The Verdict
So, what gaming console would we recommend this Christmas? It’s a tough one, it really is.
Both consoles have similar capabilities and have sold really well since their 2013 launches, and are fun consoles to play games on. However there is one major aspect that separates the consoles and that’s the servers. Don’t be fooled, the PlayStation 4 is a major upgrade on the PS3. The addition of Party Chat and Share Play gives the console a more welcoming feel for gamers and encourages interaction between friends. Although unfortunately, the servers just hinder the console’s performance way too much, which is a shame really.
The Xbox One is a solid performer in terms of the complete gaming experience, offering all sorts of exclusive content and is – as we’ve mentioned – a bit cheaper too.
We might recommend the Xbox One as opposed to the PlayStation 4 but at the end of the day it’s not our decision as to which console you pick this Christmas, so here’s a few deals that are currently on offer:
Black Friday 2015: The Best Xbox One Deals
Black Friday 2015: The Best PS4 Deals
PlayStation 4 is Sony’s flagship gaming console right now and has seemingly outsold the Xbox at every turn since their 2013 release, but does that show a true reflection? Well let’s find out…
Positives
- PlayStation 4’s menus hold a certain simplicity, much like the PlayStation 3, which allows gamers to navigate the menus with ease. The menus used for PlayStation consoles are pretty much the same every year, with a few tweaks and improvements of course, but this is quite useful for gamers stepping up from last-gen as it’s a familiar product.
- The console’s controller is a real step up from its predecessor. The addition of the touchpad in the centre of the pad is a nice addition but the overall feel of the pad in-hand is much more comfortable. Also, the controller includes an insert 3.5mm jack which allows gamers to simply use everyday earphones as a headset in PlayStation 4.
- Share Play is a brand new feature exclusive to PlayStation 4. This feature allows gamers to not only share their screens with fellow players, but offers other players the chance to take control of your friend’s game, if you so wish. This can be quite useful when it comes to sharing offline gameplay, for example, if you were playing Career Mode on FIFA 16 you would be able to hook up to Share Play, connect with a friend and both play that Career Mode between yourselves – a neat feature it must be said.
- Party Chat is a new feature for PlayStation that runs pretty smoothly and allows gamers to connect via audio, unlike the PlayStation 3 that really made communication difficult at times.
- PlayStation has some really good exclusive content, mostly with game franchises. Obviously we’ve already discussed the Share Play feature but some of the games that are exclusive to PlayStation are definitely worth a mention. The likes of Ratchet and Clank, No Man’s Sky, The Last of Us and Little Big Planet are not available on other consoles – so if you’re interested in buying these games PlayStation is probably the console for you.
- The PlayStation 4 is a solid performer when it comes to web browsing and watching video content, when using apps such as internet web browser, BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
- The console itself is pretty lightweight and comes with two basic wires as opposed to the Xbox’s huge power brick. PlayStation 4 is small in size and easily blends in with other homely devices such as a DVD Player, television and so on.
Negatives
- Sony has had issues with its servers for a long time now and PlayStation 4 does not break that trend unfortunately. Regular server maintenance can limit the gaming experience for the console, which is a shame because the console itself is very good.
- The PlayStation controller might feel better, it might look better but the battery life is pretty poor. This might be down to the fact that the controller not only has to power normal functions, but also a huge LED light at the back – which is arguably unnecessary.
- Share Play is a good idea and has potential but when pit into practice it has its issues. The service itself is good when it eventually works, however the internet connection from all parties must be immaculate for it to run smoothly – unless you want the game to look like a PowerPoint presentation…
- PlayStation 4 is a bit more expensive than its competitors, which is something that might well turn heads towards the Xbox One.
Having owned both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 I am very much aware of the positives, and in some cases, painfully aware of the negatives. Nevertheless, we’ll start with the Xbox One…
Positives
- The Xbox One is a solid performer. Gaming graphics are definitely a step up from the console’s predecessor and are quite impressive.
- Microsoft has been rolling out an update quite recently which looks to improve the speed and improve ease of navigation for the Xbox Dashboard. The new Xbox Experience now allows the Xbox to respond much faster than it had previously, providing gamers with much more user-friendly menus.
- Backwards compatibility is a new concept and could prove a deal-breaker for some customers. Many gamers will have always argued the point that the newer consoles should be compatible with old games, well Microsoft have made that a reality – to an extent. Selected Xbox 360 games can now be played on the Xbox One: Fallout 3, Assassin’s Creed 2 and Banjo-Kazooie to name a few, with the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Skate 3 and Halo Reach to come soon.
- Xbox has a vast range of exclusive content and that range is only going to expand in the future. Microsoft not only have huge game franchises such as Halo, Forza Motorsport and Fable, but Xbox also offers an alternative to standard party chat in the form of the Skype application – which can prove pretty useful if you’re looking to connect to other gamers that don’t have an Xbox One.
- Xbox One was, and still is, advertised as an entertainment/gaming console and it does deliver on that promise. Its ability to link up to other entertainment devices and applications, ranging from standard television to streaming on Twitch or YouTube, is second to none. Oh, the Xbox One is also the first Microsoft console to include a Blu-ray drive, which is pretty useful.
- The Xbox’s browser system via Microsoft Edge makes it a solid performer when it comes to everyday web browsing.
- Games with Gold is also something to think about. Basically, each month Xbox allows users that have an Xbox Live Gold membership to download free selected games, all of which are usually advertised not only on TV but on the Xbox Dashboard too.
- The console itself, according to recent prices on Amazon for the new 1TB version, is in fact cheaper than the PlayStation 4.
Negatives
- Xbox One has had some issues with its party chat system. If you had to sum up the party chat experience in one word it would be inconsistent – which is actually a huge setback when you look at the success of Xbox 360’s previous feature. The sound quality is not always the best, even with game chat, and there is certainly room for improvement where connecting players in parties are concerned.
- The dashboard is very different to that seen in the Xbox 360, which could be quite confusing for people that are looking to make the leap up to next-gen. The panels based system, known as Tiles, has been under heavy scrutiny ever since it hit PC via Windows 8 and is included in Xbox One’s dashboard – although the console’s latest update has toned down Tiles’ prominence somewhat.
- Xbox One’s focus on becoming an entertainment console can become pretty frustrating. The idea that the console is not only a station to play games on but to watch movies, download apps and link to the TV and what not is all well and good, but gamers want the gaming side of things to still remain a solid performer. In terms of party chat, game chat and connecting with friends online the Xbox One hasn’t been great at all.
- The actual size of the console might turn some heads too. The console itself is much bigger than its rivals, not to mention the monstrous power brick that falls alongside it. As a matter of fact even the Kinect is huge!
Consoles are changing a lot these days, tweaking the ways in which games are played while improving the gaming experience of the platform. Microsoft and Sony, some would even argue Nintendo, are the major players in the console gaming market and have been for some time. However next-gen gaming has been ultimately shaped around two main products: Xbox One and PlayStation 4 – two exceptional gaming consoles in their own right.
For those that are looking to make the switch to next-gen, or maybe even just looking to buy either the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4 this holiday season, there are some things to consider…