A guide to buying a gaming console
Unlike PC gaming, which involves several manufacturers, console gaming primarily revolves around the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation
New Delhi: Unlike PC gaming, which involves several manufacturers, console gaming primarily revolves around the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation (PS). There are various versions of the Xbox and PS, each offering something unique.
Which gaming ecosystem is better? Most new games are available on both the Xbox and PS. But Sony has a more compelling stack of exclusive titles such as Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Spider-Man, God of War and the upcoming The Last of Us. Most of the Xbox exclusives are available for the Windows PC. If you are into virtual reality (VR) games, PS4 is the only console that supports it right now. You will have to spend extra for the VR headset.
What about Nintendo Switch? This has emerged as the third alternative, but it is still not officially available in India and is not as powerful as the Xbox and PS. The number of games, too, are limited.
Always opt for the latest version. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PS3 are still available in the market and cost a lot less, but are not a viable option any more, as most game developers have stopped making games for them. Even if a new game is released on them, the experience won’t be the same.
For instance, EA Sports’ FIFA 18 on Xbox 360 runs on the older game Ignite engine, while the Xbox One variant runs on the more advanced, Frostbite game engine, resulting in a superior gaming experience and access to more features.
4K gaming vs HD gaming: For 4K gaming, there are two options—the Xbox One X that starts at ₹ 40,990 and the PS4 Pro priced at ₹ 38,990. Both support native 4K and 4K high dynamic range (HDR), thus offering more detail, richer colours and sharper contrast. The only catch with 4K gaming is that you will have to upgrade the entire ecosystem and switch to a big screen 4K TV, which can be an expensive affair. The Xbox S doesn’t support native 4K gaming. It upscales full HD games into 4K , by stretching the pixels, offering a better experience than full HD games.
Which is more powerful? If you can spend more, opt for the Xbox One X or the PS4 as they are more powerful. The first is powered by a 6 teraflop GPU, the second runs on a 4.2 teraflop GPU.
Games will load a lot faster compared to the Xbox One S (₹22,950) and the PS4 Slim (₹26,199).
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