Xbox One X vs. PS4 Pro
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By
Will Fulton
and
Steven Petite
If you were someone who missed out on the past generation of consoles, or you aren’t ready to make the jump to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S quite yet, now is actually the best time to invest in the previous generation’s hardware. Not only are you getting the best versions of each console (the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X) for a cheaper price, but they also are coming with massive libraries of games to choose from. Plus, you can expect plenty of the new-generation games to also run on these machines, meaning you won’t miss out on most of the big titles.
Unlike the jump from the Xbox One to Xbox One S, the X is actually better in several key technical areas. The same goes for the PlayStation 4 Pro when compared to the jump from the PS4 to PS4 Slim.
Contents
- Specs
- Hardware and performance
- Resolution
- Home theater support
- Virtual reality
- Upgraded game support
- Price
- Conclusion
With that background in mind, let’s compare the two souped-up consoles side by side, considering all major factors. We hope that this guide will help you decide between a PS4 Pro and an Xbox One X.
Note: The Xbox One X and the PS4 Pro were discontinued in the past year, so you can no longer purchase a new one of either console. However, there are plenty available in most resale markets.
See more
- Best gaming consoles
- Best Xbox One games
- Best PS4 games
Specs
|
Xbox One X |
PlayStation 4 Pro |
|
| Dimensions | 11. 8 x 9.4 x 2.4 inches |
12.8 x 11.6 x 2.1 inches |
| Weight | 8.4 pounds | 7.2 pounds |
| Color | Black | Black |
| CPU | 2.3GHz x 86 AMD Jaguar eight-core (custom) | 2.1GHz x 86 AMD Jaguar eight-core |
| GPU | 6 teraflops (TFLOPS), 40 customized compute units @ 1,172MHz | 4.2 teraflops (TFLOPS), 36 improved GCN compute units @ 911MHz |
| Memory | 12GB GDDR5 RAM | 8GB GDDR5 RAM |
| Memory bandwidth | 326GB/s | 218GB/s |
| Storage | 1TB 2.5-inch | 1TB 2.5-inch |
| Optical drive | 4K UHD Blu-ray | Blu-ray |
| 4K | Yes | Yes |
| HDR | Yes | Yes |
| Ports | HDMI 2. 0a in/out, 3x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, IR out |
HDMI, 3x USB 3.1 |
| Online subscription | Xbox Live ($60/yr) | PS Plus ($60/yr) |
| Connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Officially discontinued | Officially discontinued |
| Availability | Used or from secondary retailers as supplies last | Used or from secondary retailers as supplies last |
| Digital Trends review | 4 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
Hardware and performance
DigitalFoundry
Under the hood, the most striking differences between the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X are in their memory and GPUs. Xbox One X’s GPU clocks in at an impressive 6 teraflops, with 40 customized compute units at 1,172MHz, greater than the PS4 Pro’s 4.2 teraflops, with 36 improved GCN compute units at 911MHz.
In terms of raw power that makes the Xbox One X more comparable to PC GPUs like the Radeon RX 480. Memory is also significantly boosted at 12GB of GDDR5 RAM versus the PS4 Pro’s 8GB of DDR5, pushing the Xbox One X’s memory bandwidth up to 326GBps over 218GBps on the Pro. The difference in CPU power is much narrower, but the customized Jaguar cores in the Xbox One X may squeeze out better performance in testing.
With such a gap between GPU and memory, the Xbox One X consistently outperforms the PlayStation 4 Pro with third-party games — though there are occasional exceptions.
Winner: Xbox One X
Resolution
Anthem running on Xbox One X Microsoft E3 2017 Press Conference
One of Xbox One X’s best perks is its ability to run games in 4K resolution at a steady 60 frames per second, which we see showcased in many of Microsoft’s first-party titles such as Forza Motorsport 7. Many Xbox One games, including third-party titles, can run at native 4K.
The Pro’s record has been spotty, with developers using techniques like checkerboarding to improve visuals, but not consistently hitting 4K in practice — and these games often take a frame rate penalty.
Xbox One X also provides better support for users without 4K televisions. Microsoft requires that all games that are natively at higher resolutions use super-sampling with 1080p displays. This means regular HD televisions will get richer images than with a standard Xbox One. Support for this feature has been inconsistent with the PS4 Pro, even in first-party titles, such as The Last Guardian.
Winner: Xbox One X
Home theater support
The Xbox One X features a 4K UHD Blu-ray optical drive, similar to the Xbox One S. Although the PlayStation 4 Pro is built specifically to support 4K gaming, it still only includes a standard Blu-Ray player, which is incapable of playing UHD Blu-Ray discs. The PS4 Pro can stream 4K video through apps such as Netflix and Hulu.
Xbox One X also offers a superior home theater experience for audiophiles, thanks to bitstream audio passthrough and Dolby Atmos support.
Winner: Xbox One X
Virtual reality
Providing stronger support for the PlayStation VR was one of the main selling points for the Pro. All versions of the PS4 work with VR, but the Pro is capable of sharper and more detailed rendering. Graphical upgrades don’t come automatically, however, so only games built specifically to take advantage of the Pro can do so.
Microsoft’s extant partnership with Oculus has led to rumors that Xbox One X may pair with the Rift down the line, but they have since backed away from the idea of entering the VR space any time soon. Microsoft has said in the past that virtual reality and “mixed reality” work best on PC.
As of now, only the PS4 Pro has a dedicated VR headset, and it’s getting better with age.
Winner: PS4 Pro
Upgraded game support
Both Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro ostensibly support all of the same titles as their standard counterparts.
Developers will need to specifically build in features that take advantage of the more powerful consoles, so all titles are playable on Xbox One X and the Pro, but not all games will benefit. A current list of games known to be upgraded on Xbox One X includes the following and many more:
- Anthem
- Ashen
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Code Vein
- Crackdown 3
- Darksiders III
- Devil May Cry 5
- The Division 2
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Fallout 4
- Far Cry New Dawn
- Final Fantasy XV
- Fortnite
- Forza Horizon 4
- Forza Motorsport 7
- Gears of War 4
- Halo Wars 2
- Killer Instinct
- Metro: Exodus
- Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Minecraft
- No Man’s Sky
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Rage 2
- Resident Evil 2
- Resident Evil 7
- Rocket League
- Sea of Thieves
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- State of Decay 2
- Super Lucky’s Tale
- Titanfall 2
- Ghost Recon: Wildlands
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
You can check out the current list of titles supported by the PlayStation 4 Pro here.
Being first out of the gate, you would think Sony has the clear edge here, but Microsoft quickly narrowed the gap with a hefty lineup of supported third-party games, as well as added support for older Xbox One games.
Naturally, what matters is not just the games that have upgrades, but the number of total games. In recent years, Sony has trounced Microsoft in the exclusive games department. Microsoft is attempting to close the gap and recently purchased several major studios, including Playground Games, Ninja Theory, and even the massive publisher Bethesda, but Sony’s library of exclusives takes the cake as of now. Microsoft’s commitment to bringing both new and existing games to 4K, however, greatly narrows Sony’s software advantages. Right now, it’s too close to call.
Winner: Tie
Price
The Xbox One X has been officially discontinued by Microsoft, but costs remain around $400, about $50 more than the PS4 Pro. When you look at a detailed breakdown of the specs, it’s easy to see where the difference comes from.
However, with the release of a new generation, these prices are very likely to be discounted permanently. In fact, because the Xbox One X has been officially discontinued, you may end up having to buy secondhand for cheaper.
While we think that the extra $100 for the Xbox One X is reasonable given what’s in the box, we understand that $400 — given the $300 to $350 tag on the Xbox One S and PS4 — may be too much of a leap to play the same games in better fidelity. But if your choice is between the best of the best from either Microsoft or Sony, we think the Xbox One X, when all is said and done, will probably be the better value.
Fortunately, when it comes down to cost, the Xbox One X and PS4 are regularly listed at a discounted price or sell for even less than their typical listings. Overall, that means these devices consistently go for less than what you may see listed on their websites. We’ve spotted the Xbox One X listed at about $350 regularly and the PS4 Pro listed at an even lower cost of $300.
Winner: PS4 Pro
Conclusion
Ultimately, Sony was able to score a win over Microsoft with these products; the PS4 Pro supported 4K gaming on its console for a reasonable price, long before competitors. They enhanced the PlayStation VR and made themselves a standout with this console. That said, as time has rolled on, we have noticed some discrepancies for game support for their consoles.
Keep in mind— the PS4 Pro is not your only option for premium game playing. The Xbox One X is still a worthy contender. Considering the obvious hardware advantages, if you’re on the hunt for a console capable of 4K video, the Xbox One X could be your best bet. (Unless you want VR support, of course.)
Overall winner: Xbox One X
Editors’ Recommendations
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The best upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2023 and beyond
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Over 100 PlayStation VR2 games are in development, Sony says
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Intel: which wins in 2023?
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The best PS5 controllers for 2023
Microsoft Xbox One X vs Sony PlayStation 4 Pro: What is the difference?
68points
Microsoft Xbox One X
70points
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Comparison winner
vs
88 facts in comparison
Microsoft Xbox One X
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Why is Microsoft Xbox One X better than Sony PlayStation 4 Pro?
- 1.86 TFLOPS higher floating-point performance?
6 TFLOPSvs4.14 TFLOPS - 4GB more RAM memory?
12GBvs8GB - 150GB/s higher memory bandwidth?
326GB/svs176GB/s - 372MHz faster GPU clock speed?
1172MHzvs800MHz - 1408 more shading units?
2560vs1152 - Wi-Fi version.?
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)vsWi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - 22 more compute units?
40vs18 - 4 more controllers supported?
8vs4
Why is Sony PlayStation 4 Pro better than Microsoft Xbox One X?
- 561 more games available?
3265vs2704 - Hard drive is replaceable?
- Has an external memory slot?
- Compatible with a motion-sensing controller(s)?
- Has an integrated touchpad?
- Supports quick resume?
- Supports VR?
- Supports 3D?
Which are the most popular comparisons?
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Microsoft Xbox Series S
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Microsoft Xbox Series S
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Microsoft Xbox Series X
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Sony PlayStation 5
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Microsoft Xbox One S
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Sony PlayStation 4 Slim
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Sony PlayStation 5
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Microsoft Xbox Series X
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Microsoft Xbox One
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Microsoft Xbox One S
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Sony PlayStation 4
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Valve Steam Deck 512GB
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Sony PlayStation 4 Slim
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Valve Steam Deck 512GB
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Nintendo Switch (OLED Model)
Microsoft Xbox One X
vs
Nintendo Switch
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
vs
Sony PlayStation 4
Price comparison
Cheap alternatives
User reviews
Overall Rating
Microsoft Xbox One X
4 User reviews
Microsoft Xbox One X
7.
0/10
4 User reviews
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
7 User reviews
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
7.1/10
7 User reviews
Features
Quality of exclusive games
7.3/10
4 votes
7.6/10
7 votes
Backwards compatibility
7.8/10
4 votes
5.3/10
7 votes
Controller
7.8/10
4 votes
7.3/10
7 votes
Non-gaming apps
7.3/10
4 votes
7.3/10
7 votes
Quiet operation
7.5/10
4 votes
6.7/10
7 votes
Performance
CPU speed
8 x 2.3GHz
8 x 2.3GHz
The CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second can be executed by a CPU, considering all of its cores (processing units). It is calculated by adding the clock rates of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors employing different microarchitectures, of each group of cores.
floating-point performance
6 TFLOPS
4.14 TFLOPS
Floating-point performance is a measurement of the raw processing power of the GPU.
Random-access memory (RAM) is a form of volatile memory used to store working data and machine code currently in use. It is a quick-access, temporary virtual storage that can be read and changed in any order, thus enabling fast data processing.
GPU clock speed
1172MHz
800MHz
The graphics processing unit (GPU) has a higher clock speed.
supports ray tracing
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Ray tracing is an advanced light rendering technique that provides more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections in games.
I/O throughput
Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Microsoft Xbox One X)
Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value.
(Sony PlayStation 4 Pro)
I/O throughput refers to the bandwidth of the internal storage. Storage that supports faster data transmission speeds results in quicker load times.
version of GDDR memory
Newer versions of GDDR memory offer improvements such as higher transfer rates that give increased performance.
Is an NVMe SSD
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
NVMe SSDs use the PCIe interface, which has a higher bandwidth than the SATA interface. This results in much faster read/write speeds compared to SSDs which use the SATA interface.
memory bandwidth
326GB/s
176GB/s
A higher memory bandwidth means the memory can be accessed faster and therefore data can be retrieved quicker, having a positive effect on the performance.
Connectivity
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
With a standard mini jack socket, you can use the device with most headphones.
supports Wi-Fi
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
The device can connect to Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
The Wi-Fi versions supported by the device.
is DLNA-certified
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
All DLNA-certified products are compatible with one another. When different devices are connected to the same network, data can be transferred easily between them.
USB ports
With more USB ports, you are able to connect more devices.
has an HDMI output
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Devices with a HDMI or mini HDMI port can transfer high definition video and audio to a display.
HDMI version
HDMI 2.0b
HDMI 2.
0a
Newer versions of HDMI support higher bandwidth, which allows for higher resolutions and frame rates.
Bluetooth version
Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
has an external memory slot
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
The device has a standard memory slot (such as an SD or micro SD card slot) that enables you to extend the built-in internal storage with affordable memory modules, or easily retrieve data, such as photographs, from the memory card.
Features
number of games
Consoles which have more games offer more choice to the user. It is also an indicator of how popular a console is.
number of exclusive games
Unknown.
Help us by suggesting a value. (Sony PlayStation 4 Pro)
Exclusive games are only available to that game console producer.
has voice commands
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
You can use your voice to control key functions of the device and you can easily access your device without pushing any button.
backwards compatibility
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
With backwards compatibility, you can play games from the previous generation (or several generations) of console.
pixel density
∅
Microsoft Xbox One X: Not applicable
Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Sony PlayStation 4 Pro)
Pixel density is a measurement of a screen’s resolution, expressed as the number of pixels per inch (PPI) on the screen. A higher pixel density translates into more clarity and sharpness for the images rendered on the screen, thus improving the quality of the viewing experience.
Can play games while they download
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
This means you don’t have to wait for the entire game to download first, as the later stages of the game download while you are playing.
supports quick resume
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Quick resume is a feature that allows you to switch between several running games with practically zero loading times.
supports Discord voice chat
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
It supports Discord Voice, allowing you to chat with people on other platforms such as PC and mobile.
Supports 3D audio
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
3D audio provides a more immersive soundscape than traditional surround sound technologies, allowing you to pinpoint the exact direction that sounds are coming from.
Controllers
number of controllers
More controllers allows you to have more people playing at a time.
has adaptive triggers
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✖Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
Special motors in the controller can adjust the tension of the trigger buttons, adding to the feeling of immersion. For example, the triggers can become harder to press down as a player’s character sprints and becomes fatigued.
Compatible with a motion-sensing controller(s)
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
A motion controller is a type of game controller that utilizes sensors (such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other types of sensors) to track motion and provide input.
Has a wireless controller
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
The device controllers connect to the console wirelessly, allowing for a tangle free gaming experience.
number of analog sticks
The more analog sticks, the more complex the input can be.
has an integrated touchpad
✖Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
With a touchpad, users can control the device by moving their finger on a touch-sensitive surface.
Has dual force feedback
✔Microsoft Xbox One X
✔Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
With dual force feedback the controller has realistic vibrations, allowing you to feel the direction from which the impact is coming.
controller weight
Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Microsoft Xbox One X)
A lighter controller puts less strain on the hands while playing.
number of buttons
The more buttons the device has, the more complex the input can be.
Miscellaneous
resolution
∅
Microsoft Xbox One X: Not applicable
1920 x 1080px
Resolution is an essential indicator of a screen’s image quality, representing the maximum amount of pixels that can be shown on the screen.
The resolution is given as a compound value, comprised of horizontal and vertical pixels.
Price comparison
Which are the best game consoles?
PlayStation 4Pro or Xbox One X
PS4 Pro has the best set of exclusive games, branded virtual reality support and is cheaper. The Xbox One X surpasses the PlayStation in terms of multimedia features, thanks to 4K streaming and the presence of a 4K Blu-ray player.
Are you ready for 4K gaming? Two main consoles have been ready for several years!
Many people thought that current consoles wouldn’t get 4K capability until the next generation, but Sony and Microsoft decided otherwise.
In this post I will compare the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X, consider the advantages and disadvantages, and also help you decide on the choice of console.
Both consoles have received an improvement over the base versions. They are still 8 cores, but the Xbox One X runs at 2.3GHz and the PS4 Pro runs at 2.
1GHz.
This is a very small difference for such systems.
In video graphics processing capacity, the changes compared to the first versions of consoles are more noticeable.
The Sony PS4 has a 4.2 TFlops graphics card, while the Xbox One X has 6 TFlops.
In addition, PS 4 has 8 Gb of RAM and 1 Gb reserved for background operations.
Xbox received 12 Gb. Both consoles use the new GDDR5 memory format.
In addition to the main characteristics, the following should be noted:
Both consoles come with 1 Tb of game memory.
The Xbox One X has a built-in 4K Blu-ray player, while the PS4 only has a regular Blu-ray.
There is some controversy regarding the PS4 Pro, because the console processes the image at a lower resolution, and then upscaling (scaling) the image to a 4K screen.
The Xbox One X is a more powerful console and displays a full 4K image, although the difference in quality between competitors is almost imperceptible.
There is a price difference between the consoles — about $100.
Xbox One X will cost $500 and PS4 Pro $400.
Let’s be honest, we’re not interested in performance numbers when discussing a gaming console. Unlike PCs, set-top boxes are an alternative — simplified, affordable and convenient. With one purpose — to play games.
How are the games on the two consoles?
Sony has always offered its players more exclusives than Microsoft, and this continues in this generation. This is also the main reason that Sony’s set-top boxes sell better.
PS4 Pro also has a trump card in the face of virtual reality. PS VR is one of the best such technologies on the market. Xbox One X does not support this technology.
Microsoft’s trump card is backward compatibility with past generations of consoles. This allows you to run games on Xbox One X that were released on Xbox 360 but were not officially released on Xbox One.
Sony, on the other hand, maintains backward compatibility only through the PlayStation Now game streaming service, which is based on a paid subscription.
To play games for previous versions of Play Station, you need to access the service — the user will have to pay $ 100 for a year of use.
— Completely ignores the fact that you have already bought games at full price
— The service requires a stable Internet connection of at least 5 Mbps
/s
— Users can access a limited list of games, not all games released for older PlayStation versions.
We’ve already discussed the PS Now subscription, but there’s also a PS+ subscription that you need to play online. It costs $60 per year but includes 2 free games per month. Members of the program keep all received games and can play them as long as the subscription is active. Additional discounts are also available to subscribers in the PS Store.
Microsoft offers the Xbox Live Gold service, which is similar throughout Sony. True, in addition to online gaming, every month 6 games are available to the user, both for Xbox One and Xbox 360. The price is only $ 40, and when backwards compatibility is taken into account, the choice of games becomes much wider.
As a result, which console is better? My choice is Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro.
Why? Here are a few reasons:
1. It’s cheaper. Of course PS4 Pro uses scaling technology, but the difference in the final picture is almost invisible. As a result, we get a cheap 4K image.
2. The console has a larger selection of exclusives. It is such games as: Bloodborne, the Uncharted series, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn and many others that brought huge popularity to Sony’s consoles.
3. Virtual reality technology. You will have to buy a separate VR helmet to use it, but Sony’s technology is one of the most advanced on the market.
The Xbox One X is a more powerful console, with slightly improved visuals, but not worth the $100 extra in my opinion. The only reason you can buy a console from Microsoft is that you’re a long time Xbox fan with a large library of old games and you need a 4K Blu-ray player.
Pros:
— Best price
— PlayStation VR
disadvantages:
— Resolution 4K is made by scaling technology
— There is no real reverse compatibility
PLESS:
— powerful hardware
— Honest 4K perception
— 4K BLU BLU BLU -Ray player
Cons
— More expensive than competitor
— No VR support
— Dubious purchase
What do I mean by this? That the PS4 outsold the Xbox One from the start and Microsoft should have offered a lot better features, especially considering the price of their console.
Of course, choosing a console is a matter of personal preference. Please note that I am not saying that the Xbox One X is a bad console. It’s great, and its performance is the best on the console market, but that’s just the technical side of the issue.
How does The Sims 4 work on consoles? Game Performance Review on PS4, PS5, Xbox One S, Xbox Series S and Series X — Hardware on DTF
Ever wondered how The Sims 4 works on consoles? No? I figured it out anyway and found the answer to this question. Considering every console version except PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.
8364
views
There is not a single technical analysis on the Internet about how The Sims 4 is going on consoles, although the game has been out for quite some time (around 2017). Yes, this is not the most relevant material, but personally I have always been curious about how a life simulator behaves on game consoles. And today I will tell you and show you how the game feels on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One S, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles.
1. PS4
Let’s take a look at the PS4 version first. The game runs supposedly at 1080p and runs at 60 fps . Maximum performance is achieved only in small areas where there is no movement. But as soon as more people, objects appear on the screen, or it is worth moving the camera as far as possible, the game starts to freeze and the frame rate drops rapidly.
I will show everything with a few examples. Let’s start with the simplest scenario and work our way up.
I created a character, sent him to the very beginning city of Willow Creek, settled him anywhere and started playing:
Yes, there is no ideal 60 fps even in such a simple scenario. It is very similar to the fact that the bottleneck is the processor, which does not reveal the maximum potential.
Now let’s try to move the camera a little further:
FPS began to fall to about 45, which is no longer very comfortable. Friezes are also observed. It is logical — the more on the screen is going on, the stronger the load on the iron.
Let’s now move on to a busier area, namely Bar. There are more objects and more NPCs in the frame:
As we can see, performance immediately drops to 40 frames on average. Freezes have become much more frequent, and the gameplay is less stable.
Let’s try moving the camera a little further and look at the result:
Yes, you won’t look at it without tears. And after all, this is a location from the base game, where there are not so many objects!
What do you think will happen if you download a custom popular building from the gallery? That’s right, no good:
The game literally turns into a slide show and you won’t be able to enjoy comfortable gameplay. Fans of large buildings will have a very hard time.
This concludes the PS4 performance stress tests. Finally, I want to note also about one more problem on the consoles of the past generation — download speed . Because of the slow HDD, moving between worlds becomes simply a pain. The game already has constant downloads between locations, but here they are also long. Let’s measure them:
- Cold start of the game from the main menu of the console to the main menu of the game takes 1:51 .
- From the main menu of the game to the town map, loading takes 12 seconds .
- From the town map to the gameplay, loading takes 30 seconds .
- From one location to another, the transition takes 29 seconds .
2. Xbox One S
Let’s move on to the weakest version, in my opinion. The only major differences are resolution around 900p and lok in 30 frames . However, he does not save the situation at all and makes everything worse. I explain why:
Firstly, there is some delay in the control (high input lag?). Everything becomes less responsive and controlling the cursor with the gamepad becomes wildly inconvenient, unlike the PS4.
Secondly, 30 frames does nothing to make the game more stable in serious scenes. You will see this for yourself below.
Starting from the very beginning with the same location:
Yes, the game seems to be more stable, but as I described above, the controls become very inconvenient because of this. It was very difficult for me to get the cursor where I want.
Let’s now go to the Bar and look at the performance there:
Again, more or less stable 30 fps with the usual friezes, which became a little more.
But what happens if we move away from the bar?
FPS immediately becomes unstable, and here it is better to pay attention not to the frame rate itself, but to the frame-time chart, where you can see that the game freezes very often.
P.S. On my own behalf, I want to add that here, when frame-time becomes too unstable, the schedule may not be 100% correct, this software is still in the public domain and is not an exact copy of programs, like, for example, Digital Foundry, however this is the only way for the most part to accurately determine the performance of games that exists at the moment.
Let’s now move on to the section from the Gallery that kills performance the most:
The performance in this area seems to be at the same level or even slightly higher, only on the Xbox there are a little more friezes than on the PS4. Everything else is just as unplayable.
Moving on to download speed:
- Cold starting the game from the main menu of the console to the main menu of the game takes 1:37 .
- From the main menu of the game to the town map, loading takes 9 seconds .
- From the town map to gameplay, loading takes 24 seconds .
- From one location to another, the transition takes 20 seconds .
Download speed is faster than PS4 in all cases. Small but plus!
3. Xbox Series S
Now let’s move on to the most interesting — how is the next gene doing? Unfortunately, things are not so clear-cut here. Game version for Series S works on backwards compatible from One S . This means that the resolution, graphics and 30 fps lock have not gone away, unfortunately.
However, two pluses were found: stable frame rate, fast downloads.
I’ll show the performance right away on the section with the bar, where the optimization on paste-gen consoles was already starting to suffer:
Ideal 30 fps. There is nothing more to add here.
Moving on to the most difficult section with the gallery:
Yes, what is it, and then the ideal 30! Strength test passed. However, the game still does not get rid of the feeling of high input lag, therefore, despite the stable top-30, it is still uncomfortable to play. The project must run at 60 fps.
Next we move on to download speeds:
- Cold start of the game from the console main menu to the main game menu takes 47 seconds .
- From the main menu of the game to the town map, loading takes 1.
5 second .
- From the town map to the gameplay, loading takes 6 seconds .
- Moving from one location to another takes 6 seconds .
Excellent performance thanks to the SSD!
4. Xbox Series X
This time we come to the most powerful consoles. Let’s start with Series X. Fortunately, the game was previously optimized for Xbox One X, so we get: better graphics (according to my observations, better shadows, textures and higher draw distance), high resolution and, unlike One S, 60 fps !
We immediately go to the bar and see important differences:
Yes, the game finally runs at 60 fps most of the time. Micro-friezes, unfortunately, have not gone away, but they are quite rare.
Now on to the most important stress test:
And here we are in for a little disappointment, because as soon as we move away completely and make the building fully visible without transparent walls, the frame rate drops to 45 frames. On the one hand, there is nothing critical in this, because usually in Sims you don’t zoom out the camera so often and focus on architecture, but still it shows that the game, even on Series X, is capable of “lag” if there is something very detailed.
Moving on to download speeds:
- Cold starting the game from the console main menu to the main game menu takes 46 seconds .
- From the main menu of the game to the town map, loading takes 2 seconds .
- From the town map to the gameplay, loading takes 5 seconds .
- Moving from one location to another takes 5 seconds .
Average speed exactly the same as Series S.
5. PS5
Finally, we are coming to an end. On PS5, the game works in the same backwards compatibility with PS4 Pro, and is essentially no different from the Xbox One X version.
Let’s start with the bar:
The performance is exactly the same as on the Xbox Series X. I did not notice any changes in this particular place.
Now get ready for the fun part:
Yes, the game has a different weather, but it does not affect performance in any way
And lo and behold, the game produces a stable 60 fps, unlike the Xbox! Yes, there are small friezes, but if you throw them aside, then when the camera moves away, the performance is almost ideal. Although I felt that the presence of add-ons in the PS5 version would negatively affect performance, but to my surprise, there are no problems at all that were observed on the Series X.
Load tests again:
- Cold start of the game from the main console menu to the main game menu takes 55 seconds.
- From the main menu of the game to the town map, loading takes 14 seconds.
- From the town map to gameplay it takes 12 seconds to load.
- From one location to another, the transition takes 9 seconds.
Download speed is still slower than on Xbox Series consoles. This isn’t really surprising, since everything that launches on the PS5 takes a little longer to load than on the Series S/X due to backwards compatibility. Microsoft has a better implementation of the return.
Totals
In general, having tested each version, I’m ready to rank my top console versions from best to worst.
- PS5
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S
- PS4
- Xbox One S
Why exactly? In last place Xbox One S was for many reasons: the lowest performance, 30 fps lock and inconvenient control due to high latency. Yes, Juan’s downloads are much better, but the shortcomings cover this only plus.
PS4 is ahead only because sometimes it has higher performance, and this has a positive effect on responsiveness — the response will still be faster.
Next-gen consoles are simple. Xbox Series S simply lacks the 60 fps update, still it hurts to play at 30 and I don’t recommend you touch this version, even though it has very fast downloads. And the Xbox Series X simply lags behind the PS5 in heavy-duty scenes, as we’ve seen above. And, it seems to me, quite significantly. Although on PS5 , as it turned out, the download speed is slightly longer, but this is not particularly critical when there is such a big difference in performance.
Bottom line: PS5 is the clear winner. 🙂
( however, if download speed is more important for you, then it is better to look at the Xbox version )
I post all the tests in the video format below:
PS4 parsing version
Xbox One S version
disassembly
Parsing next-gen versions
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