We don’t know who’s copying who, but Xbox One and PlayStation 4 seem to be following very similar paths.
Both have new powered-up iterations coming in the shape of Xbox One Scorpio and PS4 Neo. And both have slim versions out this autumn: Xbox One S, and the new slim PS4.
But these new consoles aren’t carbon copies of one another. If you’re still deciding whether to buy an Xbox One S or a slim PS4, you’ll want to know which new features have been added – or missed out – on each.
So that’s exactly what we’ve done in this post. Here’s our head-to-head match-up of the ‘S’ and the ‘slim’.
Size comparison: slim PS4 wins
The most noticeable difference in these new console revisions is their smaller size. This mainly benefits Microsoft and Sony by reducing their costs. It also means these new consoles will take up less space under your telly.
So which is smaller? Here are the dimensions:
- Original Xbox One: 333 x 274 x 79 mm (biggest)
- Xbox One S: 296 x 231 x 65 mm (around 38% smaller than OG)
- Original PS4: 275 x 305 x 53 mm (about the same as Xbox One S)
- Slim PS4: 264 x 288 x 39 mm (smallest, around 33% smaller than OG)
The slim PS4 is the clear winner here. Not only is it a third smaller than the old PS4, it’s also smaller than Xbox One S by a similar margin.
Power: Small bump for Xbox One S
Xbox One S does offer small improvements to the frame rates of some games, thanks to a faster GPU clock speed. Microsoft itself describes these as “pretty minor”.
We don’t know yet if the slim PS4 does the same, since it hasn’t been officially revealed yet. But if you want a real power boost for your Xbox One and PS4 games, wait for Scorpio and Neo.
4K video: Xbox One S has it, slim PS4 doesn’t
One of the best features of Xbox One S is playback of 4K Ultra-HD video, including 4K Blu-ray discs and streaming content. The new console can also upscale HD content to 4K. (You’ll need a 4K telly of course).
The new slim PS4 sadly has none of this. Maybe Neo will.
New controllers all round
Both new consoles come with newly improved controllers in the box.
The new Xbox controller is a beautifully sleek update, made from better quality parts. It also adds longer signal range and new Bluetooth connectivity, so you can use it on PC and other devices.
The new DualShock 4 for PlayStation looks very similar to the old one, but it adds a wired USB connection for reduced lag and the lightbar is now visible on the front.
Cut connectors: Xbox Kinect and PS4 optical audio
It’s not all new additions, however. Both new consoles remove fairly significant hardware features that were in the original systems.
On Xbox One S, it’s the Kinect port. Maybe few people will care, but you’ll need an adapter if you want to use Kinect with the S. On slim PS4, optical audio out has gone.
Which are you buying?
In terms of improvements over their original versions, we think Xbox One S slightly edges the slim PS4 thanks to its 4K video playback and smart new controller.
That said, we suggest buying the one that has the most games you want to play since these are both great new machines.
Tell us which you’re going for on Twitter or in the comments!
