A lot has changed for the PS4 since its release back in
November. We've recently updated this review to include information
about the PS4's 1.7, 1.71 and 1.72 firmware updates. Original review by
Alex Roth.
The battle for the living room isn't a cold war any longer.
Sony's PlayStation 4 has gone thermonuclear, launching on store shelves9
Housing some of the most powerful hardware ever to sit
before a television, Sony's new console is two sleek slabs of industrial design
fused together for one purpose: living room dominance.
Since it was first
announced at E3
2013, the PS4 has been in hot contention with Microsoft's Xbox
One. When its rival stumbled with a now-reversed
"always online" policy that had gamers fretting, Sony jumped
at the chance to win hearts and minds and rack up pre-orders.
Manufacturer messaging aside, both systems have the same
goal: to become your sole source for movies, music, TV and gaming. After a
hefty day one patch, the PlayStation 4 will be begging for you to pack it to
the gills with streaming media apps and any of its twenty-two launch titles,
which range from mega-budget AAA titles to download-only indie darlings.
The PlayStation 4 is already seven months old, but is still
short on AAA titles. Like the Xbox One, it came out of the gate with some solid
multiplatform releases, mostly uprezzed last gen titles like Assassin's Creed
IV: Black Flag, NBA 2K14 and Battlefield 4. As far as exclusives go, though, it
really only has Killzone: Shadow Fall and Infamous: Second Son to brag about.
In an ideal world, every gamer would get to have both. The
two consoles would share shelf space in living rooms worldwide, cats and dogs
would frolic together, Apple and Android fans would laugh off their differences
and everyone would have grown up with a pony.
The reality is that neither machine is cheap, and they're
both vying for the same spot in your entertainment center, your heart and your
hard-earned dollars. Even if you plan to eventually buy both, essential
questions remain: what can the PS4 do that the new Xbox cannot, and vice versa?
For the long and short of Sony's new system, read on, dear gamer, read on.
Design
One look at the PS4 and you know you're seeing Sony
hardware. It's slim, sleek and jet black, roughly the size of a second
generation PS3.
The full measurements are 275 x 53 x 305 mm. It's a bit more compact than an
Xbox One, which is longer and taller at 274 x 79 x 333 mm.
The PS4 is 6.1 lbs, about two MacBook Airs heavy. In a feat
of engineering worth tipping your hat to, Sony has tucked the PS4's power
supply inside the system, leaving no external power brick to trip over.
Microsoft's system has held onto its power adapter, and weighs just a little
bit more, tipping the scales at 7 lbs.
On its face is a slit of a mouth, a slot loading Blu-Ray
disc drive free from the jutting and breakable disc tray of the Xbox
360. To its right are two powered USB 3.0 ports, which can charge your DualShock
4 controllers when the system is turned off, a feature the PS3 sorely
lacked.
Sony claims that the PS4's overall performance is ten times
that of the PS3. In an official FAQ, Sony also stated that the PS4's hard drive
can be removed with a little tinkering, and can be replaced with a larger
drive, or a solid-state drive for better performance. Sony says these do it
yourself upgrades will not void the system's warranty.
With the PlayStation 4, Sony opened the door to the next
generation of console gaming and put forth a serious challenge to Microsoft's Xbox
One.
It's packed the system with future proof specs, improved the
controller, lined up tons of great developer support and undercut the
competition
We won't beat around the bush: it's a great machine. But is
it worth diving into now, or should you wait for a that new Uncharted? Lets
break it down.
We liked
Gaming on the PS4 is fantastic. The graphics are a big step
up from last-gen consoles. It's not only the visuals, though, the performance
of this machine is off the charts. There's hardly thirty seconds of loading
time between the dozen launch titles we tested, and multiplayer sessions can
get massive, like the 64 player showdowns on Battlefield 4.
The interface is fast too. Everything is speedy and
responsive right from minute one, and the interface is full of clever design
choices that speed things up. Games begin to install the second you pop in the
disc, firmware updates download while the system is on standby and game patches
do too if you have PS Plus.
The DualShock 4 controller is a significant upgrade. The
most bothersome aspects of the DualShock 3 have been addressed, resulting in a
comfortable controller that's more functional for games of all genres. The
touchpad, while currently underused, is well built and nicely placed, the light
bar makes player identification simple and the system can finally charge a
controller while it's off or in standby.
PS Vita Remote Play works well over WiFi. Using it on a
different network or 3G is a no-go, but being able to play Knack in bed or
Killzone when someone else is using the TV was reliable and lag free over our
home WiFi, plus a lot of fun.
The system looks great and has no power brick. On a purely
aesthetic level, the PS4 is very cool. The asymmetrical design is striking,
even if it makes it difficult to get at the rear ports, and it's also a
restrained size. It makes you wonder how the Xbox One could be so massive and
still have a power brick.
source: http://www.techradar.com/us/reviews/gaming/games-consoles/sony-ps4-1131803/review#articleContent
by Nick Pino
http://www.buyetail.com
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