Buying a new console! i need help guys!

Im buying a new console on Thursday so I only have a few days to decide. Ive narrowed it down to ps4 or xbox one. I can only afford one. Im torn between to two. Ive literally spent hours doing research on both and Im seriously stuck in the middle. Both seem great and id probably be happy flipping a coin or picking out of a hat. But im coming to you guys for help. Let me know what you picked or would pick and why. I plan on having both(maybe) in the future but at this time I can only pick one. So far I really like how the ps4 is a little more powerful. I actually like how the xbox one console looks if that matters. Ice watched tons of videos side by side comparisons and even though my phone is 1080p i know it doesnt do either console justice. Im going to be playing on a 2014 samsung 1080p 51inch plasma about 7 to 8 feet away. I like the feel of the ds4 better but I like the ui on xbox one better. I primary watch hulu plus and netflix and of course Game! I like how most games have a higher resolution on ps4 but it seems the xbox one has more vibrant colors even though it crushes the blacks which I equally hate compared to the greyish looks on some parts of games of ps4. Space isnt an issue so console size doesnt matter with the huge xbox one and its brick of power lol. I dont know guys. In literally pulling my hair out! I plan on keeping this console for as long as its supported. I still have my first gen ps3 running like a champ which I gave to my 9 and 7 and 5 yr old kids. Trophies and achievements I

Equally enjoy. Basically ive been with playstation for long maybe Im looking for something fresh? But I really like how the ps4 is more powerful. I feel as if im loosing my mind. Price doesnt matter much. And. im getting far cry 4 with the new console regardless of which one. Xbox one is 350 with a 50dollar gift card free from bestbuy and ps4 is 399 with a choice between 4 games. Give me your opinions please. Sorry for the long rant but I tried to talk to my wife and she tries her hardest but she has no clue. I have equal amount of friends on both platforms.

Nice that your getting a new console! You should try looking up the up-coming exclusive games for each console. Maybe that can help you decide which one to buy. :)

IGN had an article about that, i'm linking it here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/PS4_Games_vs_Xbox_One_Games

I totally agree, a well balanced straight-forward answer! You can't go wrong either way, it just comes down to what exclusives you think are better.

I bought both consoles last-gen and plan on doing the same for the current-gen. I already have the PS4 and plan on getting the XB1 when my favorite exclusives are released.

If you plan to get both eventually then I think that makes the choice easy. If I was in your shoes, I would get the Xbox One at the moment since it currently has the better game library while PS4 does not currently have anything at the moment except remasters and indies. Plus it is currently cheaper and would be something fresh for you. Then get a PS4 later down the road once it has some great exclusives released.

I currently have both, I can tell you that the PS4's power difference over the Xbox One is not noticable unless you are comparing screenshots of each side-by-side which you would not be doing when you are enjoying a game.

If you only plan to get one for the entire generation, however, then that makes the decision more difficult and you would have to also look at the future exclusives for each to determine which one appeals to you more.

@kingdad85:

This is a great response.

I was going to recommend a PS4 because it is a quality system and PS+ is money well spent. But the fact that you're going to get both eventually should make the decision a bit easier. I have a PS4, and I love it, but I'd sure like to play Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, and Sunset Overdrive.

You can't go wrong either way; I'd look at 2015 exclusives and see which ones I wanted to play. 2nd would be which console my friends had. Graphic wise shouldn't be enough to tell the difference at this point in the generation.

I prefer the exclusives for the Xbox One so that helped me in choosing between which console I wanted.

I really think that the PS4 is a better choice. I own both consoles, and I really think that the PS4 is the superior console overall, especially if you want to get Far Cry 4, a game that is released with a PS4 partnership. I'm not saying that the X Box One is bad in any way, and you will probably enjoy yourself regardless, but I feel like the PS4 just has better exclusives and a better experience in general, especially since they have Naughty Dog making games exclusively for their system as well as a record of having better graphical outputs than X Box. I will say that the X Box One is probably a better console as far as social uses go, and X Box live is still better than PSN, but as far as games go, I really think the PS4 is a superior experience

I personally think the "better buy" depends on preference. The PS exclusives I like better. The Last of Us: Remastered, Octodad and such. The only Xbox exclusive I like is Halo, since I have every game from the franchise.

Charging Online rates with matchmaking, parties, etc. is more expensive on Xbox Live than PSN, but not much of a difference. (They are cheaper per month by purchasing longer subscription packs.)

Xbox One is more of an all around entertainment console. But don't let that get to your head. Xbox One is a beast for gaming too. With a high end video card and specs, it runs games beastly. However, it seems more focused on family essentials. Although gaming is the strong point, a lot of focus is on being a system that everyone can love. Not just gamers. So you'd see a degree of focus towards T.V essentials, Communications such as Skype, Web Browsing, etc.

PS4 is a beast when it comes to gaming. With outstanding graphics, frame rates and specifications, it is a gamers paradise. It is also an entertainment console, but I see it as focused towards more of a strict gaming console. Xbox One still does a better family entertainment job, but when it comes to the amazing exclusives and gaming, this is the right-on spot.

The Xbox One has a controller similar to the 360's, but it feels more of a say, upgrade, but downgrade for this generations expectations. The button types for the top buttons (behind the triggers) are made in a fashion which have a clicking effect more than a pressing effect. It is much more "clicky" than the 360's and gets annoying at some early times getting used it. But once you have got the feel, it's all fine. The D-pad is weak compared to the ps4's. It seems cheap and clunky.

The A,B,X,Y buttons standard, and so are the analog sticks. The controller can feel "New-tech" when using it, and needs some hand-positioning to finally master. It looks bulkier, but it certainly doesn't feel bulky. The triggers actually also have very new gen technology, so like shooting a gun in an FPS has recoil, and playing a racing game, it feels as if you are accelerating a car. The triggers are more suiting to a game you play that uses those buttons.

The PS4's controller is more comforting than the Xbox One and Dualshock 3. It has a simplistic, hand suiting feel where there are "fresh" feeling triggers, top buttons, a mobile D-Pad, good analog sticks, and an actual "press" feel for each button. It seems lighter, too. It also has a touch pad which works decently. The D-Pad is very essential as it's mobile, it works, and doesn't feel cheap. The PS4 Controller looks more next gen than the Xbox One's controller. There is greatly improved motion control on it too.

This is a quick, simple analysis for you and your thoughts. Of course there are many more features to look into, like Share play, dedicated options, etc. I'm sure you're familiar with that according to your thorough research.

First off thank you everyone for the input. You guys are truly helpful and im grateful! It looks as if I wont go wrong with either console. At this point im just excited to get a new console, a new toy to play with! Haha. Im still very much on the fence. They both sound like extremely great pieces of tech. I wish I could buy both at the same time even if I had to return on before the return period just to mess around with them side by side( not for graphics) but for basically everything. Damn why is this decision so difficult? My wife suggested I flip a coin or pick the winner out of a hat lol! Maybe just maybe! If anyone has anything else to share that would be awesome! So far you guys here on gamespot are awesome and I love all the unbiased opinions from everyone. As im not a fanboy of any particular cobsoke as you can tell. I just really enjoy playing games. Ill also keep updates if im leaning one way or another. Thanks again gamers!

@hxce:

Thank you. Nice article. Both systems have some truly compelling games on the horizon!

Have you considered indie games? There are great exclusives on both sides, the controller is very much personal preference and you won't be able to notice the difference in power when playing, however you say you have kids. Maybe they'd enjoy games like Rime, The Witness, Abzu or No Man's Sky. If so then you wouldn't be able to play with them on the Xbox. If you aren't worried about that however, then a coin flip is as good a decision maker as you'll need, they're pretty much the same in all other aspects. There's a reason they call 'em the twins :)

Have you seen the System Wars forum? haha

@kingdad85: Honestly this is an impossible choice unless you are a fanboy.

I had the same issue and I simply got sick of trying to pick and choose over meaningless stuff and flipped a coin. You won't regret the decision. No matter which you choose. So let a bit of chaos decide for you.

Using exclusives is pointless because both consoles have some good ones and no matter which you choose you will lose the exclusives on the other console. So that is lose lose always.

Then the other stuff for me was just pointless:

1080p/60fps is a stupid argument. Both consoles are more powerful than 360 and PS3 and that is all that matters.

The controllers this gen are pretty much on par if you ask me. PS4 controller is very good even though the touch pad is a gimmick and the light bar is a patheticly stupid idea that shouldn't have even made it onto a prototype, also has a crappy battery life. Xbox One has kind of sticky bumpers for my linking but it also has rumble triggers which are awesome, have to buy battery packs seperately or forever risk burning your house down with rechargeable batteries.

Looks, who cares it will be under the TV stand most likely.

PSN is terrible. Xbox Live is great but PS+ has better free games if that is something you are into.

Overall these are niggling points because you will be buying it to play games and 90% of all games are on both consoles. So do yourself a favour and flip a coin.

I own both and can say both consoles are pretty similar. There are 2 differences that I think are huge and should be considered though.

1 - PS+ expands your library with some pretty good titles. The games you get with Gold do not compare.

2 - The battery life on the DS4 is terrible. The 3DS and the Wii U gamepad better battery life than the DS4. How that is possible is beyond me.


In the end it all comes down to games. If you like games like Uncharted, Gran Turismo, Gow etc and don't own a gaming PC, then you should strongly consider the PS4. But do yourself a favor and get a second controller and keep it charged. Or if you like Halo, Gears, Forza, dont own a gaming PC and don't care too much about the possibility of getting some great "free" games, then the Xbox One is for you. You may want to squint a little when playing some of the multiplats though. They can look a little blurry. :p

Ok I flipping a coin! Heads for ps4, Tails xbox one! (My daughter chose which had which)

And the winner is! Drumroll please!

Heads! Ps4 it is!

Ok now its settled! No more back and forth research! T

Thanks guys!

Glad we could help mate!