Xbox One X or PS4 Pro? The Ideal Console for the Gamer in You

The Microsoft Xbox One X or the Sony PlayStation PS4 Pro? Which is the gaming console best for you? Find out.

Most recently, the Xbox One X was launched in India in direct competition to the successful Sony gaming console, the PS4 Pro.

It was in 2017 at the E3 that Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One X and since then, Indian gaming fans have waited with bated breath for the launch of ‘the world’s most powerful console’.

But does the sheer brute power of the One X really make it better than the PS4 Pro? Or does Sony really have something special up its sleeve to make the PS4 Pro a worthy adversary against the Xbox One X?

Here’s a side-by-side specs comparison between the two, which should help you at least pick a side and make that final buying decision.

Hardware & Build Quality

The design of the Xbox One X is as simple as can be – it only comes in Matte Black colour variant. Yes, I agree it doesn’t look as cool as the PS4 Pro but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad design. It’s all metal and quite sturdy.

All the ports on the One X are neatly stacked on the rear except for a USB port and an IR blaster on the front. The air vents have been neatly positioned on the sides for heat dissipation. At first glance it comes across as a shrunken version of the Xbox One S.

The PS4 Pro sports a very attractive design with an all matte finish unlike what we see on the previous generation PS4. It is larger and heavier than the Xbox One X in terms of ergonomics though visually more appealing than its competitor.

Both can be placed on vertical stands.

Processor & Graphics

There’s no danger to the Xbox One X’s crown in the performance department as it breezes past the PS4 Pro there. Where the Xbox One X comes with an 8-core, 2.3GHz processor coupled with a 12GB GDDR5 RAM, the PS4 Pro sports an 8-core, a 2.13GHz processor with 8 GB GDDR5 RAM.

In terms of graphics processing, at the helm of the Xbox One X is a 6 teraflops AMD Polaris graphics processing unit while the PS4 Pro comes with a 4.2 teraflops graphics processor.

The One X also betters the Pro in graphics processing memory with 326GB/s as opposed to PS4 Pro’s 128GB/s GPU memory.

For those lost in the jargon above:

Teraflops basically stands for ‘trillion floating point operations per second’. It is the easiest way of measuring the graphical performance power of hardware.

GB/s is the bandwidth on how quickly the graphics processor can move the frames through the memory to your display. Which means more memory gets you higher resolution with better performance.

Both consoles support 4K capability, though Xbox One X natively upscales the 4K content in such a way that it looks like 4K even on a 1080p screen. Microsoft says that the console is well equipped to run 4K games at 60 frames per second.

Also Read: New Xbox One X Unveiled, ‘The Most Powerful Gaming Console’

Also, the One X is back compatible, which means you can run all the old Xbox games on the new One X with better graphics.

The PS4 Pro is capable of hitting 30 frames per second running a 4K game, so performance wise the Xbox wins this round.

Games & Content

Despite the fact that there are plenty of third party titles from company’s like EA (Electronic Arts), Activision and Ubisoft out there, which both consoles support, PlayStation has a much wider and more extensive portfolio of exclusive titles like Last of Us: Remastered and Uncharted series.

The subscription to the PlayStation Plus portable also entitles to users to get free games every month. (I got games like Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain and Infamous Second Son for free on PlayStation Plus store!)

Though Xbox also has some exclusives like the Halo series and Forza Motorsport 7, it still rolled out the back compatibility on the Xbox One X. Still, I feel they need to expand their portfolio of games.

Also Read: Microsoft Xbox One Gamers Can Battle Sony PS4 & PC Players Soon

I’d also like to bring to your attention that the PS4 Pro supports VR content while the Xbox One X isn’t offering that as of now. With many moving towards gaming in virtual reality, PlayStation has a big lead in the virtual reality segment.

Price & Availability

Here’s what it all boils down to, the price! The Xbox One X is the new entrant in the Indian market, hence carries a much heftier price tag of Rs 44,990. Don’t forget the fact that it is much more powerful than the PS4 Pro. It’s available both online and offline so buying one won’t be a problem.

The PS4 Pro is up for grabs in the online market for as low as Rs 34,000 (1TB) and at this price, no one can deny that it’s a great bargain.

Which One to Buy?

For hardcore gamers who are graphic crazy and really want an immersive gaming experience, go for the Xbox One X. Though, they’ll have to pay a hefty price tag for it but again, it’s a no-compromise machine for the true gamer.

The PS4 Pro is something even a budding gamer can consider. The Rs 34,000 price tag doesn’t makes the decision to buy a little easier, and the extensive gallery of exclusive games sweetens the deal. Oh, you also have access to VR games on the PS so another cherry added. Need I say more?

(We Indians have much to talk about these days. But what would you tell India if you had the chance? Pick up the phone and write or record your Letter To India. Don’t be silent, tell her how you feel. Mail us your letter at [e-mail]. We’ll make sure India gets your message)