Slim revisions for PlayStation consoles are a time honored tradition- and so far, they have always been the definitive versions of their consoles. The PS2 Slim was flat out the best hardware available on the market at the time, all around, while the PS3 Slim is perhaps singularly associated with the PS3’s recovery from its until then slow slide into irrelevance.
The PS4 Slim, however, is a bit different. The original PS4 was a really well made and desirable console to begin with, one that the Slim has not necessarily improved upon- the build quality has gotten cheaper, and the console itsemf has received little to no improvements or new features of note. So what reason does one have to actually want to buy the PS4 (as opposed to being forced into buying one, given that it is currently the only PS4 model available on the market)?
Is there any reason to purchase a PS4 Slim over other consoles? Over, for instance, the Xbox One S? (For further reading: If you are interested in buying an Xbox One S, read our “Five Reasons To Buy Xbox One S Over PS4 Slim” over here.)
MORE POWERFUL
Even with all of its improvements, the Xbox One S remains, ultimately, an Xbox One- which means it’s got all the same problems that the original Xbox One hardware did, in terms of power and specs. The Xbox One was a relatively weak console at launch, and that problem has only gotten worse with time, as evidenced by Microsoft’s impending launch of the Xbox One Scorpio next year. That problem still stands with the Xbox One S, which is a weaker console than the PS4 Slim. So if you want the best bang for your buck in terms of your gaming experience with the console you buy, the PS4 Slim is probably the way to go- especially if power means anything to you.
MORE EXCLUSIVES
"Sony have a veritable army of exclusive games playable only on the PS4, which means if you want to play any of them, a PS4 is literally your only option."
Microsoft is working on increasing its slate of first party games, but they have a long way to go until they can catch up with Sony. Sony have a three generation lead and advantage over Microsoft, and Microsoft can’t put up with the sheer variety of games that Sony offers. From Uncharted to The Last of Us, Ratchet and Clank to Bloodborne, from Until Dawn to The Last Guardian, from Horizon to Killzone, from God of War to inFamous, and so many more, Sony have a veritable army of exclusive games. These great games, playable only on the PS4, which means if you want to play any of them, a PS4 is literally your only option.
JAPANESE GAMES
The one area where Xbox will never catch up with PlayStation in is in terms of Japanese game support. Xbox has never been able to get any traction or foothold in the Land of the Rising Sun, and at best, it achieves versions of multiplatform AAA Japanese games aimed at a wider worldwide audience. But for every Japanese game Xbox gets, it misses two more- no Nioh, no NieR: Automata, no Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD, no Street Fighter 5, no Tales of Berseria, and perhaps most importantly, no Persona 5. If you have even a passing interest in Japanese games, don’t look beyond PS4.
YOU CARE ABOUT VR
"Right now, if you want VR, PlayStation 4 with PlayStation VR remains the best bet."
If you care about VR, then the PS4 remains your only option for now. Microsoft are promising some kind of nebulous support for VR in the future with the launch of the Scorpio, but who knows how, when, or in what form that will materialize. Right now, if you want VR, PlayStation 4 with PlayStation VR remains the best bet- perhaps even if you include PC VR headsets into the mix. Sony have managed to accumulate a truly impressive list of games and developers for the PSVR, and if VR gaming is to ever take off, and garner widespread consumer and developer attention, it will be via PSVR. So if this exciting new paradigm of gaming excites you even in the slightest- the PS4 and PSVR is your best, and effectively, only bet.
IT’S REALLY SMALL
The Xbox One S is really small. It’s small and sleek, and it’s managed to transform the lumbring, ugly original Xbox One into a sleek, sexy console. The PS4 Slim, by comparison, looks ugly and cheap. But function matters more than form, and the PS4 Slim truly lives up to its name in that regard. It’s extremely small- it’s actually smaller than even an Xbox One S. If you are cramped for space in your household, then the PS4 Slim’s smaller size might be what tips you over the edge on it.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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