“Game consoles are the easiest and fastest way to enjoy gaming. While gaming PCs are potentially more powerful and modifiable, fans of Playstation, Xbox & Co. appreciate one thing above all else: you can plug them in and get started right away. An additional Powerline adapter is useful to achieve higher surfing speeds than in Wi-Fi. Compared to PCs, consoles are also significantly cheaper with similar performance. Which game console to choose depends on several factors.
Which game console should I buy?
There are a few things you should think about carefully. Perhaps the most important question is: Which games do you want to play? If you would like to play exclusive titles from the Nintendo universe (e.g. the Super Mario series), Playstation and Xbox are probably out of the question from the outset. If you’re primarily interested in playing blockbuster games and you don’t care about mobility, the Playstation or possibly the Xbox will be the console of your choice.
Especially for those who want to play in multiplayer mode, the question also arises: Which console do their friends and acquaintances have? It is also important whether you want to have a stationary console or whether you also plan to play mobile. It is also important to have the console suitable for children? And especially in times of 4K, the question arises: How important is the optimal graphics to you?
Playstation or Xbox?
The Playstation is not without reason considered the most popular game console among gamers. Sony scores with a rich range of games and is clearly ahead of the Xbox One in terms of exclusive content. This is where every gamer gets their money’s worth – especially with the Playstation Plus subscription, which allows players to use all games in online multiplayer mode for €7.99 a month and receive two new games a month. The Playstation offers another advantage for virtual reality enthusiasts who want to use VR glasses but want to do without a computer-based system: With the (separately available) “Playstation VR” glasses*, you can move around 100 games in virtual space. In addition to VR glasses, VR gamers also need a camera*, which is also sold separately.
One shortcoming in the Playstation cosmos, however, is that the manufacturer Sony neglects something that Microsoft attaches great importance to in the Xbox: the downward compatibility. PS4 gamers can only play old Playstation games from past models via paid detours (the Playstation Now service). Microsoft, on the other hand, scores points in optimizing old games for the current needs. This allows Owners of an Xbox owner to access a large game library. With Xbox Live Gold, Microsoft also offers an excellent multiplayer network – with a subscription, there are free games and discounts on Xbox One games every month.
Numerous popular third-party games such as “Red Dead Redemption 2” or “Resident Evil 2” are available on both consoles.
Xbox One X vs. PS4 Pro
The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X* are currently the highest quality game consoles from Sony and Microsoft. More performance, better resolution and more defined colors get console fans nowhere at the moment.
The PS4 Pro is the top class in the Sony console range. While the regular PS4* (both the 2013 version and the 2016 version) can only display games with a resolution of 1080p, the PS4 Pro offers a gaming experience in 2160p, better known as 4K. Flagship games like “God of War” or “Horizon Zero Dawn” become a visual spectacle. However, on the PS4 Pro*, not every game runs smoothly in 4K mode. In addition, in many cases it is not a native 4K, but a so-called 4K upscaling, in which the image material is extrapolated – but some games are now also possible in real 4K.
If you value the best possible technical specifications, you will enjoy the Xbox One X. It is the powerhouse among the consoles currently on the market. In addition to crisp 4K resolution and HDR10 graphics, it also features an UltraHD Blu-Ray drive. So if you want to play not only in maximum resolution, but also want to watch movies and series, you will find the b with the Xbox One X este console.
With so much high-resolution graphics, the right sound pleasure shouldn’t be missing – that’s what comes with the Xbox One X in the form of Dolby Atmos Sound. So nothing stands in the way of an immersive gaming experience. A bonus: No other console works quieter than the Xbox One X!
Sony’s PS4, meanwhile, lacks a Blu-Ray drive. So if you want to watch high-quality movies, you need streaming platforms. Here’s where the point goes to xbox One X.
If you want to play in 4K, don’t forget that you also need a 4K-enabled TV or monitor. If you don’t want to own one and don’t plan to invest in one, you can also use the regular PS4 or the smaller Xbox model XBox One S*.
Ps4 vs. Xbox One S
If you like it small and powerful, take your xbox One S. It’s about 40 percent smaller than the regular Xbox One – and has not only lower power consumption, but also increased performance. The One S has a frame rate of 60 (instead of 40) Hertz and supports HDR. It is especially interesting for gamers with 4K TVs, because it can also be used as a 4K Blu-Ray player. But if you want real 4K gaming, you’ll be disappointed – because instead of real, the Xbox One S only offers scaled-up gaming in 4K. By the way, it’s not just the console itself that has been streamlined: the Xbox One S also has slimmer slacker controllers – and offer more wireless range.
Whether you choose a PS4 or an Xbox One S is a matter of taste: both consoles have plenty of power and enable hours of high-quality gaming pleasure. By and large, the decision depends on your subjective feeling. You should ask yourself which exclusive titles you want to play, whether you also want to play VR games (here goes to Sony) and which design you like better in principle.
Bottom line: Whether you’re opting for an Xbox or A Playstation, you’ll get a top-notch game console. If you are not in a hurry to buy, you could also wait a little longer: in 2020, both Sony and Microsoft want to release new consoles. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are scheduled for the end of 2020.
Children’s game consoles
If you are looking for a child-friendly console that should be mobile, you can access the Nintendo Switch* without hesitation. Games like Super Mario or Donkey Kong are not only great for children, but also great fun for adults. With the free “Parental Control” app, parents have the option to precisely determine their children’s game consumption: they can decide how long the little ones are allowed to play, which games are allowed and also define and control the online possibilities.
The range of exclusive content from Nintendo is not as large as that of Sony or Microsoft – for this the available Nintendo exclusive games are unique.
Portable game console: Ideal for on the go
The Switch is a hybrid device – and can be used as a handheld as well as stationary on the TV. It creates a resolution of 1920×1080 and 60 frames per second. It provides sharp images and a good colour contrast – but technically it is clearly at a disadvantage compared to its stationary competitors. However, this only really detracts from the fun of the game in a few cases – and the advantage of being able to play both mobile and on the monitor more than makes up for this.
Should we wait for possible successor models?
It is not yet clear when the successors to the Playstation 4 and Xbox One will be launched. The Playstation 5 will have to wait until the end of 2020. Rumour has it that the new Xbox with the project name Xbox Scarlett will be released at about the same time
*If you make a purchase using the links marked with an asterisk, WELT will receive a small commission. Our standards of transparency and journalistic independence can be found at axelspringer.de/unabhaengigkeit.
This article was first published on May 29, 2019.
