In every way possible, PS4 is the best console of all time

To be clear (because I know this will inevitably come up), I am talking about the machine itself- the console, the hardware, build quality, UI, controller, online, stuff like that. I know the library is lacking. I know the library is important. I also know the library will inevitably be there, and so do you, so you know what, just strap in for the ride.

But seriously, the PlayStation 4 has to be the greatest console ever made. In a sense, that is pretty obvious- each new generation of consoles features a set of better machines than the previous gen, and so on, so it follows that the new crop will feature one that is technically the 'best.'

But I think the PS4 goes above and beyond that. I know that while in terms of power, it may be a little lacking (it caps out at being just a midrange PC, by common consensus), it is just such an incredible and thoughtfully made machine that it deserves credit.

Let's go through it all one by one:

• POWER: This one is obvious. While the PS4 may falter a bit compared to PCs of its day, it remains the most powerful console of all time. It is a highly capable and powerful machine, featuring a sensible design that developers can easily harness, balanced architecture on the whole (barring the CPU bottleneck), and just the right balance between specs and affordability.
• BUILD: People underestimate just how important build can be to a console. I don't just mean the materials used, or how it looks, though that is of course a part of it, and the PS4 performs well in those areas too. But think about some more practical concerns- how much space does it take? How much is its power draw? In areas like that, the PS4 is exceptional- it's not a very big machine, the power draw is very reasonable, and in spite of being the most powerful system, it has no external power brick. Surprisingly, it also has no quality issues- unlike the Xbox 360, PS2, or PSOne, which all suffered from some infamous hardware flaws, the PS4 is just a well built machine all around.
  And like I said, it helps that it looks and feels good, too.
• UI: This is another area where the PS4 doesn't get enough credit. As it stands right now, the PS4's UI is basically the perfect example of what a modern console UI should be like (the Xbox 360 Blades would be second). It's very fast, very clean, very efficient, and it is very easy on the eyes. There are no pointless loading screens or waits, and chances are you'll be doing whatever it is you want to be doing within half a dozen seconds of the home screen loading up.
• CONTROLLER: I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of the DualShock 4. People put it on the same plane as the Gamecube or Xbox 360 controllers, which I find baffling at the very best. Personally, the DualShock 4 has too many issues for me to rank it too highly. But it's still a functional, easy to use controller, with some very nice quality of life improvements (sound output through headphone jack, touchpad typing, two extra buttons via LTP and RTP, one touch sharing), and I am willing to look past the flaws because of how well integrated with the system this thing really is.
• ONLINE FUNCTIONALITY: Coming into this generation, Xbox Live ran circles around PSN. It clowned PSN. Now, that is no longer the case. It would not be too bold to say that PSN is currently the best console online service on the market, better than even Xbox Live.The actual online gameplay experience is on par with Xbox Live at this point. Social features like party chat have all achieved parity (as a matter of fact, given how Xbox, for some reason, fumbled party chat and the like for a while, it can be argued that PSN is now ahead on those counts). PS+ offers far better benefits than GwG does. Online multiplayer is $10 cheaper on PSN than on XBL. PSN offers an amazingly progressive user license policy for digital games, across the full PlayStation ecosystem, offering Cross Buy, Cross Save, and Cross Play. PSN offers a staggering bevy of sharing features, fully integrating with Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, Youtube, and uStream. Remote Play is a feature with variable usability, but when it works, it really works, and remains highly impressive. PS Now offers a backwards compatible solution with PS3, while Xbox One is entirely lacking in that regard. And also, SharePlay is the unsung hero of this generation as well, offering a very unique way to share your gameplay experience.

Really, there is very little left to complain about with PS4. There will be a horde of angry or bitter users in this thread soon, complaining about the perceived lack of games, and so on, but currently, I have a backlog of PS4 games to wade through- and this is without taking into account the digital or PSN indie games. This is just stuff like Shadow of Mordor, Assassin's Creed Unity, Dragon Age Inquisition, Dark Souls II: Scholars of the First Sin, and Bloodborne. The Witcher 3 launches this month. Batman launches next month. If there is any shortage of games on the PS4, I don't see it.

It really is the best console ever. The Wii U and Xbox One are great too- they really are, and I enjoy my Wii U so much (the games on it are better than the games on PS4). But the PS4 just so thoroughly trumps them all around, that this war is, as I once said not too long ago, now over.

Lol solidgame_basic thread

What about games?

u made this thread couple months ago

I still think ps2 was the best, for one reason and one reason only: its game library

no console has come close to the library the ps2 had back then, it was quality game after quality game.

I disagree greatly, out of my 16 consoles and my PC it is the least utilized system I own.

No u

I did not. I made a separate thread, which I mentioned in the OP.

@charizard1605: oh you're right. It would have been titled as a question and ended with "can we all agree..." or "do you agree, SW"

Jeez, step your game up, char.

The best console library of all time is definitely the PS2 (or SNES). But the best console is easily PS4. That is the distinction I am trying to make.

Pretty much. Too bad the lems and sheep will attack you due to their obvious butthurt.

But have you considered the power of the cloud

I know you are being facetious, but ironically, between SharePlay, Remote Play, PS Now, Cross Buy, Cross Save, and Cross Play, so far PlayStation has made far better use of the cloud than Xbox.

I am a sheep.

I think.

Ok, what about durability? Will it hold up to abuse and accidents like a Gamecube? The other stuff is just subjective anyway, controller comfort for example is a total matter of opinion, and I find the xbox 360 live UI circa 2007-8 to probably be the best console online interface, in the era before MS started shitting their pants.

There is no "perceived" lack of games Charizard, if you own other systems and a desktop PC like myself, the PlayStation 4 is the least useful system in existence. That is my real complaint with it, it has not justified its need to exist yet for merits that it has created. If you own just it, sure it's great, but if you don't and you own everything else, it crumbles at the seams. People think I'm anti PS4, I'm not, I'm anti-glorification of a system primarily holding itself up on multiplatform games.

@charizard1605: but have you considered the unifying force of DX12

Correct me if I am wrong, the PS4 has more unique (as in games not shared with any other system) games than Xbox One. That should technically make the Xbox One the least useful system in existence, and the least used one of your collection.

The fact of the matter is, in terms of carving a niche based on compelling original content, both consoles are a bit lacking right now- but if we were to compare them with just their predecessors, they do a little better in that regard (why would i play Shadow of Mordor with no nemesis system on PS3, when I can play the best console version on PS4?). The other fact of the matter is, based on what few exclusives the PS4 and Xbox One do have, the PS4 currently performs better, unless you really like racing games and really dislike or are apathetic towards RPGs and/or action games.

And on that front, the exclusives front, both the PS4 and Xbox One are clowned by the Wii U anyway.

no ps2 slim line is the greatest thing ever built. Damn thing is so sleek

So that's the thing- you may be able to name a console that bested the PS4 in one, at most two, areas.

You cannot name a console that does as well as PS4 in every area.

As for the controller, I never brought up comfort or ergonomics, and in fact state that on those fronts, I actually dislike DS4. I brought up some pretty objective facts and reasons for liking the DS4 there.

I had not.

Well shit, looks like Xbox Won.

This was clear since 8gb of gddr5 announcement.

@charizard1605: you may be a sheep but you're also a mod and have standards at least. The delusional sheep in SW will not accept what you have to say though. At least you're not delusional even though you may be a sheep. You're a sheep that's a sheep for the games not the hardware like some people here.

And here is my answer to that, in terms of everything else nongaming, the Xbox One serves a greater purpose in terms of media, applications and features, hand and foot above the PlayStation 4 and as such it serves to be used more. In terms of gaming it and the PlayStation 4 could use some work, but objectively the games currently exclusive to the Xbox brand which are on Xbox One, I'm not going to say exclusive because that is saying too much for some, is an objectively stronger overall lineup even in the wake of Bloodborne.

I know this will all change in due time but in due time is not right now.

@charizard1605: gg no re

@charizard1605:

OK, then you made a similar thread like this a month ago. This similar thread will also generate similar responses since you cover similar topics:

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/system-wars-314159282/this-war-is-over-31894176/#349

@charizard1605 said:

I don't care what side of the fanboy battle you find yourself on, you would have to be exceptionally oblivious to try and deny this: this console war is over. The generation is done. We have our winner.

We will now proceed to look at the facts here:

• It is the most powerful console of the generation
• It is the highest selling console of this generation so far, and conceivably might have outsold the Xbox One and Wii U combined.
• It has the most amount of third party support- indie and AAA, western and Japanese, exclusive and multiplatform
• Most multiplats look best on PS4 of any console
• The PS4 has the best online service in terms of striking a balance between cost and stability. Yes, Nintendo Network is cheaper (because it is free), but it is shit, and Xbox Live is better, but it is also more expensive, and the value proposition it provides is not as good as the one PSN provides.
• Sony has superior first party support- not superior to Nintendo, obviously, but far beyond anything Microsoft can muster for Xbox. In the long run, Nintendo having superior first party support does not matter, because that first party support is all that they have.
• Even though I am personally not a fan, by popular opinion, PS4 has the best controller.
• PS4 has multiple next generation features that were not on any previous console, nor are on any other current gen console- from its advanced sharing capabilities, SharePlay, Remote Play, and more.
• PS4 has the PlayStation ecosystem working in its advantage. Things like CrossBuy, CrossPlay, CrossSave are all there to incentivize a PS4 purchase if you already own even one other PlayStation system.
• Its upcoming game lineup is staggering- it gets every single major third party game the Xbox One gets, it gets more third party games the Xbox One doesn't get, and to top it all off, it gets its own exclusives. If you want to play Street Fighter V, Dragon Quest, or Persona 5 on a current gen console? You really only have one choice, and you might as well just go with it.

As of right now, the PS4 doesn't have much going for it- it has all these indie games that are available on other systems (without the need to buy $400 hardware first), it has all these multiplats, that are also all available on other systems (and really, said multiplats suck to begin with anyway), and it has a bunch of very sad, terrible exclusives. In terms of games, right now? The Wii U is beating it.

How long do you think this will continue? It won't continue for long. In the pipeline, right now, are Bloodborne, Uncharted 4, Until Dawn, Let's Go To The Rapture, Persona 5, Ratchet and Clank, Tearaway Unfolded, Dragon Quest, Ys, Street Fighter, Rime, The Witness, and No Man's Sky. And that's just for this year.That isn't even counting all the multiplats (which will be better on PS4 than Xbox One), not counting games that might not have been announced yet. When all is said and done, is anyone here really thinking the PS4 won't come out on top? It has the unique advantage of consolidating indie, AAA, first, second, and third party, western andJapanese developers all in one place- no other system on the market does that.They are all missing one or the other from the equation. Do you really think the PS4 will continue to lag?

As I said, I don't care where you fall in this fanboy war. It doesn't matter. By any objective metric- sales, games, support, power- this war is already over, and will soon be over. In what might be the most astonishing and thoroughly dominating victory the industry has seen ever, especially in context, the PS4 has won. The domination is complete.

Except in the title you said the PS4 is the best ever "in every way possible" and that is clearly not the case because it is bested by previous consoles and current gen consoles in at least a few ways.

Sorry chaz, I'll never call you a cow. :P

I'm not sure I would use Xbox brand exclusives against PlayStation brand exclusives and say Xbox brand exclusives are better. Ultimately, it will come down to a smattering of western 'exclusives' versus 'Japanese' exclusives, and there is no wrong or right answer there, you just pick on preference. If the two consoles are evenly matched there, for a tie breaker, I would go on to looking at true exclusives, where PS4 would win, but I'm not going to argue that point. I already did, and I respect your opinion being different regardless of any 'objective' truth regarding Bloodborne.

In terms of media capability, honestly, the PS4 has all VoD and MoD services I use. It's good enough for me. I would not use the Xbox One for anything more.

And I would say that those are more than made up for in the other ways that PS4 is better.

There is no "perceived" lack of games Charizard, if you own other systems and a desktop PC, the PlayStation 4 is the least useful system in existence.

I respect what you're saying and I agree for you and I we have different uses and likes, but don't discount what another machine does simply because you say you would not use it. In practice most people who claim they wouldn't make use of a set of features they have yet to use; generally do.

That's fine if you think that and I could potentially agree with that, but it doesn't make the thread any less of a complete and utter farce.

And yet you still can't do something as basic as hook up an external HDD without replacing the infernal one.

Power-wise...sure, that's pretty obvious. You could say the same about one console in every new generation.

Design-wise...it's nice, but it generates heat like crazy. I don't think it's up there with the design of some Nintendo consoles.

UI and controller...no, both are a bit crap. I actually prefer Steam Big Picture mode to the PS4's UI, and the Dualshock's left analogue stick is totally in the wrong place.

I agree with your OP Charizard. Very well designed console. I think the touch pad is going to be awesome for RTS games.

If you put those preconditions on it. But I honestly still enjoy PS2 era titles the most. That's where my emphasis goes as well. If those titles come to PS4, then it's a contender for me.

Actually it's pretty obvious that you are, but whatever e.g. Xbox 360 held itself up on multiplatform games as well.

PS4 is too loud and too hot. I don't agree that its build quality is top-notch. Perhaps a new version will resolve the issue, but the launch version's build is pretty average at best.

Based upon what? My disdain for Sony's arrogance and laziness THIS generation to bring quality and universally accepted games to the market? Their laziness in updating their console, adding features, or really doing anything with it beside maintenance updates for nearly a year? Not until Microsoft started barking at their heels did they get their asses in gear with trying to better this platform. My qualm is with Sony, they have pissed me off, I don't dislike their console and it houses a lot of potential, however they have been squandering it due to their sales lead.

Should be thankful mods allow you such freedom, but no he isn't a sheep. He does make a lot of pro Nintendo threads though so misunderstanding acceptable.

I believe he owns a PS4 and a Vita

So the dude stopped making WiiU love threads and joined the winning side i see...

Who you trying to convince, us or yourself?

It seems like the latter.

I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but lolconsoles.

These rationalization threads are priceless comedy gold.

/Fedoratip

@charizard1605: nope maybe PS3 which I call it a console with best exclusive games of all the time !

Yeah, I've seen this before. I don't mind though. People always bring up the same shit every month. Again and again.

What rationalization? There's a best console just as there is a best shoe horn or best stupid comment.

Well this thread backfired terribly.

It clearly didn't. We have some PC fans saying all consoles are trash, one person who is hell bent on proving this thread was made before (it wasn't), and you are the only one who made an actual argument against the PS4, except your argument was predicated on the Xbox One as a media box.

It appears you are seeing what you want to see.

Build quality on the ps4 and its controller is rubbish, just holding that controller, feels like it will peel away over a short amount of time. Best built console for me was the N64, the Xbox One has the best controller on any system I've used. I really liked the Saturns UI as a teenager, that flying ship was awesome.

No my argument was predicated on the Xbox One as a gaming console that serves just as much gaming purpose as the PlayStation 4 but also has a secondary function that the PlayStation 4 does not. What I am seeing is yet another person who wants people to tell them they are right, a person who wants to know they made the right choice, someone who is unsure of what they spent their money on.

Maintenance updates -- like 2.5?

Also is MS doing any better at "[bringing] quality and universally accepted (<-not sure why this really matters) games?" Before you answer, make sure not to leap over the fact that I brought up about the 360.

If you should have disdain for anything, it should be the elevated level of contempt in comparison to Sony and Nintendo that MS displayed for gamers on both PC and Xbox for the last years. Designing their console around kinect 2,0 and 'always on' jazz will stick with them for the entire gen (not just for reputation reasons, but hardware as well).

But i don't personally agree with that distinction, the game library makes the best console.

It may have better hardware, better features, but all of them are added bonus.