Microsoft Xbox One vs Sony PS4 vs Nintendo Wii U: Head-to-head on specs, prices, availability

The battle for your gaming room just got white hot with Sony deciding to go all-out in its bid to undercut Microsoft on the pricing front and overdo the Wii U in the specs department.

Here we present the ultimate head-to-head comparison of the three gaming consoles worthy of prime space in your living room.

And while the battle for domination remains largely confined between Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, we’re pitting the Nintendo Wii U against these deep-pocketed giants for the simple reason that the already-launched Wii U remains a popular console among a lot of gamers, especially the casual ones.

And despite what any analyst might tell you, the Wii U has surprisingly held its ground so far in the face of various holes that have been pointed out in its hardware capability and otherwise. We clearly can’t write off the Wii U – at least not yet, what with it being the only ‘big’ gaming console offering backwards compatibility with games on its previous iteration.

Indeed, with the unveiling of the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 this year, and their promised availability before the end of the year, there is no doubt that 2013 is a big year for the gaming consoles market even if the actual battle between the leading new consoles will unfold only in 2014.

Additionally, the gaming consoles are no longer just gaming consoles – they’re evolving into more of entertainment boxes that promise to connect not just all the gadgets and electronics in your living room, but the entire house and, with the added smartphone connectivity, they’ll connect with you even when you’re not at home.

So which one will you go for: The Sony PlayStation 4, the Microsoft Xbox One or the Nintendo Wii U? We’ll help you decide.

So which “next-gen” console is the best? Based on the comparison chart above, you can see what we can see – that both the PS4 and the Xbox One seem relatively the same, give or take a few differences. For those who think an always-on connectivity is an un-surmountable, non-negotiable hurdle, the choice becomes simpler. But for everyone else, it’ll boil down to the games, and the gameplay experience.

Sony’s PS4 claims to have more than 40 titles in the making already for its new console, not to mention such features as sharing gameplay screenshots and footage with friends on Facebook, Cloud gaming, and instant and streaming gameplay.

Microsoft’s Xbox One, on the other hand, claims to be a complete all-in-one home entertainment solution with integrated voice commands and interactive “intelligent” TV.

If you’re still wondering which one to go with, we’ll advise you wait for the real things – the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 – to hit the store shelves and take a go at both of them to decide. We will.

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