PS4 review: Should you buy one?
PS4 has finally launched in Indian and other worldwide territories after a prolonged tease of more than 1 year. But is the wait worth it? Let's find out in this review.
Introduction
The next gen console is finally here with us. After all these years of these consoles being developed somewhere in the dark secret place, it's good to know that we are finally getting our hands on it. As always, there are going to be inevitable analogies between the two contemporaries as to how they fare and which one is better. Just like any other generation of consoles, this generation brings us other creations by Sony and Microsoft named PS4 and Xbox One respectively. Are they worth buying or should one stick to his/her PC? Well, I will keep my review confined to PS4 this time around. The Xbox One review will be done in my next piece. For now, let's hone in on PS4 – the latest creation by the guys at Sony.Specifications
Take a look at the specifications before we delve in deeper into the console's mechanics.
Main processor
• Single-chip custom processor
• CPU: low power x86-64 AMD "Jaguar", 8 cores
• GPU: 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD next-generation Radeon™ based graphics engine
Memory GDDR5 8GB
Storage size
500GB Hard disk drive.
BD/DVD Drive (Read Only)
• BD x 6 CAV
• DVD x 8 CAV
Input / Output
• Super-Speed USBx (USB 3.0) port x 2
• AUX port x 1
Networking
• Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 1
• IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth® 2.1 (EDR)
AV Output
• HDMI out port
• DIGITAL OUTPUT (OPTICAL) port
External Dimensions
Approx. 162mm x 52mm x 98mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
Weight Approx. 210g (tentative)
Keys / Switches
• PS button, SHARE button, OPTIONS button,
• Directional buttons (Up/Down/Left/Right),
• Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square),
• R1/L1/R2/L2, Left stick / L3 button, Right stick / R3 button, Pad Button
Touch Pad
2 Point Touch Pad, Click Mechanism, Capacitive Type
Motion sensor
Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer)
Other Features
Light Bar, Vibration, Built-in Mono Speaker
Ports USB (Micro B), Extension Port, Stereo Headset Jack
Wireless Communication Bluetooth® Ver2.1+EDR
Battery
• Type: Built-in Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery
• Voltage: DC3.7V (tentative)
• Capacity: 1000mAh (tentative
External dimensions Approx. 186mm x 27mm x 27mm (width x height x depth) (tentative)
Weight
Approx. 183g (tentative)
Video pixel
(Maximum) 1280 x 800 pixel x 2
Video frame rate
• 1280x800 pixel @ 60fps
• 640x400 pixel @ 120fps
• 320x192 pixel @ 240fps
Video format
RAW, YUV (uncompressed)
Lens
Dual Lenses, F value/F2.0 fixed focus
Capture range
30cm～∞
Field-of-view
85°
Microphone
4 Channel Microphone Array
Connection type
PS4 dedicated connector (AUX connector)
Cable length
Approx. 2m (tentative)
These specifications, however, are not concrete as they are subject to change to Sony's discretion. They might change or modify anything at any time as they deem fit. But what we have here for a meager price is just so damn impressive, especially after considering Xbox One's specs. They had to be clever in designing this console and with the hardware choices to go neck to neck with their competitors like Microsoft. As to how they managed to pull it off is still a mystery. I bet nobody would have imagined the specs to be as good as this for something as little as $399.
Overall, PS4 is one amazing piece of hardware with its sharp profile. The light bar indicates the status PS4 is in at one particular point of time, so that you don't have to do much at all. Price
As I have already mentioned above, you can get your hands on this console for only $399 – A whole $100 less than its competitor Xbox One which is selling for $499 at the same time. But for us Indians, the price level is much higher. Yes, you'll have to pay INR 40,000 to get your hands on it. At least that's the price I paid to bring a PS4 box in my house. While there is no official announcement from Sony India for this unreasonable price hike, I am guessing it's due to the excessive imposed taxes on imported accessories and goods. So there you go. Gaming is not a cheap hobby, especially when you live in countries like India.
Whatever the case may be, I am still rooting for PS4 despite the price as this is going to be worth it. When you look at the huge lineup of games, you realize that it's really amazing. There is still so much untapped potential to be uncovered. So it's better to stay on board from the inception as you'll be the first one to get all the perks.Dualshock Controler
I will go as far as to proclaim that the Dualshock controller is the best controller these guys have ever produced. They know what they are doing for sure. All the issues they had with their previous controller, is not being taken care of by the newly revamped controller design. It's easy to get a hold of this Dualshock controller than the previous one. Moreover, the analog sticks are closer which used to cause real pain in playing first person shooters. So it goes without saying that this controller would draw more people in to this console. If you are one of those people who love first person shooters but just could stand their PS3 controller, it's time you give this controller a go. I bet you'll love it as it's easier to play shooters with Dualshock.Launch games
Launch games have always been one of the most important aspects of console launches. If they are done right, they can take console sales to a whole new level. Thankfully, Sony has done it right with the launch games. With games like Driver Club and Infamous: Second Son looming around the corner, things can't go bad for sure. If anything, early review of these games shows that Sony has nailed it with launch games. So you can be as nonchalant about it as you are when opening a pizza delivery. You know that the goodness is there!PC friendly architecture
If anything, PC friendly architecture indicates the fact as to how supreme PC really is. Everyone has to take a bite out of the goodness PC architecture has to offer. The ease with which we can play games on PC has certainly come to PS4 as well as they are more inclined towards PC than ever before.
Read Sony PlayStation 4 - specifications, review and price in India
