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PlayStation 4 Review
by Priya Modi - December 11, 2015
Review
During the coming cold, harsh winter months, you have some time to hang out at a club, but it may not be the best option to stay warm. Why not stay cozy at home with the PlayStation®4 game console? The PS4 is a high-performing gaming console that offers something unpredictable every time you play. In fact, when compared to Xbox One it is a matter of preference since both consoles are unique.
PS4 raises the bar high with its 8GB-unified system memory which delivers rich, cutting-edge graphics. When you start the console, the question of player 1 and 2 is out of the picture. Players are now associated with colors instead of numbers. Once the console is started, you access applications that feature the latest movies and television shows, unique specialized content, and live sports programming. You can also save time by downloading titles while playing games. With the purchase of this feature, users don’t have to wait too long before starting the game; they can start playing while the rest finishes downloading.
The PS4 wants to know you just as much you want to get to know it. The system can learn about your preferences. It will determine your likes and dislikes, allowing pre-loaded content to your console in your favorite game genres or by your favorite creators. Players can also look over game-related information shared by friends or view friends’ gameplay with ease.
Gaming accessories serve as a medium to interact with users. It has an optional camera with a microphone that can pick up simple voice commands. You can use it to put your game on standby mode or take a screenshot. The camera would serve its purpose mainly with the Just Dance 2014 game. However, it is not essential for the overall experience.
In addition, the PlayStation®Plus membership allows users to access a community where they can take challenges with other gamers and experience a collection of games. Once you win, feel free to boast about your triumph with the community by sharing your video with others. Staying cozy is one thing, but staying cozy and entertained is another story that cannot end without the PlayStation®4. The PS4 is a high-performing, multitasking console with the ultimate graphic experience that cannot be missed.
Highlights
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Powerful processing and impressive graphics
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New DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller
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500 GB Hard Drive Capacity
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A robust catalog of streaming video services
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Instant content supported (Netflix/Hulu Plus/Crackle/Crunchyroll)
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Motion-sensing technology
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Bluetooth enabled
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HDMI output
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2 USB 3.0 Ports
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Blu-ray player
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Remote Play
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Connect with your mobile devices
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Optional PlayStation®Plus membership
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1-year warranty (parts and labor)
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Optional PlayStation® Protection Plan
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Superior graphics
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“Personal preference” upgrades
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Innovative streaming and sharing features
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PlayStation® App
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High-performing controller
Pros
Score
9.5
Cons
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Not enough apps
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Occasional performance glitches
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DualShock 4 controller has less battery life
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PS3 games aren't compatible
Highlights
The Best Games
Xbox One has the best games: award-winning exclusives, spectacular new franchises, and your favorite blockbusters. Games look and feel incredibly real, with cinematic gameplay that rivals Hollywood. Play exclusive titles like Titanfall, Halo, Sunset Overdrive, Ryse: Son of Rome, Dead Rising 3, and Kinect Sports Rivals. And join your friends to play Battlefield, Call of Duty, Madden NFL 15, FIFA 14, and more on the most advanced multiplayer network.
The Most Advanced Multiplayer
Multiplayer is better than ever on Xbox One. Play games like Titanfall and Halo with your friends on a network powered by over 300,000 servers for maximum performance. Find new challengers who fit your skill and style with Smart Match, which uses intelligent algorithms to bring the right players together. Cloud-hosted multiplayer helps eliminate lag, dropping, and cheating, so playing together is more fair and more fun. Turn your best game moments into personalized movies with Upload Studio or broadcast your gameplay live via Twitch with picture-in-picture. And on Xbox One, a single Gold membership provides multiplayer for everyone in your home.*
Games Plus Entertainment
On Xbox One, you can do two things at once by snapping a game, live TV, a movie, or apps side-by-side, and switch quickly from one to the next. The OneGuide brings your favorite TV channels, movies and entertainment apps like Netflix, YouTube, and ESPN together in one place for quick and easy access.
Built for the Future
Xbox One is designed to get better over time with new experiences being added via free updates. Advances in cloud technology and innovation in controller design make Xbox One more fun today, and ready for the games and entertainment of tomorrow.
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Excellent user experience
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Improved controller
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Sophisticated voice control
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Unlimited storage via USB
Pros
Cons
9.5
Score
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No backward compatibility
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Small game library
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Difficult TV integration
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Publishers can block your access to used games
Microsoft XBox One
Review
by Raymond James - December 18, 2014
The all-in-one entertainment system. Where the best games, multiplayer, and your favorite movies, music, sports, and live TV come together in one place.By continuously adding features, content, and capabilities, Xbox One was built to grow with you. Updates from Xbox Live will happen in the background while you enjoy your favorite game. Sign in to any Xbox One to see your home screen and play your digital games. Your digital content, profile, and saves go where you go. Xbox One was built by gamers, for gamers.
Xbox One was designed to be the most advanced gaming console ever, and the best entertainment console. To make that possible, we did something unprecedented. For the first time ever, we created a state-of-the-art gaming OS and fused it with a powerful Windows OS. So you get the best of both worlds, without compromise. Forget about having to switch inputs to watch TV or play a game. Now you can run a host of apps right alongside your game without any loss of performance.
Xbox One is the perfect balance of power and performance. In addition to Xbox One’s revolutionary architecture, the combination of its CPU, GPU and ESRAM is like having a supercomputer in your living room. But raw power is nothing without speed. So the Xbox One uses its power more effectively, creating lightning fast experiences unlike anything you’ve had before.
The best gaming controller just got better with over 40 technology innovations. New Impulse Triggers deliver precise fingertip feedback for more realistic experiences. Kinect will auto-pair your controller instantly, even when you hand it to a friend during a game. We have streamlined the thumbsticks, D-pad, and contours for improved precision and comfort in your hands. Simply put, it’s the best controller we’ve ever made.
Completely re-engineered Kinect to take full advantage of all that Xbox One can do. It’s more precise. More responsive. More intuitive. Its unparalleled voice, vision, and motion technology lets you reach into games and entertainment like never before. Automatically sign in when you enter the room. Accelerate through a game with subtle gestures. Or navigate through your favorite TV shows with the sound of your voice. It’s an entirely new Kinect for a new generation of entertainment.
Get more from games and entertainment with unique cross-screen experiences. With the free Xbox SmartGlass app for Windows 8, Windows Phone, Android and iOS, you can use your tablet or phone to extend, enhance and control what’s playing on your Xbox One. Plus, the combination of controller, Kinect and Xbox SmartGlass technologies unlock new opportunities for developers to bring you more innovative games.
Immerse yourself in cinematic worlds that look like real life, with characters that feel more human. Advanced AI technology and the processing power of Xbox One make game worlds come alive. And thanks to the power of the cloud, what you do in a game can stay that way persistently. Xbox One’s unique architecture allows creators to build realistic, cinematic experiences of the highest fidelity possible.
Xbox One was designed for today’s fast-paced lifestyle. It wakes up instantly when you say, “Xbox On,” and even turns on your TV. Downloads and updates happen behind the scenes, so you can jump right in. And when you need to pause, your games are suspended right where you left off, so you can resume instantly.
Highlights
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Wii U GamePad
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HD Graphics
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Downloadable Entertainment
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A new way to enjoy TV
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Connect and be social
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Play your Wii games too
Pros
Cons
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GamePad feature
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Free online gaming
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Online features are well-integrated and easy to use
8.5
Score
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Cheap build quality
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Laggy interface
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GamePad's use is confusing and difficult to learn
Nintendo Wii U
Review
by Mark J. Kohler - December 18, 2014
The Wii U is Nintendo's most powerful console to date, introducing several innovative control features. The lightweight GamePad includes tablet-like functionality, with a touch screen that offers fingertip and stylus interaction and adds a second screen to your gaming experience.
Some of the most beloved characters in gaming history reside exclusively on Nintendo-branded consoles, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Zelda, Link, Donkey Kong, Samus and more. With the Wii U, all of these characters and the worlds they inhabit are displayed in full 1080p HD for the first time ever.
The Miiverse is the Wii U's own built-in social network, which makes connecting with other players fun and easy. Share your gaming secrets, exchange artwork and become involved in the conversations that surround your favorite games, all without leaving your couch with 32 GB solid state storage.Store a moderate amount of games and apps on your console. Also supports external USB storage.
The GamePad's touch screen brings tablet-like functionality to your console Interact with your games and apps using a fingertip or stylus. Extend your gameplay to a second screen. The GamePad's screen can work in conjunction with the picture displayed on your TV to enhance your gameplay or add quality-of-life features like dedicated minimaps and inventory management.
A whole new way to enjoy local multiplayer. With one player using the GamePad and others using Wiimotes, tap into a world of hide-and-seek–style asynchronous multiplayer gameplay.
View your gameplay on the GamePad's built-in screen. Off-TV Play allows you to enjoy supporting games or surf the Internet on the GamePad's screen instead of your TV.2
Online multiplayer at no additional cost. Compete against friends and strangers in online multiplayer or join them for a cooperative experience without paying any additional fees. Enhance your TV viewing. TVii builds a unique profile so you can find your favorite TV shows and sporting events,3 get trivia about them and connect with other fans and social networks to engage in discussions in real time. Internet browsing is simple and convenient
The included Web browser allows you to surf the Internet from your GamePad, even when someone else in the household is using your TV.