On November 15th, 2013, the Playstation 4 became the second addition to the eighth generation of video game consoles, following the WII U’s launch last year. The third addition, the Xbox One, will be released on November 21st.
The PS4 has eight gigabytes of RAM, or Random Access Memory, compared to the PS4’s comparatively small 256 megabytes. The amount of RAM is directly tied with how many programs a system can run. Combined with it’s 500 gigabytes of total storage space, compared to the PS3’s whose absolute highest was 320 gigabytes, and it’s upgraded AMD Jaguar processor, the PS4 was able to come out packed with many new features.
Features that the PS4 has include updated graphic ability, which have much more polish and realism to them than the PS3. It also features third party streaming capability that now includes Twitch TV, a game stream service, along with others that were on the PS3, such as Netflix. The PS4 also supports indie game development, similar to the PS3 before it, and has updated those services as well.
In addition, the controller has been revamped, and in my personal experience with it, it feels much more comfortable in my hands than the PS3 controller. It has a built in rechargeable battery, and a built in touch screen that feels relatively immersive, similar to the Wii U. The analog sticks have been revamped, and now have a concave design that feels smoother than previous iterations of Sony’s controllers.
One notable difference between the PS4 and the PS3 is that access to the Playstation Network now requires a 50 dollar yearly fee. Although streaming services like Netflix can be used without the subscription, unlike Microsoft’s systems, it’s a bit of a nuisance and odd that Sony would give up one of its major advantages. The subscription itself is $10 cheaper than Microsoft’s subscription for both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
The PS4 had a very successful launch, with a record breaking one million sales on its first day of release in North America alone. However, there were some issues with the first released consoles, most notably the Blue Pulsating Line of Death, whose name has roots in the Xbox 360’s Red Ring of Death during it’s launch. This and other various hardware failure were originally estimated to affect 0.4 % of consoles, although recently Sony has released a statement stating that the number is closer to 0.8%.
The PS4’s launch titles were a little underwhelming. Killzone was fun, but felt somewhat generic to me, and the other launch title exclusives were rather forgettable. Launch titles are not always a good indicator of the systems upcoming titles, so I’m not especially worried about the rather lackluster launch.
As a diehard Microsoft fan, I will be getting the Xbox One, but my experiences with my friend’s PS4 have made me consider buying the PS4 a little later down the line. It’s features are definitely top-notch, and exactly what I’d expect from the next-generation, even if the actual games leave me a little underwhelmed.