Xbox One Scorpio vs PS4 Neo: How will they compare?
Xbox One Scorpio vs PS4 Neo: How will they compare?
Sony and Microsoft's powerful new games consoles are on the way, but what will they offer?
After three years in which Sony and Microsoft only had their PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles on sale, the two companies will soon be offering gamers some brand new hardware.
In an announcement at this year's E3 exposition in Los Angeles, Sony revealed it is working on the PS4 Neo, confirming rumours that had circulated in the tech press for weeks. This was swiftly followed up by its rival unveiling plans for the Xbox One Scorpio during its presentation at the conference.
Introducing new consoles now has many critics pointing to the gaming industry shifting away from its long lifespan, generational models. In a similar manner to the way smartphone manufacturers work, updates could become more regular, with smaller gaps between hardware and importantly, compatibility across different devices.
What should we expect when the consoles arrive?
4K gaming and virtual reality
Both consoles will push two new features – 4K, High Dynamic Range gaming and high-end virtual reality experiences, provided you own a 4K television or compatible VR headset.
As Alphr points out, the new tech will be fairly pointless if you don't own a 4K TV to play games on. You'll probably see some small differences playing on a 1080p television set, "but it's not the real reason to buy either console".
As for VR capabilities, the standard PS4 will be compatible with Sony's upcoming PlayStation VR headset alongside the PS4 Neo, meaning that instead of buying a ticket to VR with the new console, you'll be buying an upgraded experience instead.
The Scorpio will feature virtual reality as one of its big selling points, but neither a headset nor a partner to make one has yet to be confirmed. Previous reports claim Oculus, which manufactures the PC-based Rift headset, is on board, though.
Powerful internal specs
Both the Neo and the Scorpio promise to be more powerful than Sony and Microsoft's current offerings. On paper, says Pocket Lint, and where it matters, Sony's offering is rumoured to be lighter in spec than its rival.
Scorpio will have six teraflops of computing power to render 4K graphics – power Pocket Lint says is "high end PC graphics card stuff". Meanwhile, while not confirmed, alleged leaked documents spelling out the Neo's spec suggest it will have a lower 4.14 teraflops of GPU power.
As Eurogamer explains in detail, this isn't always the be all and end all. Developers often cap the likes of framerates and rendering resolutions so you'll find the same experience across two different consoles. Nor is GPU power always the primary limiting factor – CPU performance, alongside a host of other intricacies, feed into the experience. As a whole, teraflops don't fully define a console's full graphical power and advantages don't always scale up in a linear fashion, meaning the advantage the Scorpio is rumoured to have on paper doesn't guarantee the graphics will be better.
From launch, adds Pocket Lint, you'll find it difficult to notice differences between the two onscreen, although the additional power of the Scorpio could be exploited further down the line. We just won't know if the rumoured specs spell out significantly different experiences until the consoles are out in public.
However, the site is in no doubt that they will both be "mega powerful", possibly with 8GB RAM and with processors boasting clock speeds beyond 2.1GHz.
Tech Insider frames the upcoming new Xbox as much more powerful on paper but says that when it comes to features, there's not much to suggest it will enjoy an advantage from launch – after all, they will both probably have the exact same. Instead, those who go for the Xbox may find it paying off further down the line. The added power could make the console more future-proof as its glass performance ceiling is higher.
Upgraded versions of the same games
Both Microsoft and Sony are keen to stress that the games playable on standard versions of the consoles will be compatible with the new hardware and that, thanks to patches, both old and new titles will come with two modes – one playable on the upgraded consoles, another made to fit the standard outputs of what we have now.
"Think of it like a PC," says Pocket Lint. "Some people have the ability to play games at 4K, others in full HD, and others still are capped at lower resolutions depending on their graphics card. They can still all buy the same games though".
Inevitably, the consoles will get some exclusives, particularly when you consider the Xbox One currently has no VR gaming support, so the Scorpio will get its own batch of VR titles, while PS4 and PS4 Neo VR games should be largely compatible with each other.
Playing online shouldn't be a bother neither – Sony has written it into developer guidelines that there must be no segregation between Neo and standard players.
What if I don't have a 4K TV?
Eurogamer spells out potential advantages the systems could have over the older consoles when not actually making use of the 4K visuals, saying that the vast majority of Scorpio and Neo consoles could be sold to gamers with 1080p televisions.
Microsoft has previously said that Scorpio games will look different and run a little better, even on 1080p displays, but it's probably best to stick around with current gen consoles if you've no plans to invest in a new TV set.
However, the developer guidelines set out by Sony lay a marker for 1080p resolution as the minimum for Neo games. Eurogamer says that if the sole benefit in buying the new console is tied to the need for a 4K TV, Sony could hamper itself. By allowing developers to set 1080p resolutions on certified Neo games, they can create "enhancements that can actually appreciated by those with 1080p screens".
Price and release
There are hints to suggest that the PS4 Neo could release this year, PC Advisorsays, and we can probably expect an official announcement before the PlayStation VR headset goes on sale on 13 October.
However, Trusted Reviews is a little more cautious, adding that while Sony has confirmed the console's existence, there are no solid details to suggest a price and release yet. The site speculates that Sony could re-assert its dominance over this console generation by offering it at a competitive price, but expects it to be a "pricey upgrade".
Alphr says Sony is likely to draw first and release the Neo much sooner than Microsoft can get its Scorpio out of the door. The upgraded Xbox may not be on sale until Christmas 2017 and if rumours weigh up, that could give Sony has much as a year's head-start. The site expects them to cost around £100 more each compared to their current consoles, but adds that crucially, the Neo could be cheaper.
Not the only new consoles coming
The PS4 Neo and Xbox One Scorpio aren't the only new consoles Sony and Microsoft are set to release this generation.
Microsoft has already revealed the new Xbox One S – a 40 per cent smaller version of its original console, with a slightly tweaked, all-white design with 4K video playback and high dynamic range gaming. A launch edition with 2 terabytes of storage will arrive in August, priced from £349, while a £249, 500GB version will go on sale not long afterwards.
Rivals Sony, meanwhile, has only confirmed the upgraded Neo console so far, but reports of it also releasing a new version of its standard PS4 are beginning to hit the web.
PlayStation Universe reports a slim PS4 could appear this September, around the time of the Tokyo Games Show, meaning two new PlayStation consoles could be on sale by the end of the year.
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