Sony and Microsoft have been flexing their next-gen muscles recently, with both releasing a steady stream of information to whet the appetites of eager gamers. While it is too early to know hꦐow each console will perform in the real world, on paper at least, we can at least make a few predictions. Join us now as we take a deep dive into what we know so far.
Aesthetics
Both manufacturers have made some bold design choices when it comes to the look of their next-gen counterparts. Microsoft has obviously taken notes from their competitor in the personal computing world Apple, and have put together aesthetic right out of their playbook. Reminiscent of the simplicity found in the Bauhaus movement we have a sleek angular desig⛄n only betraying its 🐓origins with the all too familiar “X”.
Sony is holding its cards close to its chest, as no official images have been released for a consumer version of the PlayStation 5. We do, however, have some leaked images of developer units and an oh-so-important patent document that may confirm our worst nightmares. Sony looks like they are moving away from the PS4 design ethos and are ꩲadding curves to create a futuristic sci-fi toilet? Let’s hope that some official photos are released soon.
Backward Compatibility
Both consoles are launching with an impressive back catalog of previous-generation games playable from day one. Sony is testing games one by one and claims there will be p𓆉erformance improvements as older games take advantage of the new hardware. That will be over 4000 PS4 games with more to be added as testing continues.
Microsoft has made a bold commitment to not just offer backward compatibility with the Xbox One, but also the Xbox 360! They have also announced cross-generation multiplayer and a new feature called “Smart Delivery”. Now you only have to buy the game once and be able to choose which Xbox you play it on. Great for moving between multiple consoles and those of dif෴ferent🌞 generations.
Controllers
With Sony just releasing details of their controller, we have a move that the fanboys will either love or hate. They are leaving behind the design we all know and love and have moved towards a curvy, Xbox-esque controller. We still have the same layout of d-pad, analog sticks and buttons so we won’t feel too out of place. We also have a new name - DualSense. Gone is the rumble that was innovative back in 1997, we now have haptic feedback. Sony claims you will now feel the “slow grittiness of drivi🐼ng a car through mud” and with their new adaptive L2 & R2 triggers “the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow." We also see the addition of a microphone - no longer do you need a headset to talk to your friends
Microsoft, on the other hand, has opted to iterate t♏his time, building upon the solid Xbox One controller. The design has been modernized and looks to have a more ergonomic feel. These subtle changes accommodate the hands of an eight year old, while not detracting from the experience of older gamers. It also features a textured grip, a redesigned hybrid d-pad, and tactile dots on the triggers. In a probable first for controller hardware, we see cross-compatibility between the new Xbox Series X𓆏 and the Xbox One. The addition of a share button is also a welcome addition.
Technical Specification
No comparison would be complete without looking at what is under the hood. Initial reports indicated that the Xbox would be superior, but upon closer inspection, this may not be the case. Both manufacturers have partnered with AMD, and are using custom CPU and GPU based upon their Zen 2 and RDNA architectures. This is the same base tech that AMD uses for its chips for the PC market and is a tried and tested platform. We see support for raytracing and an improved audio experience as well. Both console𒅌s sport 16GB GDDR6 RAM, 4K UHD Blu-Ray drives, and internal SSD storage allowing for faster install and loading times than the previous generation.
To conclude, real-world performance is unknown at this point but the reality is, both consoles will be fast and powerful, able to run🍃 the latest games with minimal slow-down and at fast frame rates. The key deciding factor will be the end-user experience. There has been no word yet on the full range of services that either side will offer. They will likely build upon what they already have - a strong storefront, good back catalog and acce🎀ss to a wide selection of music, movies, and 3rd party apps.
Whichever ﷽route you take, you will be well served by either console this time around.