PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One: What you'll really spend

The battle between consoles has shifted to a skirmish over pricing. With Sony’s PlayStation 4 undercutting Microsoft’s Xbox One by a cool $100, gamers face a tricky choice when it comes to choosing beween the next-generation gaming consoles hitting retail shelves later this year.

[KingKelloggTheWH]

Thats IF you buy the PS-eye.

[ShinMaster]

The camera is optional. This is good.

And at $60 it is still cheaper than Xbox One.

[theBAWSE]

Don't want the eye leave that gimmick crap to Microsoft where it's mandatory

[Foxgod]

With all respect, Kinect is far more advanced in software and hardware.
So no wonder its more expensive.

[theBAWSE]

@foxgod defend kinect all you want it's a gimmick that's mandatory.. Xbone will not work without it

Guarantee if future Xboxone owners had the choice of a xbone not mandatory connected to kinect at $400 the current $500 xbone would be gathering dust on shelves

And you know it to

Kinect is a gimmick just like move and ps eye... Microsoft shafted you future owners by making it mandatory plus it's a privacy hazard

[mikeslemonade]

You're gonna want a headset for the X1 though. Just not feasible for a camera to detect your voice only while the game is blasting in sound.

And based by last generation the hardware cost matters the most. It's what people see and pretty much all they care about. Because last gen we did a comparison about the 360 at 399.99 and PS3 at 599.99 or the lower sku was 499.99(which I still have), but when you put all the bells and whistles that came with the PS3 on the 360 like online gaming, wifi, hdmi, blu-ray, BC, memory slots etc than the 360 would be around $800. People didnt care and bought the 360 anyway over the PS3 early on.

[morganfell]

Hardware cost doesn't matter in the traditional sense. Instead it is perceived cost that matters.

Remember the PS3 only appeared more expensive until you factored in non-standard cables on the 360 for play n charge, no HDMI, next gen disc player (when some thought HD-DVD was viable), a larger HDD for the 360, 7 years of Live etc etc.

The 360 went to over a grand.

But people only cared aboiut that initial upfront. It's the I want it now syndrome that makes check cashing places and rent america cheap appliance stores work.

Now to work that math it gets a little more fuzzy as factoring in PS+ and Live means taking into account the value of the freebies respectively offered.

[ShinMaster]

Kinect 2 may be more advanced, but it's also more unnecessary.

Remember how advanced the first Kinect was supposed to be? Yet the gameplay was barely more "advanced" than EyeToy games.
http://youtu.be/6UGxk5pCkhQ...

No matter how well a camera reads your movements, you're still limited by your own human body. That's why you need buttons.

[Drekken]

Foxgod: I have to call you out. The camera is looking pretty good and responsive in this tech demo from E3:

http://www.engadget.com/201...

I can see Ps4 having more options with the way the controller works with the camera. Kinect is just the camera.

[xHeavYx]

The guy didn't mention that, once you get PS+, you get 4 new games

[SecondSon]

So much is wrong with this article.
You don't need the camera and I doubt most of us will get it.
$580 for PS4 $670 for Xbox One.

PS4 with PS+ comes with a game so you don't need to buy a disc to play your first game since you already included PS+ with Drive Club.
$520 for PS4 $670 for Xbox One.

DS4 costs $60 but you assumed the Xbox One controller will cost the same as last gen?
$520 for PS4 $680 dollars for Xbox One.

So for a game an extra controller and an online subscription PS4 comes down to $160 cheaper than the Xbox One.

[The_Con-Sept]

I will still buy the PS Eye mk. II for video chat, but doesn't the camera have a microphone in it as well? If not it won't matter. I'll still buy it. Not too many other people will buy it.

[AngryTypingGuy]

Microsoft is moving backwards. They were the first guys to include a headset and now the XBone doesn't come with one? I'd much rather be able to have a headset and have a private conversation, and not have voices coming out from the TV. My friends and other people on Live and PSN tend to curse, which I don't want blaring out of my speakers if my kids are around. Also, won't the mic on the Kinect pick up peripheral noise?

[Wh15ky]

@ Drekken

"I can see Ps4 having more options with the way the controller works with the camera. Kinect is just the camera"

I can't see it. If the camera is optional then devs won't utilise it.

[rainslacker]

Yeah. I kind of liken this to the comparisons people made to add on all the extras to the Xbox 360 to show the actual value compared to the PS3 at the beginning of this gen. Each time Sony still came out ahead.

[Blackdeath_663]

he is making wild assumption and adding extra expenses. also not sure where he got the pricing for dualshock. seems to me and attempt to reduce the price gap between the two.

[Raccoon]

This guy is an XBOT assuming we will need an extra controller, a camera and what not.... What we really need to know is that to play a game on PS4 you only need the console and a controller... As for XBOX ONE you need a mandatory camera, a constant internet connection and money to pay FEE's....

PS4: $399.99
Xbox One: $499.99+internet service fee
Wii U: $299.99

[Cueil]

if you don't have internet you don't get a Xbox One so don't go adding fees to stuff you already pay for... also you only need one Xbox Gold account per household vs each person needing PS+ ... if you want you can really spin this in any direction this is just a futile argument

[Blackdeath_663]

@Cueil
you are very misinformed you only need PS+ once and everyone using that console has access to ps+
http://n4g.com/news/1278104...

[Raccoon]

@Cueil

No sir not everyone has internet. you'll be surprised how many people don't have internet yet I'm sure many of those folks might want an XBOXone But unfortunately they will need to have internet service to play games on the XBOX one and thats simply a FACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Youre also deeply wrong about PS+ as you only need ONE account per household and this has been confirmed so its a another FACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FACT: As a current PS+ member on ps3 i can share all the benefits on 2 consoles with multiple accounts on each of those two consoles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[marinelife9]

LOL @ techhive. One needs the camera to even turn on. I won't be buying an eye no thanks.

However they did forget the cost of batteries for the xbox controllers.

[born2live]

I think the xbox controller has an integrated battery like the current dualshock for PS3. Not that I am defending the xbone - they can keep that Big Brother stuff, and they won't see any money from me next gen...

[brandon507]

Not to mention you will need a $30+ a month bill for internet for xbox one. i made a excel sheet to figure this all out if you play x1 10 hours a week and bought 5 games and 1 controler the cost over the first year it will be $1429.16

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9...

[avengers1978]

Lmao at this article trying so desperately to make PS4 more expensive... I don't plan on buying the ps eye, not right away any how... And of corse you need games, but I'm already a plus member till June 2014. PS4 all day

Greatness awaits

[Gardenia]

This is not accurate. Also on PS4 you can play used games, that can safe you hundreds of bucks over a the years

[minimur12]

PS Camera * :)

[Garbanjo001]

I don't know about you, but I plan on pre-ordering mine, then I get to wait for the damn thing to be in stock. Then I get to get PS+ when I get my console. (didn't buy PS3 last gen). From there I can ride on one controller, cause my girlfriend won't play the shooter I'll be getting. So for me, (without the eye of which I can buy over the course of the next 5 months) . . . . I'll be spending:

399
60
60
to make it a total of $529. Stuff comes later of course. I don't care what the costs are, I know the overall value I get from PS4. My friends are butt hurt about the fact that everyone is bitching about Xbox. This shit is expensive, and it takes a lot to convince me to downgrade my consumer right. . . although I can see a point with the XB. I just think that it's a better deal in the long run to GET the console, get the game, start playing and decide on the rest later. That's exactly what I'm doing now.

[IanVanCheese]

Yeah I'd discount the eye. That said the eye looks shit whereas the Kinect looks decent (not for camera, but for voice commands stuff etc).

It's a difficult toss up. Also with us Brits being shafted by exchange rates the PS4 comes off better still money wise. Microsoft need to justify the cost if they're gonna get a sale from me.

[ShinMaster]

PS Eye has done voice recognition for years now. And you can do voice commands with any cheap mic, as long as the software allows it.

I don't think it looks "shit". But if you really think so, at least it is optional.

[IanVanCheese]

it's not what it can do, it's what they are actually making it do. It might be a cheap thrill but I love the idea of voice commands.

[SecondSon]

Doesn't the controller have a built in mic? Who needs the eye? If I had kids I would buy it for them but I don't want motion controls I want to press buttons!

[Garbanjo001]

I don't think adjusting the price will get a sale from me. Just saying.

I bet you money, that the PS4 is going to have voice commands like the XB. Just a matter of time, what is XB going to do, patent voice commands? It's universal. I'm sure they have a guy in DnR running tests on it right now to make voice commands to come on the scene just after launch, if they haven't thought of that already and were working on that a year ago.

[Hufandpuf]

the PS Eye looks cheap, but if it's functional then can't complain. Problem is though, that Sony doesn't offer up much support for it.

[Muerte2494]

jamming something we don't want down our throats

[Hufandpuf]

I don't mind having a Kinect. I won't use it too much but the voice commands are pretty interesting.

[theBAWSE]

You won't use it too much..... BOOM

and that's why I'm glad ps eye isn't mandatory unlike kinect pushing up the price by forcing gimmicks down our throat

[rainslacker]

@edonus

I'm assuming you're speaking of the multi-color LED's on the DS4. In which case, yes you need the eye to get the full functionality of it. however those LED's can be used for other non motion controlled purposes.

I myself could see using it to highlight when you're in an area with an object to pick up. Or it could be used in a spider-man game to indicate Spider-Sense. Or be used as a off screen health bar...red indicating you're about to die...much better than making the screen go so blurry you can't see a damn thing.

Otherwise, yes, you do need to have the eye to get 100% functionality out of it. But if you don't care about those functions, you don't have to pay for it on the outset. If you do care, you can still take your time to purchase it later, so it becomes an easier pill to swallow. If you can use the controller as a move controller as well then I think it will help the adoption rate of move, as it will be more accessible money wise.

[SegataSanshiro]

yeah jamming it on your throat...if you're stupid enough to buy an Xbone...Get a Saturn

[Th4Freak]

@edonus Uhmm no, you don't need kinect to play Halo, Destiny and most games, so it's not as important as a controller. It doesn't matter how hard you try to turn it around, it will always be gimmick.

[Baka-akaB]

Pretty much every gameplay feed we've seen so far didnt seem to care much about showing off kinect features . They were all over the use of tablets , wich is there for all 3 new consoles .

So much for the need of kinect , outside of kinect centric titles so far

[Hufandpuf]

Sounds similar to the share function and touch controller. Both gimmicks and aren't necessary.

[Imalwaysright]

@ Hufandpuf Gimmicks that don't cost, lets say € 150 ( it could be more) and aren't forced down our throats.

[Th4Freak]

@Hufandpuf indeed, the share function is gimmick but you choose to use it or not and Sony isn't charging extra money for the share button.

About the touchpad im not so sure, its a additional button + a touchpad, it might be useful for some games like LBP, Epic Mickey and Watch Dogs.

FPS games can use it to scroll through the inventory or weapons and ARPGs can use it to cast spells like instead of press a button you can swipe to the right and use a spell or scroll through the spells and push the pad to cast it, etc; Besides that would leave some buttons open for more actions.

[Garbanjo001]

@ th4Freak

Yes I think it's a gimmick. I think it's something to say "look at this amazing technology, it's almost like sliding your finger on a piece of glass to unlock your phone!!! Magic." And they did the demo in such a way that it was like it was f**king groundbreaking "rocket science" technology that was going to cure cancer in 5 years.

@edonus

Yes the touch bar on the PS4 is a gimmick as well, look at Nintendo? An entire console built around a large modern gameboy where you can use the screen/controller to interact with the television screens! Wow amazing. PS4 does all sorts of things with the eye as well, these are all f**king gimmicks, these are all things to either enhance a consoles capabilities or create all now ones.

NOW.
I don't want to call in an air strike without my hands leaving the controller, I also don't want the PS4 to be used in a way that would make me exert myself (i'm a gamer not an athlete . . . sorry wii). I want to sit on my couch and enjoy myself.

Xbox showed off cool features, the reason why people are pissed at Xbox is because of the DRM . . . which actually in a sense isn't a bad thing, it's the fact that they basically said you can't do what you want with your game anymore. You can still trade, but you have to do it under our supervision because we don't trust you . . . which was one of my favorite pieces of info after the reveal price of the PS4 (youtube it).

The point is, you both are bitching like girls. Agree that the other console sucks worse and that you are buying the better deal . . . convince yourselves of this and play your own consoles and be happy. Edonus if you want to have a mandatory check in with XB everytime you play to authenticate your console that's fine, that's your choice. No problems with your own reasoning. Th4Freak, if you want to pay for online and a bunch of other things that aren't considered an in box value (so to speak) like MS is doing that's your thing too.

PERSONALLY I'm getting a PS4, because I can't afford both. And I'm NEVER buying an XBO because I believe that their system lacks in system power, and I don't like the exclusives, and I don't want to have to authenticate to play my game, and I want to have full rights over the disk in which I will be buying.

You ladies go to your rooms and think about something nice to say to one another before you come out. Understood?

(geez, I don't even have kids . . .)

[SpinalRemains]

Good.

That's the point. If gamers ignore it, it will go away.

What's the point of upgrading hardware you do not like?

[tigertron]

I'm glad the PS eye is optional as I don't have a desire to get one right now, but hopefully in the future games will entice me to use it, but not force me.

I think that's the mistake Microsoft is making. People don't want Kinect crammed down their throats. Sony has the right strategy - making accessories OPTIONAL.

[DJMarty]

Well I'm buying:

PS4 = £349

PS4EYE = £44

And an undecided on a PS4 game = £50

Already have PS+ so will get the free version of DRIVECLUB too.

Still at £445 PS4 is better value than the PAY WALLED CABLE BOX.

4>1

[BelieveinGhosts]

We in Britain are being ripped of, i looked at American websites and Xbox One and PS4 games prices are still $60.

Why have the prices in Britain for Xbox One and PS4 jumped from £40 to £50. This has to stop beacause already we are paying a lot more for the hardware than Americans

[urwifeminder]

Funny I have seen n4g in the past analyse one screen shot with 20 articles all those games coming out I have hardly seen anything about them on xboxone page mostly sony articles lol very amusing enjoy your consoles xbox for me.

[Intentions]

Regardless of price and console, I still need to pay f'n $100 more regardless of currency conversion for next gen.

Not to mention the games too.

[KingPin]

il buy the PS4.
has more games to my tatse.
has more exclusives to my taste.
its cheaper
the main selling point - it plays used games <so i can borrow/lend games. get some games cheap if i want to play them but they werent reviewed as high as id hoped>

[sway_z]

Let's make this CLEAR...

The true cost of PS4 is £349 in the UK, and you don't need to buy any day 1 games to enjoy (there are plenty of quality free2play games day 1) PS4 for those on a tight budget. You don't need a Camera, you only need Plus + for non F2P online games.

PS4 is absolutely the more value driven product..I don't think anyone cares about non-mandatory camera's.

You can expect tons of these articles to surface...it's spin dribble.

[cr33ping_death]

So according to this site ill save $40 with the PS4, unless they make a few games that get my attention...i dont need the PS Eye.

[Raccoon]

This article is really misleading by assuming we will need accessories... All in all the price of the consoles are what they are! Besides unlike the PS4 the xbox one needs the kenict camera in order to work, meaning its part of the console and not an optional accessory unlike the PS4 camera and controllers...

[Agent_hitman]

Sony PS4's price is very appealing for gamers... Even 360 owners are jumping ship to sony.

[dazzrazz]

As a person who owns 360 since almost launch I'm going with Sony this time, simply I pay for what I want not for what was bundled. I don't wanna any camera so i don't pay for it, 100 bucks less and cheaper online subscription is a no brainier

[jambola]

He seems to have forgot about used games,
i'll buy 5 games my friend will buy 5 games, then we'll have 10 games we can both play, xbox can't share, meaning no pre owned games, and ps+ can be shared so that's the price cut in half for a lot of people

[djsandman]

Well actually, I can go to my friends house with no games in hand. Log in to my profiles and we have all my games at my disposal and we both have full accounts and all our saves on cloud.

[Bobets]

AHAHAHAHHAHAHA

What kind of a comparison is this? adds the ps eye when its not even required for ps4 to boost the price up.

"OH LOOK IF YOU ADD (INSERT SOME BULLSHIT) PS4 IS ONLY 50 BUCK CHEAPER THAN XBONE REJOICE MS FANS!"

nice try...

[mrmancs]

I'm looking at 500 pound lay out , ps4=350,2 games = around 100, and online psn+ subscription= 50? For a year?
All them free games on psn+ all good.

[Ron_Danger]

Don't forget, with ps+, you also get Drive Club free. So that's 3 PS4 games in your calculations. I like that Sony is giving a free PS4 launch game to basically cover the cost of PS+ for newcomers.

[mrmancs]

Absolutely a bargain Ron , I am personally happy they are forcing the psn+ for online gaming , I always wanted it anyway to be honest , you get wayyyyy more in return for what you lay out , crap drive club alone pays for it from the start!

[mrmancs]

..PS eye at a later date...

[VaultDweller]

You're missing one point. X1 Day One Edition comes with 12 months of Live Gold. So for similar capabilities you pay:

X1 500
Headset 20 estimate
Total $520

PS4 400
Camera 60
PS+ 50
Total $510

Basically a tie. Extra controllers and games all cost the same. The real difference is that you don't need to buy the PS4 camera and their DRM and online policies are better. PS4 on paper is more powerful but who really knows how this will affect gameplay. It comes down to preference but price is the same.

[jambola]

camera is optional,
even if you get it, the price is only close for the beginning

[mrmancs]

Why include the camera In your list then follow up by saying you don't need to buy it?
And who is to say that Sony don't offer a period of free subscription to online play at least?

We don't know yet ,and the fact is, straight out the blocks , the ps4 is cheaper and more powerful...

[Baka-akaB]

makes no sense trying to account for things you dont need as the default initial cost .

Reeks of damage control , as usual

[VaultDweller]

Not damage control. It's a fair comparison for similar features when you make the initial purchase.

[Baka-akaB]

except it's not fair when you forcefully add stuff that isnt mandatory . The thing got vita features too , are you going to add the cost of a tab or equivalent smartphone to the XB1 ? of course not

Hell even for the B1 i wouldnt even add the headset . IF like they announced you can use the kinect default mic , however uncomfortable it might be in comparison

[Peanuts110]

We still don't know all the features and software. XB1 will definitely has a better UI. I seen the ports on the rear of the console and can understand how it is going to work with the cable box. The ports on the PS4 are pretty standard. I never enjoyed the heat being blown on my cables from the PS3 and the PS4 maybe has no difference (especially in an entertainment center having heat issues). I'm still waiting to see the UI for the PS4. The DRM is tough but eventually even Sony doesn't like to leave money on the table either. You might get a free ride for now but eventually you are going to pay.

[rainslacker]

It's actually a 14 day free trial you get...and that's only if you aren't a current subscriber, so they won't be taking on an extra 14 days for current subscribers.

There are a few sites reporting that you get a year of it, and I even thought that was true. But if it were true you'd see that listed on every product page description where it's being sold. Most sites are reporting it to be 14 days though.

I think some of the confusion was because there is also a Day One Xbox Live Gold membership, which gives you access to the Shadow Jago character from KI, but it's not included in the console package.

[mrmancs]

Wow some ppl...

[Moonman]

I'll stick with PS4.:)

[Angeljuice]

Microsoft uses proprietary connectors wherever it can. The only reason for this is to FORCE you to buy THEIR OWN PRODUCTS at INFLATED PRICES.
Sony uses industry standard connectors for everything, you can use ANY headset, peripherals etc EVEN THOSE OF A RIVAL COMPANY!

Anybody who thinks the two companies are comparable is fooling themselves, everything Microsoft ever does is designed to maximise profit, every tiny detail. They want every single penny they can possibly get from you and produce an environment where there is no competition to their products.

You can't compare the morality of the two, ms are a cancer on the world.

[sAVAge_bEaST]

straight TRUTH-

[sAVAge_bEaST]

iM gonna copy and paste those words,.. when needed,. but I will give credit to you ,,Angeljuice.

[dragonopt1]

Still don't know why in 2013 you still need batteries for Xbox controllers. You'd think at $499 they'd make them rechargeable lol.

[CaptinzLee]

That's $40 in my pocket

[sinjonezp]

This guy is very bias. (Really?) I cannot believe he said use the kinect as a mic. If anyone here has played with people who own a kinect and joins a lobby tells them to turn that crap off and get a head set. Well. Why did he not factor in the turtle beach or other head set you have to purchase because somehow this new system doesn't support current headsets. Not to forget the play and charge kit for a controller with stone age double A batteries. May need two. Who likes constant switching with the cords. He forgot a lot details. Along with drm, region locked, 24 hour checking, mandatory install to a hdd before you play. Say goodbye to just turning a game on and playing completely, not able to change hdd, forced kinect, weaker system, and..sorry ..got off track. The bottom line is, how can anyone subject themselves to spending a shit ton of cash on this thing? Not one game they showed was worth this much hassle in an age where the savings of 40 bucks matters much. Or to a kid who is done with a game and sells it for 20 - 30 bucks towards new ones. I am a hardcore xbox360 gamer. But the xbox one ..should never see the light of day. Because all those who purchase it shows Microsoft and developers that what they are doing is ok and we the consumer will continue to get fucked. All in the name of, hey we got titan fall, forza, halo...smh man stand up..

[NateCole]

What you really need to spend to get ready for next gen is

x1 = 499
PS4 = 399

That is a fact.

The end.

[thrust]

Am an online gamer I would need to have playstation plus so your wrong / fact!

[NateCole]

Not every gamer is online. It's an option.

Fact.

[thrust]

I do not care about others just me, that's why I put I!

[thrust]

They are pretty much both the same price to me.

Xbox one day one comes with a year free Xbox live for £429

Ps4 + playstation plus and camera comes to about £410

Not that much difference IMO, and being a online gamer Xbox live is for me.

I will still get both at some point but I will first be buying the Xbox one, because I can and want to.

[BelieveinGhosts]

I am from Britain just like you. Do you know if Amazon.co.uk also has the Day One Edition?

[thrust]

Do not know,sorry.

[Bathyj]

take the camera out of ps4 because who needs it
add a headset to the Xbone because whose going to use the Kinect

then factor in how many free games do you get with Ps+ can anyone tell me that.

but truthfully PlayStation is going to be way more expensive in the long run because I'm going to buy way more games for it.

[thrust]

Xbox live has 2 free games a month now aswell you know.

[hairy]

What bothers me most about MS conference and their presence at e3 in general. is they didn't answer any questions.or show off the amazing capabilities of the "cloud" other then ghost cars in racing games,..which i think can be done on mario cart for super nintendo, they convinced noone that these "futureproof" features did anything except resrict us, and they are not optional, you don't want kinect,..to bad, you can't always connect online, well,..to bad,..you don't always want to keep a game forever and maybe it sucks cause there were no demo's for it....tough luck buddy! I hope MS is working on another console behind the scenes and this was just one big joke to force sony to reveal their system,..I can hope

[Takwin]

SO, after everything settles, one of the most important decisions in this generation of gaming will be the fact that the PS Eye was not bundled into the PS4. That and a little nudge pushed the PS4 to $400 and the Xbone to $500. I know plenty of gamers who do not care about the DRM (they seem like good enough people with families, but might be dudebros at heart).

PS4 will probably outsell the Xbone 3:2 but could do 2:1 due to the Xbone launch a year later in tiny markets called "Asia."

[Garbanjo001]

Didn't want to do this. . . use my last bubble I mean . . . that is an entire year that PS4 will already be released in Asia by comparison. The sales from PS4 alone the first year are going to dominate, and I bet you dollars to donuts that when Xbox releases in other countries

a) they wont buy it because they already have a PS4, and
b) Sony will offer deals to get people in asia and other countries to buy their console over XBox.

[strigoi814]

They havent clear out if this camera will recognize our PSmove controller and are we gonna have option to use the Psmove gun??

[hazelamy]

well in theory, for me, the base price of £349 should get me started with the PS4.

i'm not interested in the camera, and i'm already a plus subscriber so i'll at least have a version of Drive Club to play.

and i'll save even more on the x1, roughly about £429 when i don't buy it. ^_^

[trevornlsn]

They made the Kinect 2 mandatory because now the developers will be able to create games with confidence that their consumers will actually have Kinect 2. I never got into the Kinect and only tried it at friends' houses. I myself prefer a controller, but voice command was kind of nice (still room for improvement) but now developers know every Xbox one owner will have a Kinect, so they don't have to worry about funding for making a game with Kinect integration in mind for only a fraction of the consumer base.

[isarai]

Ok but if you're going to toss in the PSeye for PS4 then you might as well toss in the extra sold separate device that allows you to do all the TV stuff for the XB1, yes it's sold seperate

But realistically what most people will get

PS4 - $400
PS+ - $50
Game - $60

bringing it to $510, but i think the PS4 will come with a Plus trial of some kind

XB1 - $500
XBL - $60
Game - $60
AA Batteries for controller - between $5-$30 (2 pack vs 20pack)

which comes to about $625-$655

[Mikeyy]

Ummm no. The PS4 is going to only cost me $399 + $60 game = $460.

I don't want the camera, its not required for anything, and I don't need a second controller on day one.

I already have PS+ and it carries over.

$460 sounds damn good for me, my launch PS3 cost $707 after tax and warrantee.

[N1GHTW0LFX]

To demonstrate the most basic scenario of how much you need to spend to play a single game on these new consoles, your comparison should really be this:

Let us say that you are debating on whether to buy an XBONE or a PS4. There is only one game you want to play. For the sake of being fair yet give a plausible circumstance, let's say the game is the new (unannounced) Elder Scrolls VI game. Those games are known to be great single player games with a long lifespan and are multiplatform. Let's say it's the only game you want to pick up and play for the next year.

Your options for buying and playing it on the PS4 would mean that you need to pay the following to play it:

PS4 w/ controller - $400
Elder Scrolls VI - $60
PSPlus - Not needed to play
Internet - Not needed to play
EyeToy - Not needed to play

TOTAL PRICE = $460 for a year of gaming

Or you can go with XBONE to play the same game (with about half the graphical processing power as we now know) which would cost you:

XBONE w/ controller and Kinect - $500
Elder Scrolls VI - $60
XBLGold - Not needed to play
Internet (to check in) - at least $30 a month x 12 months = $360
Kinect - Included with the XBONE price but not needed to play though needed to make the console function so if it breaks you're out at least another $100 (to be fair, not included in total)

TOTAL PRICE = $920 for a year of gaming

Final Comparison:

PS4 = $460
XBONE = $920

That would make the XBONE exactly TWICE the price, for half the graphical processing power. If we were comparing an online multiplayer game the price of the PS4 would start to look a lot more like the XBONE except for the initial price difference of $100.

[Lysander91]

Are they serious? When I get a PS4 I'm buying the box and that is it. I don't need an extra controller or a PS Eye or any of the extras. I already have PS+ and I would keep it regardless of if I got a PS4 since I have a PS3 and a Vita. The same goes for XBox One since I have XBL. They are $400 and $500. There is no one "real cost."