Microsoft’s new console won’t include a major feature
Gaming
This could make or break your decision.
by Danny Paez
Danny Paez
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Project Scarlett will soon duke it out in yet another generation of the console wars. Sony and Microsoft have already revealed some of the secret sauce that both of their upcoming consoles will ship with. Now, Microsoft has just confirmed a feature its new Xbox won’t include.
We already know cloud gaming will be a big priority for the next-gen Xbox. But on Tuesday, Xbox chief Phil Spencer told Stevivor the Project Scarlett won’t support virtual reality hardware, just like the company’s current-gen consoles. That’s in stark contrast to the PS5, which is anticipated to eventually receive new PSVR hardware after its late 2020 launch.
Spencer explained he believes VR technology doesn’t yet provide the types of shared experiences he wants to create with Xbox Scarlett.
Phil Spencer at E3 2016.
Xbox
“I have some issues with VR — it’s isolating and I think of games as a communal, kind of together experience. We’re responding to what our customers are asking for and… nobody’s asking for VR,” he said. “The vast majority of our customers know if they want a VR experience, there’s places to go get those. We see the volumes of those on PC and other places.”
He also chocked up Xbox’s decision to skip on VR because the hardware isn’t “selling millions and millions” of units yet. But that might change if games and technology companies make the technology more accessible.
Sony wants to bring VR to console gamers
While most VR equipment still has high financial barriers to entry, a 2018 study by Orbis Research predicts the global VR market will be worth almost $50 billion by 2023. Sony sees an opportunity to win over gamers that want to experience VR but don’t want to buy a $1,000 PC to support already costly headsets and controllers.
Flickr / Johan Larsson
The PlayStation maker first released PSVR in 2016 and has confirmed all of that hardware will be compatible with the PS5. Multiple patents and leaks have suggested Sony is also cooking up a vastly improved PSVR headset that could be wireless and come with robust specs that rival many PC-only headsets.
How will Xbox Scarlett fight back?
On the other hand, Microsoft will seemingly make cloud gaming the Xbox Scarlett’s special feature. The company is slowly readying its streaming service, xCloud, for an unannounced launch date.
While the company hasn’t revealed details just yet, it’s likely Xbox Scarlett owners could get a deal on the cloud service. It potentially might let Xbox fans play the games they own on their account on their smartphone or tablet when they aren’t at home.
xCloud could take console gaming out of the console.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporate VP Kareem Choudhry also told Stevivor that Scarlett and xCloud are being developed in tandem.
That means that xCloud will eventually be updated to run on Scarlett’s superior hardware and that the console will also benefit from the service.
“We designed [Project] Scarlett with the cloud in mind as well, and just as you’re going to see our console product family evolve with that next generation, the cloud is going to evolve along with it,” he said.
Sony and Microsoft have already outlined what the secret sauce will be in each of their consoles, and it’ll be up to gamers to decide which they prefer more: VR or cloud gaming.
The Xbox Scarlett and PS5 are expected to launch in late 2020.
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Which is best for you?
We’re a couple of years into the latest console war and PlayStation and Xbox are duking it out once more with two excellent flagship machines.
The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 both offer superb specifications and high-end gaming experiences, but which is best for you?
Here’s how they stack up against each other to help you make that decision.
Oh, and if you want to compare each of the consoles with their slimmed-down sibling models, check out our Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S and PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition features roo.
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Pocket-lint
When it comes to design, the Xbox Series X and PS5 are very different-looking consoles. They are quite unlike anything that has come before — as you can see above, with both consoles shot alongside the smaller Xbox Series S.
The PS5 is massive — the tallest mass-market games console there’s been. It is also uniquely designed, with two faceplates protecting the main console unit sandwiched between them.
It retains some of the company’s flair for curves (remember the original PS3?) but is white as standard for the first time. There are alternative faceplates sold by Sony that can change the colour, but we actually like the clean default look.
It can be stood on end or laid horizontally but, either way, it could be a struggle to fit in an average-sized AV cabinet.
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The PS5 Digital Edition dispenses with the disc drive, so is slightly thinner, but is still as tall.
Microsoft has opted for an almost opposite approach — the Xbox Series X is chunky and squat. There are few curves to be found here. It looks more like a mini-tower PC than a games console, which is essentially what it is. Heat dissipation is playing the biggest role in the design of both current-gen machines this time around.
Luckily, the Series X too can also lie flat, not just stand on its end, so you’ll have a bit of control over how you align it near or under your TV.
Both consoles weigh roughly the same — the Xbox Series X is 4.44kg, and the PS5 is 4.5kg.
Which design you prefer will come down almost entirely to taste, and while the Xbox Series X is certainly a bit stealthier, both are very bulky in reality. We lean toward the funkiness of the PS5, but neither is winning design awards in our books.
Pocket-lint
Processing and graphics hardware
Both consoles are significantly more powerful than their predecessors.
The Xbox Series X is «four times more powerful than Xbox One X». It sports a custom Zen 2 eight-core processor running at 3.8GHz per core.
The PlayStation 5 runs on an eight-core Zen 2 processor too, but at 3.5GHz per core.
RAM inside both is similar: 16GB GDDR6.
They also both run RDNA 2 graphics. However, the Xbox Series X has a slight upper hand with its GPU having 12 TFLOPS of power across 52 CUs. In comparison, the PS5 has 10.3 TFLOPS of power across 36 CUs.
This effectively means that developers can potentially eke more from the Series X than PS5. And that has proven the case with certain multi-platform games, with the Xbox Series X sometimes offering higher resolutions than PS5.
However, both machines have shown that they are capable of excellent graphical performance.
Graphical capabilities
In terms of their initial graphics capabilities, both are ably matched with similar features.
Each console is capable of up to 4K (2160p) resolutions at 60 frames per second.
They can also output 120fps, which is an option on some games, but only at up to 1440p in both cases.
They each include support for ray tracing, which puts them on a par with modern PC graphics cards. It introduces accurate and realistic reflections, lighting and shadows to great effect.
Both consoles also now support variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM), too. These effectively send signals to a compatible TV to both switch it into game mode and prevent screen tearing in games (by directly matching the frame rate if it is dynamic).
Pocket-lint
Storage and memory
SSD is where it is at with both consoles. Each has adopted solid-state drive tech for storage in order to speed up loading times.
The Xbox Series X features a 1TB internal SSD, with approximately 800GB available to the user after system software, etc. It is capable of read speeds of up to 2.4GB/s (or 4.8GB/s uncompressed).
The PS5 has less storage space.
Its SSD offers 825GB, but only up to 700GB of that is available to the user. It runs quicker though, up to 5.5GB/s.
Both have the ability to increase that storage through expansion cards. In the case of Xbox, you can purchase an official 1TB Storage Expansion Card that slots into a dedicated port on the rear.
The Sony machine can be boosted through third-party PCIe Gen4 SSD cards, which has become significantly more affordable than Xbox’s single-option approach.
Each of the consoles can also play last-gen games stored on external hard drives and SSDs, such as Xbox One and PS4 games respectively.
Optical disc drives
Neither manufacturer wants to ditch the physical disc drive yet. Both the Xbox Series X and standard PS5 sport 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drives. Neither the PS5 Digital Edition nor Xbox Series S has a disc drive though.
It’s worth noting that while the Xbox Series X is the only console to boast Dolby Vision support, for media streaming and future games, its 4K Blu-ray drive is not compatible with it presently.
The PS5 does not have Dolby Vision at all, although you can work around it for 4K Blu-ray playback by outputting bitstream audio — selectable in the player app menu.
Cloud gaming
Both consoles also now offer cloud gaming platforms, although Xbox’s is the more built-out right now.
Xbox has Cloud Gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It comes as part of the monthly Game Pass Ultimate subscription service and allows you to play over 100 Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S games on mobile devices.
The PlayStation 5 has access to the three tiers of PlayStation Plus that Sony relaunched in 2022, which includes a range of cloud streaming games that you can access. It is not as fully formed as Xbox’s offering and is only available on PlayStation consoles and through a PC app.
Pocket-lint
Virtual reality
There’s a major difference between these flagship consoles and it comes in the form of a VR headset. The PlayStation 5 now has an admittedly expensive headset to go with it — PSVR2, which we’ve now reviewed in full.
It costs more than the console itself and isn’t wireless, but has a host of super-impressive experiences and games to get through.
This is something the Xbox Series X completely cannot match, since it’s not compatible with any headsets itself and Microsoft doesn’t seem to be working on one of its own.
So, if you’ve got a good budget and VR is also of interest, that might be a vote in favour of the PlayStation 5.
Backward compatibility
Both PlayStation and Xbox offer backward compatibility with thousands of their respective back catalogues — often introducing performance and frame rate enhancements to older games.
- How PlayStation 5 backward compatibility works: What PS4 games will play?
In Xbox’s case, that means almost everything that runs on an Xbox One, including Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, will also work on Xbox Series X (bar anything to do with Kinect). In some cases where HDR wasn’t originally implemented, they will even make use of the console’s Auto HDR feature for a wider colour gamut and greater contrast.
There is also a thing called FPS Boost on Xbox Series X. It raises the frame rate of some older games to give them a more modern feel.
All Xbox One accessories work on Xbox Series X (and S) too.
The PlayStation 5 is also compatible with the vast majority of PS4 games already out there. And the PS4 DualShock controller will work with them running on a PS5. It won’t be able to be used to play native PS5 games, however.
Other older accessories will work with PS5 too, including PSVR, although you do need a PlayStation Camera adapter that Sony offers to eligible customers for free.
- Can you play Xbox One game discs on Xbox Series X or S?
Price
Probably the most important factor of all. At launch, both the Xbox Series X and PS5 cost around £450 in the UK, $500 in the US. In the UK, the PS5’s price has now gone up to £479, though. However, should you not need a disc drive, the PS5 Digital Edition is significantly cheaper.
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With both costing around the same amount, the main choice could come down to the games, which you can find out more about below.
- PlayStation 5 review
- Xbox Series X review
Games
The PlayStation 5 edges ahead for us when it comes to the games available on each console — where the difference really comes down to exclusives. A Call of Duty release or the latest sports title from EA will play almost identically on both, but exclusive titles are different.
In Sony’s corner, you have the likes of God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Forbidden West and Returnal to sink into, with a range of top PS4 exclusives also looking better than ever on the newer hardware. This means you have a hit-list of classics to enjoy.
Beyond the impressive Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, things are a little thinner for Xbox, but it punches back thanks to Xbox Game Pass and its huge roster of interesting games.
This makes checking out a range of titles more possible than ever, putting the value vote marginally back with Xbox.
Since PlayStation launched its game library for PlayStation Plus this has got a little more even, though, and we still think the PS5 has the advantage in terms of both quality and quantity when it comes to exclusive games.
- Best PS5 games: Amazing PlayStation 5 titles to pick up
- Top Xbox Series X and Series S games: Add these titles to your next-gen library
Xbox Scarlett Vs. PS5: Next-Gen Console Comparison
Spotlight
2019-11-15 03:54:17
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After first discussing this issue at the beginning of the year, Sony officially announced the PlayStation 5 and confirmed the additional features of the next console generations. Let’s take a look at the differences and similarities between the next generation Xbox Scarlett and PlayStation.
Name
Sony is the only one of the two companies to announce the name of its next generation console.
And — literally no one is surprised — it’s the PlayStation 5 or PS5 for short.
Microsoft calls its next generation console Project Scarlett. For convenience, we’ll refer to the Xbox console as Scarlett, or Scarlett for short.
Release Date
Both consoles are currently slated to release in the same slot, during the 2020 holiday season. As with the Xbox One and PS4 before them, Scarlett and PS5 will go head-to-head. If you are planning to buy both, you can start saving now.
Features
|
PlayStation 5 |
Xbox Scarlett |
|
|---|---|---|
|
processor |
AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8-core processor |
AMD Ryzen Zen 2 Processor @ 1.6 GHz |
|
Graphics |
AMD Radeon Navi GPU |
AMD Arcturus GPU |
|
RAM |
unknown |
16 GB GDDR6 SDRAM |
|
Storage location |
SSD |
1TB SSD |
|
Optical drive |
Yes (4K Blu-ray) |
yes |
|
Maximum output resolution |
8K |
8K |
|
Max. |
120fps |
120fps |
|
VR support |
yes |
unknown |
|
Cloud gaming |
PlayStation Now (not confirmed) |
Microsoft xCloud (not confirmed) |
|
Backwards compatible |
Yes (PS4 games) |
Yes (Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One games) |
|
Dimensions |
unknown |
unknown |
|
color |
unknown |
unknown |
|
Release date |
Holidays 2020 |
Holidays 2020 |
Frame rate Performance
No matter which console you use, you get the update. The Scarlett specs suggest a much stronger console than the Xbox One X, while the PS5 sees a similar improvement over the PS4 Pro.
Storage Location
Both Scarlett and PS5 use Solid State Drives, or SSDs, this time around. As a result, PlayStation 5 users should notice a noticeable improvement in game load times on the next generation console compared to PS4. The same is true for Xbox Scarlett versus Xbox One. However, the results will depend on the game.
Internet Service
Neither Microsoft nor Sony have announced how online multiplayer will work on next generation consoles, but it’s not surprising that Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus will return. Given its success, it’s also likely that Xbox Game Pass will return to Scarlett.
The key difference this time around will be the cloud tide, which has intensified in recent months — Google entered the fray in November 2019 with Stadia. Microsoft has Project xCloud, which will most likely end up on Scarlett in some form. Sony already has a gaming streaming service, PlayStation Now, which is expected to be supported on the PS5 to some extent.
Backward compatible
Both Scarlett and PS5 will be backwards compatible. Scarlett will be backwards compatible with original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games. What will and won’t play on PS5 is a bit more complicated, mostly due to PSVR. Sony hasn’t announced whether their next-gen console will support the current-gen headset — which is a prerequisite for playing some PS4-exclusive consoles like the Beat Saber.
Playable games at launch
Sony has yet to announce any PS5 releases. Microsoft showed only one for Scarlett: Halo Infinite.
PS5 and Xbox Scarlett: New power and camera rumors
We still have a long way to go before we can get to know the new PS5 y Xbox Scarlett , but little by little new details are starting to come in to help us get an idea of what the new generation of consoles that awaits us will be like. Summary? This will be a very important generational leap and world streaming It will have great fame.
Index
- 1 PS5 Development Kit
- 2 Shakespearean influences or nonsense?
- 3 Xbox Scarlett will have a camera, but it won’t be another Kinect
PS5 dev kit
You probably remember the official documents that show the appearance of what was supposed to be ps5 dev kit . In the document, you could see the design of a somewhat idiosyncratic device, the clues of which led us to point out that we were faced with a new PlayStation development kit, a device that developers will use to prepare the next games that will ship with the console.
Well, it seems that Gizmodo received some information from a person who remains anonymous, because, thanks to some photos, this person showed that he owns or at least had access to a device similar to what is shown in the sketches . Considering these days and the ease with which we could make mock-ups with 3D printers, it would be rather cautious to think that the information could be false, however, both the photo and the general data were sent Gizmodo long before the patent.
Unfortunately, the image has not been released so as not to embarrass the creator of the leak, although it does not seem to reveal too many details other than that this is indeed a PS5 development kit. The two-tone body (as in previous dev kits), the optical drive playback controls, and some of the details shared by this person confirm this.
Shakespearean influences or nonsense?
According to the informant, the device is called «Prospero», a reference to the name of the protagonist of The Tempest, William Shakespeare. Do you want to know something more curious? Two other characters in the novel are Ariel and Gonzalo, whose names are also supposedly related to future AMD products specifically designed for consoles. Chance? I don’t believe.
The Xbox Scarlett will have a camera, but it won’t be another Kinect
As if that wasn’t enough, this enigmatic person also revealed details about Project Scarlett, Microsoft’s next console. According to the information, both consoles will offer never-before-seen performance.
the biggest computational leap has seen on consoles By the looks of it, both platforms will bet on streaming satisfied staff, and it is for this reason that will include cameras.
We don’t know if they will be enabled by default or not, but the truth is that they are present in development kits. The PS5 appears to be lower quality and resembles a traditional webcam, although that shouldn’t mean that the final product was like that. The one from Microsoft, on the other hand, is capable of shooting 4K video with a delay of only 2 frames compared to the recording and what appears in streaming, and also, using the console, is able to apply effects in real time, as in Snapchat or Instagram.
This type of effect will aim to offer a more complete solution when creating video broadcasts, since the current solutions offered by consoles are extremely simple and force users to use the computer to offer higher quality content, with effects and features that allow you to interact with viewers.
