PS4 vs. Xbox One: Side-by-side speed tests to decide which console is faster

If you’re buying a PS4 or Xbox One for an exclusive launch title, such as Killzone: Shadow Fall or Forza 5, then you’ve probably already decided which console you’re going to buy. What if none of the launch-day exclusives appeal to you, though? What if you’re more interested in Assassin’s Creed 4, Battlefield 4, Madden 25, NBA 2K14, or one of the other big-name games that are available for both the PS4 and Xbox One? How do you decide which console to get? You could go on graphics quality, or which gamepad you prefer — or, or favorite option, you could choose the console that’s faster.

[Ulf]

A better series of tests might involve task/app switching, and the like.

You would think the X1 would have the advantage in that department, but Anandtech showed that the Sony browser will actually use all available cores when running things like Javascript, whereas the X1's browser will limit itself to the 2 cores devoted to the OS.

That's both a good and bad thing, for both camps. Sony's machine will perform better when its just doing browsing, for sure. But when you're playing a game, and want to browse in the background, I'm thinking the X1 will perform better.

Both machines really cater themselves to their respective audiences (Sony: hardcore, MS: general) pretty well. Not a surprise, really.

That said... isn't it kind of disrespectful to not include the Wii U in these kinds of comparisons? It's entirely possible that it doesn't come in last in a lot of these comparisons.

[THE-COMMANDER]

Do we even need this type of comparisons? i mean if im using my PS4 or X1 im not actually going to count the seconds until the game loads or the console starts, a few seconds won't drive me crazy.

In fact im hating all those comparisons all over the internet, can't everyone just enjoy the console they bought?

I know this won't stop because of what im starting to notice websites are just loving this type of comparisons to get more hits.

We all should be enjoying the Next-Gen now and stop this pathetic console war because you know what? there is no winner here.. some people will still love PS and some people will still love xbox.

SO ENJOY!

[Bigpappy]

I can't find anything in your words to disagree with. So, I agree!

[MasterCornholio]

I understand where your coming from but if someone wants to do a comparison they have every right to do so. And if people dont like them then they have every right to not look at those comparisons.

[amiga-man]

Mildly interesting but I hark back to a time when games took forever to load so a few seconds here or there is hardly a problem,

one thing I will say is the guy seems to be rooting for the Playstation more than the xbox, not that he wasn't being fair in what he was showing though.

[thisismyaccount]

Probably the most unprofessionally edited video i´v seen in a long time. 1x game only and 2 or 3 boot-up test with a lot of rambling about why the XB1 OS sucks and why not in 11min.

Next time focus on what it´s important in a console, the friggin loading times in games.

They obviously ignored this part completely... and few of us know why.

[MRMagoo123]

@amigaman

I got the complete opposite feeling, during the start up phase of the show he gave the xbox 3 chances pretty much, to beat the ps4, but when he was demoing games load speed he gave the ps4 one chance.

[kewlkat007]

The comparisons are getting old....it's tiring and dumber some of the things they compare as if these consoles are FINISHED onthe software-side.

Are we going to see a new comparison every time there is a patch, software tweak that speeds things up?

We already know the UI's will condense and get tweaked a lot. The thing is the Xbox One is doing so much with the UI(3x OSs and all this integration), I wouldn't even compare them. Sony is barebones. It's not apples to apples.

[ABizzel1]

The only comparison that matters are

1. Games
2. Where you friends are
3. R9 270 > R7 260

[Underworld]

How is there anything wrong with comparisons? These are new consoles and people like to compare them, whether it's just out of curiosity or to help them decide which to purchase. Has nothing to do with console wars.

Do you compare phones, TVs, tablets, etc, when you're purchasing a new one? Of course you do.

I think speed is pretty important.

[SpinalRemains138]

I know right?

I mean, the idea of comparing and contrasting two machines which are in direct competition with one another is such a silly idea.

[B-radical]

Your forgetting the x1 has 3 operating systems to boot up

[DragonKnight]

Which is society's fault because....

[frostypants]

Right. Galactically dumb design decision by MS.

[SL1M DADDY]

Ulf: "That's both a good and bad thing, for both camps. Sony's machine will perform better when its just doing browsing, for sure. But when you're playing a game, and want to browse in the background, I'm thinking the X1 will perform better."

Do you even read what you post before posting it? I may not speak for you but I suspect that the majority of us when we play games do not have the browser open at the same time. This just seems silly if you ask me.

[ibrake4naps]

So xb1 won

[TIER1xWOLFPACKx]

No the ps4 had the faster times overall apart from 2 of the tests

[phoenix_dusk]

In what alternate reality?

[Pintheshadows]

Don't you mean so Xbox One?

Ithankyou.

And no, it didn't.

[Oagoz]

People,like you are so annoying...

[IcicleTrepan]

I believe the reason it won in the game loads is the difference in how the games are installed. I don't believe the PS4 actually fully installs to the HD and is going to the disc for some stuff, while the XB1 installs the game fully, at a cost of time up front. So it's a bit of a trade off. More time on first install = faster load time every time after that.

[GoodnessGreatness]

It's losing right now.

[chikane]

Man at this point i'm really getting sick of this Xbone VS PS shit? Are we really gonna do this for the next ten years? God damn give a fucking rest already about which system is better and just play the one you like must.

[Ricegum]

THIS ^

[KillrateOmega]

My thoughts exactly. I expect that it will blow over after the PS4 and Xbox One are about a year old, but if doesn't...If it goes on past that, then I'll have no patience left for N4G.

Seriously, it's so annoying to go to this site and see that 80% of the 'hot' articles are just more PS4 v. Xbox One garbage. And the threads in these articles all seem to develop in the same way.

[Fluke_Skywalker]

Sadly yes, we will be doing this for at least most of the next 10yrs. Has history taught you nothing!?

[BOLO]

Calm down grasshopper...Comparison tests are made to give consumers an idea of what gives the most "bang for the buck" performance. Whether that be tablets, phones, TV's, cars, etc...Would you pay a Ferrari price for a Toyota Prius?

[Inception]

Lol, what next? Which console that can cook omelette in 5 seconds?

[Bathyj]

Maybe you need to go over to the thermal images thread.

[Evildoomnerd]

Wait...you mean they CAN'T cook omelettes!?!

Preorders cancelled!!

[Pintheshadows]

That would be a great feature. For some reason I always struggle with omelettes even though they are so fundamentally simple. I can create a nice Thai Curry from scratch but give me eggs and I crack.

[DragonKnight]

Nice yoke.

[NatureOfLogic]

I'm sure killzone PS4 loads faster than any Xbox One game.

[Pintheshadows]

The X1 seems a bit pedestrian at times when it loads things. It seems to be a bit 'yeah, i'll do that, give me a second though'. Not really surprising considering the UI shares that problem with what it was based on. Windows 8. The apps take a while to load there as well. It does get a bit tiresome but that is not to say you couldn't live with it.

[thaiboy]

Regardless of weather it actually makes a real world difference it's nice to see the differences side by side, if not for nothing more than academic reasons.

Lets face it, if you bought one or the other or even both, a few seconds here and there is not really going to make any difference to you.

Both are awesome.

[Lulz_Boat]

in NBA xbone is faster because it 100% HDD loaded. on PS4 it's not.

[RandomDude655]

They need to show install times for fairness.

[Lulz_Boat]

someone already shown install times.

ps4 wins almost everytime.

[Fishy Fingers]

Does everything need to be compared? If I'm about to boot KZ I honest don't give a s*** how long it's taking for my mate to get into a game of Forza.

[BobBelcher]

let's see a side-by-side of which console sinks faster in a tub of jello.

[Manic2014]

So xb1 works faster once fully turned on, though PS4 has a faster Cold/Warm boot.

[CRASHBASHUK]

I see xbox one has some turning off problems tbh
well it looks like the ps4 power off and stand by more is easier to understand

[Sadist3]

I remember when games on the Nintendo would be playable from the moment you pressed the power button.

[josephayal]

Xbox one is the fastest console

[Drekken]

***If you only own a Xbox One.***

[Crystallis]

Ive noticed that Jose agrees to every article no matter whats its talking about. Its like he doesn't have an opinion of his own.

Article title : "PS4 has the most powerful GPU" Jose- "PS4 best and more powerful console in the world"

Article title : "Xbox1 has the most powerful GPU
Jose- "xbox 1 best most powerful console in the word.

I see this all the time from him.

[SpinalRemains138]

In your house

[bu3ouf91]

Loading games maybe but not booting up.

[offimatrix]

Its more todo with the ram with loading - DDR3 vs GDDR5

Both have there ups and down

DDR3 is a lot better at loading stuff in to ram aka faster
loading times BUT stuff in ram been moving around can be
a tad slower but the difrence wornt be much.

GDDR5 has a slow loading time to ddr3 cos of way its made for using with gpu's so once game data's all in ram the game will run better and smooth at higher rez and fps, But
will be caped at 60fps or lower

look it up even on google . or heres the Geek bit.

System memory (DDR3) benefits from low latency (tight timings) at the expense of bandwidth, GDDR5's case is the opposite. Timings for GDDR5 would seems unbelieveably slow in relation to DDR3, but the speed of VRAM is blazing fast in comparison with desktop RAM- this has resulted from the relative workloads that a CPU and GPU undertake. Latency isn't much of an issue with GPU's since their parallel nature allows them to move to other calculation when latency cycles cause a stall in the current workload/thread.