If you are on the market for a new gaming console, wait until November 10, as you will have two new choices: the Xbox One S and the now officially revealed Sony PS4 Pro. But which console should you choose? The answer, of course, depends on many things, such as design, 4K, performance and price. So let’s take a look at how the consoles compare in each of these departments.
Xbox One S vs. PS4 Pro: design
If you’re a first-generation Xbox One owner, the Xbox One S takes everything and bundles it together in a neater package. Plus, rather than having a 1980s VHS look, it has a slimmer design, with the ugly power supply tucked inside. Also the Xbox One S can stand on its side, which gives the user more options for storing it.
The PS4 Pro is unmistakably a PlayStation console with its black and blue colors. Yes, it is bigger and heavier than its siblings at 265 x 39 x 288mm and 3.3KG (not sure why). However, I prefer the Xbox One S design with its more welcoming white color.
Xbox One S vs. PS4 Pro: 4K
From a purely gaming perspective, the PS4 Pro wins hands down because it supports 4K gaming. With the Xbox One S, you only get upscaling, which does not give 4K gaming resolution. However, when you look at 4K entertainment, the Xbox One S comes out on top because it supports 4K video streaming (same as the PS4 Pro). However, it also supports UHD Blu-ray playback due to it having a 4K Blu-ray player built in. For the life of me, I can not think of a reason why Sony chose not to include one in the PS4 Pro.
Xbox One S vs. PS4 Pro: performance
Thanks to Sony’s need to produce a console that could better handle the needs of 4K gaming and virtual reality, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that the PS4 Pro beats the Xbox in pure performance.
However, that is not to say that the latest Xbox is a lightweight. On paper, it offers no more power than its predecessor, but Rod Fergusson, who is the head of Coalition, the company behind Gears of War, recently revealed that he had found a way to get more power from the console’s GPU and CPU. As such, frame rates can be improved, but no matter what he does, the console still cannot compare to the PS4 Pro.
Overall though, Sony’s console is a powerhouse. It features an enormous 8-core chip and 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, plus a 1TD hard drive as standard.
Xbox One S vs. PS4 Pro: price
If price dominates your search for a console, the good news is there is a clear difference between the two. The most expensive of the two devices is the PS4 Pro; when released in November, it is expected to cost $399, which I think is a great price, especially when you take into account 4K and VR gaming.
The Xbox One S is available now for just $299. In fact, you can get the console and the Halo Combat Evolved bundle for that price, which is amazing.
Xbox One S Vs PS4 Pro: Specs
Xbox One S vs. Ps4 Pro: conclusion
When it comes down to making a final decision, there are reasons to buy either of these consoles. If it’s exclusive games that will sway you, both systems have their own. God of War and Uncharted are on PlayStation, and Halo and Gears of War are on Xbox. However, if it’s purely about hands-on power, there’s only one winner, and that is the PS4 Pro. Plus, if you want to give VR a try, PlayStation is currently the only console offering it.
On a final note, Microsoft is going to be releasing its own Pro console in 2017. Currently code-named Xbox One Scorpio, this console is said to be more powerful than the One S and PS4 Pro.
