Console specs compared: Pictured, Sony's Andrew House with the new PlayStation Pro. (Photo : Getty Images/ Brad Barket)
Sony and Microsoft have been holding events that have seen the two giants release new consoles, users are trapped in keeping track of specs, features and prices. The two consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both launched in 2013 have seen a renewed interest in the console wars.
This year, both Microsoft and Sony have had brand new iterations of these two gaming consoles with each one having its own strengths and weaknesses. The PS4 Pro is Sony's new and improved sku while the Xbox One S is Microsoft's upgraded console, Forbes reported.
Both PS4 Pro and Xbox One S systems toss around the term "4K" a bunch and both have been fully redesigned for 2016. As the new consoles fight to make sense for consumers this year, here is a condensed analysis of all the consoles information and reasons why the PS4 Pro is a great buy as we march toward Christmas.
| PlayStation 4 Pro | Xbox One S | Xbox One | Project Scorpio | PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 4 Slim | |
| RAM | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB DDR3 | 8GB DDR3 | TBD | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB GDDR5 |
| CPU | 8-core AMD | 1.75GHz8-core AMD | 1.75GHz8-core AMD | 8-core AMD | 1.6GHz8-core AMD | 1.6GHz8-core AMD |
| Storage | 1TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB (5,400rpm) | 500GB (5,400rpm) | TBD | 500GB (5,400rpm) | 500GB (5,400rpm) |
| Dimensions | 12.8x11.6x2.1 inches | 11.6x8.9x2.5 inches | 13.1x10.8x3.1 inches | TBD | 12.01x10.8x2.0 inches | 11x10x1.5 inches |
| Color | Black | Black and white | Black | TBD | Black or white | Black |
| Weight | 7.2 pounds | 6.4 pounds | 7.8 pounds | TBD | 6.2 pounds | 4.6 pounds |
| Optical Drive | Blu-ray/DVD | 4K/HDR Blu-ray drive | Blu-ray/DVD | TBD | Blu-ray/DVD | Blu-ray/DVD |
| Networking | Gigabit EthernetWi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 | Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi | Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi | TBD | Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1 | Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | HDMI, 3x USB 3.1, 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x PS Camera | Power, HDMI 2.0a in, HDMI 2.0a out, 3x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, Kinect port, IR out | Power, HDMI in, HDMI out, 3x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, Kinect port, IR out | TBD | HDMI, analog-AV out, 2xUSB 3.0, AUX, S/PDIF | HDMI, analog-AV out, 2xUSB 3.1, AUX |
| Internet Subscription | PS Plus required to play online | Xbox Live required to play online | Xbox Live required to play online | TBD | PS Plus required to play online | PS Plus required to play online |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4K Support | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Release Date | Nov. 10, 2016 | Aug. 2 2016 | Nov. 22, 2013 | TBD Holiday 2017 | Nov. 15, 2013 | Sept. 15, 2016 |
| Current Price | NA | $299.99 | $249.99 | TBD | $349.99 | $299.99 |
| Release Price | $399.99 | $299.99 (500GB), $349.99 (1TB), $399.99 (2TB) | $499.99 | TBD | $399.99 | $299.99 |
With the above consoles comparison, probably the number one reason users should consider buying the $399 PS4 Pro over the $299 Xbox One S is horsepower. According to PlayStation Blog, PS4 Pro boast 4.14 teraflops to the Xbox One S's 1.32 teraflops. Teraflops which is equal to one trillion floating-point operations per second gives PS4 Pro the best speed for gaming.
The PS4 Pro outstrips the Xbox One S by a margin, leaving Microsoft's little console in the proverbial dust. Both the Xbox One S and PS4 Pro are 4K-gaming machines and also take advantage of HDR technology which vastly expands the color palette and richness of color in games and TV.
The Xbox One S is similar to a 4K TV in the way it attempts 4K gaming through upscaling. On the other hand, PS4 Pro allows for much more in-depth upscaling that requires software-side programming in order to achieve.
As a result, older PS4 games will have to be patched to work in the PS4 Pro's 4K environment. The PS4 Pro's solution is more advanced, and promises even better results, this makes sense given how much more powerful its GPU is.
PS4 Pro comes with the PlayStation VR which is more widely available and much cheaper. Over 50 games will be released during the headset's launch window, a month before PS4 Pro is out on Oct. 13. The Xbox One S will have no VR headset option to compete against PlayStation VR.
Sony has better exclusives games from both first and third party developers. From "Uncharted 4" to "Bloodborne," the games out on PS4 right now beat Microsoft's lineup. Gamers who care about exclusives will find the PS4 Pro been the way to go.
In terms of longevity, PS4 Pro is not going anywhere any time soon and if a player makes the purchase, the console will be good for at least a few years, until whatever Sony has next up its sleeve comes out. Microsoft has already revealed to ace up its sleeve with the code-named Project Scorpio, the company has also dropped word about a new, more powerful version of Xbox One set to launch in late 2017.
This console will be much, much more powerful than the Xbox One S, probably even more powerful than the PS4 Pro. That means the Xbox One S will be, for all intents and purposes, a non-entity within a year.
Lastly, the number of game players matter. Currently, over 40 million people have bought a PS4, and the number continues to increase. Xbox One drags behind with just over 20 million units sold. This translates to the PS4 having more robust, active servers on all its online games. In the current generation of console wars, the PS4 is winning, and that has benefits for PlayStation users.
Both consoles have a lot to offer gamers and consumers. The choice of a machine boils down to what games a player like to play, and the system such a players' friends play on.
Watch a video of PlayStation 4 Pro: Hands-On First Impressions here:
