The PlayStation 4 is the latest release from Sony and surely the developers at Sony created the PS4 to rival the Xbox, which is the main competing game console out there. So, there are many features that the PS4 has which far supersede the Xbox. However, in certain areas, the Xbox is superior.

At the end of the day, you’re going to have to decide which is better for you and what you are looking for when it comes to gaming consoles.

It terms of appearance, the PS4 is more aesthetically pleasing. Its sleek design makes it look like a work of art that demands attention, especially if it is used with the vertical stand. The Xbox looks like any normal game console and nothing more.

The PS4’s system interface is also superior. It installs games faster and navigation is a breeze as compared to the Xbox’s navigation which can get confusing. Most gamers want seamless integration and easy game play. The PS4 is the better choice here.

It terms of pricing, the PS4 is about a hundred dollars cheaper. This is a huge blow to the Xbox because the more advanced PlayStation 4 model is actually cheaper than the Xbox One. Consumers will not see any reason to purchase a less powerful console at a more expensive price unless they are diehard Xbox supporters.

If one compares the membership pricing, Xbox is still more costly. The PlayStation Plus membership cost $50 a year while the Xbox Live Gold membership is $60 a year. This undercutting prices seems to be a deliberate attempt by Sony to get a slice of Microsoft’s gaming market.

The PlayStation Plus membership offers perks such as discounts, beta testing, cloud save storage, system updates and much more. All this is more value than what Xbox can offer.

In terms of controllers, the PS4 DualShock 4 controllers are second to none. This has been proven and gamers have reported that the PS4 controller has taken their gaming to the next level. With just a few button clicks on the controller, players can tweet photos, take screenshots, etc. Xbox controllers lag behind in this area.

In terms of games, both Xbox and PS4 are on equal footing. However, one must consider that the Xbox has been around much longer and already the PS4 is catching up. In fact, several buyers have mentioned that the PS4 has a wider selection of digital-only titles.

The PS4 also has a user-accessible hard drive of about 500GB. Buyers can choose to upgrade their drives to a larger capacity in future, if they wish to. The Xbox loses out here because users can’t upgrade their hard drives.

In terms of media apps, Xbox is superior. The Xbox is a better media player and can play CDs, MP3s, etc. The PS4, despite being the better gaming rig, does not have the ability to play the abovementioned media.

To conclude, at the moment, the PS4 triumphs the Xbox in terms of gaming. Hardcore gamers are going to find the PS4 much more desirable. However, the gaming market is a billion dollar industry. You can rest assured that Microsoft is not going to rest on its laurels and let Sony forge ahead. They’ll surely come up with a newer Xbox model that takes into account the PS4’s limitations and create a superior Xbox.

It’s all a matter of time and ultimately, such competition is healthy and benefits the end user while taking the entire gaming industry to new levels.