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Is the Xbox One Cheaper Than The PlayStation 4?

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Whether you are looking to buy a new video game console or are just trying to settle an argument among your friends we are here to help. Knowing whether the Xbox One or PS4 is cheaper is an important fact simply because often people want to find the best deal and go with the console that saves them some money. 

So which console is cheaper to purchase?

When the Playstation 4 and Xbox One were released the prices were almost exactly the same. Over time the prices have changed however and the Xbox One can now be purchased for considerably cheaper than the Playstation 4. 

Prices are always changing for these consoles however so while the Xbox One is cheaper now the PS4 could drop in price and end up being cheaper in the future. When deciding on which console to buy it is important to not just look at the purchase price but also look at which console has better features. 

Since the price differences are rarely very large it is often better to go with the console that you like the best vs just deciding based on the purchase price. 

We will discuss these two consoles more in detail in the rest of this article. You can also watch the video below to learn more about how these two consoles compare to each other. 

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The PlayStation, A New Era in Console Gaming

Although the first PlayStation, PS1 was released in 1994 and was quite popular, it was not until the release of the PlayStation 2 in 2000 that Sony began dominating the console market. The PlayStation 2 had cutting edge graphics, a brilliantly designed controller and several exclusive game titles that were critically acclaimed. The console sold extremely well and is still the best-selling gaming console of all time.

The PlayStation 3 was released in late 2006 and continued this trend of combining high end graphics, easy to learn controller layouts and fantastic, exclusive game titles. This helped establish Sony as a force to be reckoned with in the gaming world and cemented the success of their next console the PlayStation 4 or the PS4.

The PlayStation 4 released in 2013 as the successor to the PS3 and is a contender to Microsoft’s Xbox One. The PlayStation 4 was the console which is widely touted to have sparked the “console wars”, a heavy debate between gamers on whether the PS4 or the Xbox One is the better console.

Microsoft’s Xbox, The First Real PlayStation Contender

In 2001, Microsoft decided to enter the gaming console market with their console debut, titled the Xbox. This was the first American console to be released since 1996 and was a direct competitor to the PlayStation 2. While the PlayStation 2 outperformed the Xbox in terms of sales, Xbox had wider appeal as a console for multiplayer gaming.

Xbox as a brand came into its own with the release of the widely popular Xbox 360, released in 2005. The Xbox 360 successfully competed with Sony’s PlayStation 3 and gained a substantial foothold in the gaming industry. With widely acclaimed titles such as Halo that were exclusive to the Xbox, as well as a cheaper introductory price compared to the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 grew to have a popular fan base and helped Microsoft lay the foundation for their next console.

The Xbox One is arguably one of the most polarizing gaming consoles made. Directly competing with the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One split the console gamers into two camps and sparked the “console wars”.

Is the Xbox One Cheaper Than the PlayStation 4

When we discuss a factor like the value of a console, there are several facts we need to take into consideration. While it may seem fair to just look at the price tag of both the consoles and come to a conclusion, in order to effectively understand whether the Xbox One is cheaper than the PlayStation 4, we need to gauge multiple parameters of the consoles to see which has more value for your money.

Ability to Run Video Games Smoothly

You may buy a console that is cheaper, however, if the console does not run games as efficiently, then the value is clearly lost. In this regard, both the PS4 and the Xbox One rank similarly. Both can run games effectively and smoothly.

Cost Of Multiplayer Network Membership

With the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, in order to play online multiplayer games, console owners need to sign up to their respective subscription based services. For PlayStation users, this is PS Plus and for Xbox users this is the Xbox Live Gold network. While both services cost money on a monthly basis, if you have an Xbox account, you can still play your games in multiplayer mode from a PC. In addition, subscribing to either Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus gives you free access to a variety of games each month. 

So in this case category both the Xbox and Playstation are virtually identical again.

Actual Price of Purchase 

When it comes to the actual price of the console itself, things get interesting. Upon launch, both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 were similarly priced. However, with the passing years and newer upgrades to each of the consoles being released, the Xbox One has drastically dropped in price, making it more affordable. In terms of price of purchasing the console, the Xbox One is the victor.

Usability

This factor is entirely based on opinion as what you like or dislike is a very personal decision. Many people prefer to use the Playstation because they have gotten used to the buttons and controllers and like the smaller size of them. Other people prefer the Xbox controllers or dashboard because again, they are used to it. 

Since the PS4 has outsold the Xbox One by almost double then it is obvious that many people prefer the usability of the Playstation 4 despite the higher price so the winner in this category is the Playstation.

How gaming has changed

In today’s day and age, gamers are not just a small subset of the population, but rather a majority when it comes to consumption of content. More games are released now each year than ever before. Gaming has also become more versatile than it ever has been, with multiple ways of accessing your favorite games.

For the traditional, serious gamers who are looking for high frame rates and the highest graphical settings, PCs are still the preferred device of choice. Gaming PCs and laptops offer the option of upgradability, versatility in terms of games and the ability to customize your device to your heart’s desire. But PC gaming is difficult for some to pick up since it is an expensive investment and involves a lot of work to set up and operate correctly.

Mobile gaming is a recent addition to the gaming world that has certainly taken the world by storm. Smartphones enable gamers to bring their gaming titles in their pockets, wherever they wish. However, serious gamers still look at mobile gaming as a casual and low intensity activity as mobiles have small screens and cannot display levels of graphical intensities compared to PCs or consoles.

Then comes the category of devices which have been the preferred choice for most gamers for the past few decades. Before personal computers became common fixtures in households, the only way to play games was to go to a game arcade or to purchase a console that could attach to your television and enable you to play games.

Up until the early 2000s, the market for gaming consoles was split between a variety of manufacturers like Konami, Atari, Nintendo, Sega and many others. But this all changed with the entry of Microsoft into the console ecosystem. It quickly became Sony vs Microsoft and all of the other consoles slowly faded (besides Nintendo who was smart enough to keep all of their characters exclusive to Nintendo consoles). 

These technologically superior corporations are the dominant players in the console market to this day, and are likely to be the two main players going forward as well. 

Conclusion

We see, based on the factors discussed above, that the Xbox One is cheaper than the PlayStation in terms of actual cost but when it comes to the value for money it is really a toss up. 

Despite being similarly priced upon launch, Microsoft reduced the purchase price of the Xbox One, making it more accessible to gamers looking for a cheaper console that rivals the PlayStation 4 in terms of performance and game selection.

Ultimately only you can decide which console that you prefer so if you don’t currently own either of them find a couple of friends who have the different consoles and ask to borrow or play them and see which one you prefer. If you prefer the Xbox One then you can save a bit of money when buying it. If you prefer the Playstation then you will spend more but having a console that you love is well worth the extra money.