powerful, but had a complex architecture and games looked worse on it than on the Xbox 360.
Console support
Console support is a very important factor, especially for Ukraine. The fact is that Microsoft does not launch their services in our country. If you go to the official Ukrainian Xbox Marketplace, you will notice the lack of your usual currency. Instead, you will be offered rubles or dollars.
Sony in this regard are more friendly and take care of their users. You can easily create a Ukrainian account and buy games for your native hryvnia. This is good because you can immediately see how much you are spending, because buying for foreign currency can become an unpleasant surprise when the bank itself will recalculate based on the exchange rate.
This concerns the support of services and their users. So, in any incomprehensible situation, it will be easier for you to contact support.
Ecosystem
Not the most obvious but important factor is the ecosystem. You may have forgotten, but Sony has a portable PS Vita console that is great friends with its older brother – PS4. You can use the Vita’s screen as a PS4 monitor by streaming images over Wi-Fi. It is very convenient when there is only one TV set and several people live in the apartment.
There is also a Play Anywhere function that allows you to play on your smartphone or PC. There is also Cross by – by purchasing a game for PS4 you get a version for PS Vita for free and vice versa. We started playing on PS4 and continued on the subway on PS Vita.
Xbox One is an introvert and is only friendly with a PC on Windows 10. The principle of use is similar, you can also use a laptop or desktop to broadcast the image. There are also analogs of Cross by and Play Anywhere, but, again, within the XONE – PC.
Services
Both consoles have their own services (PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold) that provide some privileges. They allow you to play online, as well as a monthly set of free games and discounts on other titles. This is a very profitable thing, since for 1500 UAH per year you will receive six more games every month.
But here Microsoft is definitely winning, as they have a few more services in stock. Xbox Game Pass gives you access to a huge library of Xbox 360 and Xbox One games for $ 10 a month. There is also EA Access, which unlocks access to 50 games from EA, including Battlefield, Need for Speed and others. You will also get early access to upcoming titles, special discounts and offers from this publisher.
Conclusion
From what you have written, it may seem to you that the PlayStation 4 is the only right choice, but it is not. Each of these consoles is suitable for different use cases. If you just want to play Battlefield in the evening, then XONE is your choice. Moreover, its price is slightly lower than PS4 (7 thousand UAH versus 8 thousand at the time of this writing). The Sony console will be closer to gamers who value exclusivity and want to get the most out of the industry.
