Console Wars

I checked out both the PS4 and the Xbox One this week, and I have to say that the result of my testing this far has been to skip this console generation.

Source: http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/341/d/2/
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The Xbox One undeniably is packaged better. The controller also feels generally better, especially the feel of the triggers. The use of disposable batteries is a drag, though. Also, the Xbox One itself is big and bulky, even including a separate power adaptor. Ain't nobody got time for that. The Xbox One is the far more innovative console, in my opinion (at least initially). I think Kinect, and specifically voice control, could have been a game changing (pun intended) feature. Microsoft's idea of having the Xbox One be the entertainment device was also an innovative idea, even if it doesn't fit into my ecosystem. The user interface is cluttered, and not intuitive, though, and Kinect is no longer bundled with every console, nor did it ever work that easily to begin with. Even if Halo and Titanfall are awesome, the Xbox One isn't worth the price to me.

The PS4 is packaged poorly, but beautiful itself. Bundling the power adaptor into the console was a great move. The controller feels acceptable (good, even) and I like the built in rechargeable battery. Battery life is awful, though, and I can't help but think that the light bar should have been nixed in favor of better battery life (it is dimmable in settings, though, so whatever). The triggers on the controller don't feel that great, though, especially when compared to the triggers on the Xbox One (though, in testing, I didn't hate them). I loved the 3.5mm headphone jack on the controller as much as I thought I would. Navigating audio settings wasn't the most intuitive experience, but I managed. In general, the interface wasn't perfect, but it was much more intuitive and simple than that of the Xbox One. I didn't care for the circle, x, square, triangle button naming scheme, and I never have; I like my A, B, X, Y, but that's a small gripe, and I got used to it quickly. Sony lacks the history of online gaming community that Microsoft has, and they don't have that many exclusive titles that I'm interested in yet. But it's the better gaming console.

Graphics were good on both of the consoles. Granted, I was running them both on my 720p television, so they weren't working too hard, but there's that. I did experience minor graphics hiccoughs on the PS4, but I'm pretty sure that was due to the game I was given to test: Call of Duty Ghosts (not a good game). I tested FIFA 14 on the Xbox One, since that was the game I was given, and had no graphics issues.

I also didn't experience overheating issues on either console. I wasn't terribly worried about it on the Xbox One, since the thing is huge and like 80% fans, but I thought the built in power brick and compact design of the PS4 would be a problem. After a 4 hour online gaming session, however, I didn't notice significant heat.

The thing is, playing both of these games, I never felt like I got much more out of it than I would playing the games on mobile. FIFA 14 is a mobile game. And Call of Duty Ghosts might as well have been Shadowgun: Deadzone for all I cared (generic realistic multiplayer first person shooter). The controller and the big screen are the main differentiators, and Android can use both of those easily (iOS can use controllers, but using a big screen can take some tweaking).

Regardless of all of this, I'm skipping this console generation. At least until Microsoft releases an Xbox One slim. Why you ask? Because neither console (and let's be honest, the Wii U doesn't count as a console in this generation) has everything I'm looking for. The PS4 is a better console, but the Xbox One has the better games for me. For you, things may be different. Let me know what you think in the comments.