Xbox One VS PS4: Top Five Reasons Why I Bought The Xbone

For me, the Xbox One wins over the PS4 due to practicality, not pretty graphics. Let me explain…

In a related report by The Inquisitr, it’s possible the PS4 vs Xbox One console battle could be decided by Titanfall in the short term since it’s very likely we’ll never see a Titanfall PS4 version. But Microsoft is still receiving a lot of flack since because the Titanfall Xbox One version can’t do 1080p, 60FPS.

[UPDATE] My co-worker has decided to write an article explaining why he thinks the PS4 wins over the Xbox One.

In the past, I declared Microsoft’s claim that the Xbox One GPU is just as fast as the PS4 the lie of the year so I’m no fanboy. But I’m also one of those oddball gamers where my game consoles see more use as an entertainment center rather than as a gaming machine. From the start, Microsoft has positioned the Xbox One in this manner and that’s why the Xbone appealed to me. Critics have pointed out that other devices, even smart HDTVs or the older consoles, provide this functionality but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Microsoft is already working hard on getting television exclusives for its network and what interests me most is the talk of merging passive entertainment and gaming.

This brings me to point number two. This type of interactive television will start with one game called Quantum Break:

“Quantum Break from Remedy Studios is a time bending third-person shooter that has been developed alongside a coinciding live-action TV show. The game disc will ship with episodes included, with further serialized content likely available through Microsoft’s Live platform.”

There’s also talk of the Halo 5 release date coinciding with a Halo TV series. Besides a standalone game, it’s possible Microsoft may choose to introduce episodic gaming where new Halo content is released on a subscription basis and follows the plot of the TV show. I’m a long-time Halo fan and I still remember when it was going to be a SciFi RTS that was supposed to be a sequel-in-spirit to Bungie’s Myth series (if you’ve never tried it check out Project Magma).

Speaking of Halo, the third reason I bought a Xbox One is console exclusives like Dead Rising, Killer Instinct, and others. Other than the Uncharted, the Infamous series, and various other games (I’m just about to play Last Of Us) I rarely used my PS3 over the years. So, yes, I will eventually buy a PS4 but I don’t have an incentive in the short term besides Infamous Second Son, especially since Titanfall is an Xbox One and PC exclusive.

The Titanfall PC edition also bring me to reason number four. In general, I’m a PC gamer first, but it’s cheaper to rent console games via Gamefly. In fact, I used to refer to the original Xbox as my Halo Box since that was the only reason I bought the console at first. If you compare the Xbox One and PS4 GPU to the latest PC video cards the PlayStation 4 is literally less than half as fast. Nowadays, most console games tend to receive PC ports and since both the PS4 and Xbox One use AMD hardware we’re more likely to see better ports. I also have my gaming PC set up with a wireless Xbox 360 controller and a wireless HDMI transmitter that sends full uncompressed 1080p gaming goodness to my home theater. So, yes, there’s a good reason why I don’t care much about the graphics advantage the PS4 GPU enjoys over the Xbox One… the PC graphics are better, anyway.

The last reason I’m buying a Xbone is quite simply the Xbox One controller. My hands have never felt comfortable with the PlayStation 4 controller design, and I haven’t liked the overall shape since the original PS 1, never mind once they jammed analog sticks awkwardly in the middle. The main exception is fighting games. In that case I avoid the Xbox design like the plague. So while I’ll own both consoles, if a game is out on both platforms I’m more likely to use the Xbox One. There’s also the Kinect 2.0, which offers gameplay options the PS4 (currently) can’t duplicate.

So what do you say gamers… do you think the console battle will be determined by gaming alone or will other practical uses and TV tie-ins determine the long-term winner?