Both Sony and Microsoft are releasing their own versions of upgraded consoles for their PS4 and Xbox One respectively. For the sake of this article’s title, we are siding with Xbox One S and of course, we’ll back it up with a couple of reasons why it’s the superior console.
The PS4 Pro lacks the 4K Blu-ray capability that Xbox One S has. Yes, PS4 Pro will be able to play 4K as well as HDR content, but only the Xbox One S has the capacity to play Ultra-HD with its built-in Blu-ray player. We are all surprised by PS4 Pro’s omission, considering Sony’s media background.
Xbox One S offers backward compatibility without the price. This might be an old argument, but it still stands firm. Xbox One plays the greatest games from the previous models, including Xbox 360 classics. The PS4 Pro will be able to play PS2 and PS3 classics, but it won’t be as simple as sticking in an old disk. The only way players can run old favourites is by signing up to PlayStation Now – and that requires a monthly payment, which can put a dent in your pocket.
The Xbox One S, on the other hand, offers more than 250 games through their Backward Compatibility program that allows owners to freely download originals. You can also get Xbox games from Harvey Norman to play on your Xbox One S – or your current Xbox One if even if you’re not buying Microsoft’s upgraded console.
Sony’s offering also needs a consistent 5MBps internet connection, as PlayStation Now is basically a Netflix of games. Games are streamed rather than kept and played locally on your console, whereas the Xbox solution needs the use of your original disks for confirmation and local storage for offline gaming.
Xbox One has more storage options. If you’re a gamer who doesn’t delete a game after you’re done playing it, simply because you might play it again soon, or if you store a lot of other media in your system, then storage is a huge deal. The Xbox One S walks all over the PlayStation 4 Pro when it comes to storage options. It’s available in 500GB, 1TB, and even 2TB models. The PS4 Pro is limited to 1TB.
You can play Xbox games anywhere. With Microsoft’s ‘Play Anywhere’ feature, Xbox One, and Windows 10 users have now the ability to pay for one format but play on two. This applies only to digital copies bought from the Xbox Store or Windows 10 Store, giving players more choice. And while Sony has Cross Buy, the selection is limited. In any case, nothing beats being able to play both on console and PC.
A new and improved controller. The Xbox One S now comes with a new wireless controller. There’s a new textured rear and the bumpers have been adapted from the Elite controller. The Bluetooth support can now also be used as a PC controller as long as it runs Windows 10.
Xbox One S has a lower electricity consumption. The rated consumption of the PS4 Pro is at a whopping 310W. The Xbox One S sips just 79W in contrast. That’s a huge difference!
Xbox One S takes up less space
The PS4 Pro is 295x327x55mm while the One S is 229x292x63.5mm and 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One. Xbox One S has also taken a leaf out of Sony’s book by not needing a separate power adaptor this time around.
So, what do you think? Did we convince you?