Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to navigation
Sony and Microsoft have announced multiple iterations of their platforms, while Nintendo is waiting in the wings. But which company should you give your hard-earned cash to?
Sony and Microsoft have announced multiple iterations of their platforms, while Nintendo is waiting in the wings. But which company should you give your hard-earned cash to? Composite: Xbox One S v PS 4 Pro v PS4 Slim v Project Scorpio
Sony and Microsoft have announced multiple iterations of their platforms, while Nintendo is waiting in the wings. But which company should you give your hard-earned cash to? Composite: Xbox One S v PS 4 Pro v PS4 Slim v Project Scorpio

A buyer's guide to the new Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles

This article is more than 7 years old

Wait for Xbox: Project Scorpio or opt for a Playstation 4 Pro? Plump for an Xbox One S or hold out for a Nintendo NX? This guide should help anyone trying to choose a new console

The console market has suddenly become rather confusing. A month ago we had three machines: the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and a rather poorly Wii U. Now, both Sony and Microsoft have announced multiple iterations of their platforms, while Nintendo is waiting in the wings with a whole new creation.

If all this activity has burned out your logic circuits, here is a rundown of all the new machines, what they do and how they compare.

Xbox One S (available now)

Xbox One S ... essentially, a redesigned version of the original Xbox One. Photograph: Microsoft

Specs: AMD Jaguar eight-core CPU; 914MHz AMD Radeon-based GPU; 8GB of DDR3 RAM; UHD Blu-ray player

The lowdown: Essentially, a redesigned version of the original Xbox One, featuring a 40% reduction in size, an internal power unit, Ultra HD blu-ray player and compatibility with HDR (high dynamic range) visuals. The latter feature has been accommodated with a slight increase in the clock speed of the graphics processing unit, but its effect is minimal. So far, only four Xbox One titles have been announced as HDR compatible. The Xbox One S can’t render games in native 4K, but will upscale non-4K content to display at 4K resolutions. The controller has been slightly redesigned with better bluetooth support and a textured grip.

Price: 2TB edition, £349/$399/399 Euros; 1TB, £299/349 Euros; 500GB, £249/$299/299 Euros

Get one if: You want an Xbox One but haven’t bought one yet, or you fancy a cheap 4K Blu-ray player. It’s not worth upgrading from a standard Xbox One unless you’re extremely keen to accommodate a new 4K TV.

Slimline PlayStation 4 (16 September)

PlayStation 4 ... offering the same specifications in a 40% smaller case. Photograph: Sony

Specs: AMD ‘Jaguar’ eight-core CPU;1.84 teraflops (trillion floating point operations per second), AMD next-generation Radeon-based GPU; 8GB of GDDR5 RAM

The lowdown: A reduced-size PS4 that replaces the basic model, offering the same specifications in a 40% smaller case. The new machine comes with a redesigned Dual Shock controller with a light bar above the touchpad to make it easier to see. Power efficiency and fan noise have apparently been improved and compatibility with faster 5GHz Wi-Fi is expected. The optical out port has been removed, limiting connectivity to certain audio equipment, such as home cinema systems or standalone headphones (although HDMI cables can carry the same surround sound signal). All PS4 models are compatible with HDR visuals.

Price: 500GB version, £259 ($299, €299); 1TB (available 29 September), £309.99 ($TBC)

Get one if: You haven’t yet bought a PS4, don’t care about 4K resolutions or improved PlayStation VR performance, and don’t want to wait six weeks (and pay an extra £90) for a PlayStation 4 Pro.

PlayStation 4 Pro (10 November)

PlayStation 4 Pro ... an enthusiast’s version of the PlayStation 4. Photograph: Sony

Specs: AMD Jaguar, eight-core single-chip custom processor; 4.20 teraflops, AMD Radeon-based GPU; 8GB GDDR5 RAM; 4K-compatible video and gaming

The lowdown: Intended as an enthusiast’s version of the PlayStation 4, the Pro offers increased processing power and improved graphics performance, allowing 4K compatible visuals, and a smoother experience with the PlayStation VR headset. It’s unlikely many titles will achieve full, native 4K resolutions – especially not at over 30 frames-per-second – but users should expect greater resolutions and frame rate performance than current 1080p HD games (only if you have a 4K television, of course). Some current PS4 titles will also be patched to take advantage of the machine’s improved specs. PS4 Pro can stream 4K video from services such as YouTube and Netflix, but unlike the Xbox One S, it cannot play 4K Blu-ray discs. Sony has also stated that users with 1080p HD TVs will also see visual improvements to their games with more stable framerates.

Price: $399/£349 with 1TB hard drive

Get one if: You want a PS4 and don’t mind spending the extra £90 for 4K compatibility, or you’re interested in getting the best out of PlayStation VR. It is not worth upgrading from a standard PS4 unless you have a 4K television or, from October, a PlayStation VR headset.

Nintendo NX (March, 2017)

Specs: Unconfirmed as yet. Reports suggest that Nintendo will go with the Nvidia Tegra, a cheaper smartphone-focused processor. Rumours have also suggested a much more powerful Radeon HD RX 200 GPU with 4.60 teraflops of computing power.

The lowdown: Little is known about the forthcoming release, but there are suggestions it will be a hybrid of handheld machine and home console, complete with its own screen and detachable controllers. Users will be able to take it out with them, or plug it into a base unit so that it is playable on a television. Pundits have also suggested Nintendo will revert to cartridge-based games.

Price: TBC, but Nintendo usually keeps manufacturing costs low enough to support an affordable retail price.

Get one if: you love Nintendo games. Support from major publishers like Electronic Arts, Activision, Ubisoft and Bethesda is likely to be half-hearted at first as software sales on the Wii U were disappointing.

Xbox: Project Scorpio (Winter 2017)

Project Scorpio ... ‘the most powerful console ever built’. Photograph: Microsoft

Specs: TBC, but the industry expects an eight-core CPU and over 320GB of memory bandwidth; Microsoft has famously announced a graphics processing performance of 6 teraflops.

The lowdown: Microsoft is pitching this as “the most powerful console ever built” and it doubtless will be, with a graphics processor that – on paper – outperforms the PlayStation 4 Pro by a considerable margin. The machine is designed to run games and video in 4K resolution, though whether those games will run in full native 4K resolution at 60fps (or even 30fps) is another question. Virtual reality is another key element of the machine, but it’s not clear which headset Scorpio will support. All Xbox One game discs will be able to run on the Scorpio and the Xbox One S, with owners of the Scorpio receiving a boost to performance.

Price: TBC, but likely to be around the £399 mark.

Get one if: You want the most powerful console to go with your new 4K television or compatible VR headset.

A quick Q&A

Answering a few remaining questions ...

What exactly is 4K TV?

4K or Ultra HD (UHD) is the successor to high definition television (HDTV), offering up to four times the screen resolution (3,840 x 2,160, as opposed to 1,920 x 1,080). When we talk about a game running in native 4K, we mean a game that specifically renders its visuals at the highest 4K resolution, at 30fps or greater. Games on the Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Pro are unlikely to achieve this benchmark, although they will achieve screen resolutions higher than HD. TechRadar has a good in-depth guide to understanding 4K and UHD televisions.

What is HDR?

HDR stands for high dynamic range, and refers to a visual technology that expands the contrast and colour of a video display. This makes for a more nuanced image, with more diversity between brighter and darker areas, as well as richer colouring. All PlayStation 4 models support HDR, as do the Xbox One S and Project Scorpio. You’ll need a 4K UHD TV to take advantage of the feature, but be careful as not all 4K UHD sets support HDR. Look for models that adhere to the UHD Premium standard, which requires HDR implementation.

Should I get an Xbox One S or a slimline PlayStation 4?

If you haven’t yet joined this console generation, both machines are very good, have a lot of games, and will be supported through this generation lifecycle. Early on, PS4 versions of multi-platform games were better, but that advantage has all but dissipated. Now, it’s down to two questions: which exclusive titles do you prefer (are you an Uncharted fan? Or do you love the Forza titles?); and which machine do your friends have? However, if you’ve just bought a 4K TV and want to get the most out of it, the Xbox One S is the better bet as it supports 4K video, has a 4K Blu-ray player and supports graphics resolutions that approach 4K.

Should I get an Xbox One S or a PlayStation Pro?

The high-end Sony machine is more expensive that the Xbox One S, but for that price you get a more powerful processor and more refined support for 4K visuals. If you already own a PlayStation 4, all your current games will play on the Pro, and some will be patched to take advantage of the new visual capabilities. However, Xbox One S has a 4K Blu-ray player, so if you want to start buying UHD movie discs, you’ll need this machine. Also, if you’re really into virtual reality, the Pro will provide an augmented experience with PlayStation VR.

Should I get a PlayStation 4 Pro or wait for a Project Scorpio?

Tough question. It’s clear Scorpio is going to offer a specifications boost over PlayStation 4 Pro, and it will doubtless equal (or exceed) the 4K gaming performance of Sony’s machine – although its still doubtful the console will achieve native 4K gaming at anything like 60fps. Unlike PlayStation 4 Pro, Scorpio will surely support 4K HD Blu-ray playback, as Microsoft has made that a big selling point with the Xbox One S. Furthermore, although PlayStation has its own VR headset (which Pro will get the best out of), Microsoft has mentioned VR compatibility, which may mean support for a third-party headset like the Oculus Rift.

If you already have a standard PS4 or Xbox One and aren’t in a rush to go 4K, it may be worth seeing what Project Scorpio has to offer before updating your current console.

Comments (…)

Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion

Most viewed

Most viewed