A few weeks back, Phil Spencer threw out the idea of an Xbox One mid-generation hardware upgrade and the reaction was pretty mixed. Since then, Microsoft has been going back on that idea, with Phil Spencer now saying that there won't be an Xbox 1.5, instead the company wants to offer ‘substantial' upgrades, rather than smaller, incremental ones.
At Microsoft's Build Conference last week, Phil Spencer was pressed on rumours surrounding Sony's PS4K/PS4.5, which will be a mid-generation hardware upgrade for the PlayStation according to current rumours. However, we won't be seeing this happen with Xbox apparently: “I don't know anything about any of the PS4K rumours that are out there,but I can understand other teams’ motivations to do that. For us, our box is doing well. It performs, it’s reliable, the servers are doing well. If we’re going to go forward with anything, like I said, I want it to be a really substantial change for people – an upgrade.”
So it looks like Microsoft is committed to the hardware it chose for this generation for now, while Sony might end up offering a more powerful console to help push Virtual Reality applications.
KitGuru Says: I don't mind the idea of a mid-generation hardware upgrade for the consoles but as a PC gamer I am used to the idea of a quicker upgrade cycle compared to consoles. For now, it sounds like Microsoft won't be upgrading its hardware until next generation but if Sony does release a more powerful console next year, the performance gap between the PS4 and Xbox One will widen further, which could be an issue.
The ps4 is already stronger then a xbone, now the gap will be pretty wide.
But with all the advancement coming thanks to finally getting off the 28nm node, I would expect the next gen Xbone 2: “the boning” to be out probably only a year or less after ps4k. Expect the ps4k to be one of the shortest lived and most pointless consoles.
Doubly true if 10nm isn’t delayed.
Does this also include the slim refreshes which typically feature slightly better/unlocked hardware or just the idea of an Xbox One 2?
coming out 2020, the Xbox One 2 Three!
Who cares about specs. i bet most people whining about them wouldn’t be able to actually tell the difference. There’s plenty of research showing that already… and then every gamer owned a wii, which proves the point more…
as long as the game works, who cares if it’s 4k or HD… the experience isn’t that different. I’ve played the same game on wii and Xbox and ps4 (directly next to each other) and the crispness is different, but as long as the game plays, it’s the gameplay that is paramount.
Either way I’m keeping my XboxOne, and I play ps4 from time to time at a friends, but don’t see the difference… same games… same experience.
All the PS4 has over the Xbox One IS better graphics and nothing else, they can make all the upgrades they want to the hardware but the Home Screen layout is trash, stability is awful, downloads are abysmal and online connection sucks dick. The Xbox One is the exact opposite then lol and has the nifty snapping feature for apps which doesn’t impact performance considering it’s not as strong as the PS4, but if you switch from the web browser back to a game on PS4 your waiting 5 minutes. PS4 is fucking trash, hated the piece of junk and sold it to my sister, it’s her cancer now
Why do “gamers” always sound like crusty shrill annoying virgins?
Wouldn’t put it past them
You forgot the most important thing: the best first party studios that are constantly putting out Game of the Year contenders.
OOOhhh Xbox has “snapping” oooohhhhh. Who uses a web browser on a game console? No one.
How do you define ‘working’ or more to the point, ‘not working’:
1 – Is it not working when the frame rate is so stuttery it ruins the gameplay.
2 – Is it not working when a lower resolution causes fine details to flicker as you move, causing you to take your eye off the gameplay or break the emersion.
3 – Is it not working if the controller has input latency due to the CPU being too busy to process your input, ruining the gameplay.
The list goes on and on. But if a console comes along that greatly reduces those things, even if you’re not technically minded, you’re going to notice and want the same. Just to be clear, not everyone bought a wii. It was a party piece for the casuals but they have moved onto other gimmicks now (tablets and smart phones.) The casuals are not loyal hardcore gamers who play regularly, have a large gaming budget and have enough gaming experience to spot all the issues listed above.
If the PS4.5 comes out doing 1080p solid 60fps with all the eye candy on max, your XB1 is going to look and perform pretty lame playing the same multiplat game. The XB1 is already slightly behind with a shrinking usebase. Imagine what will happen when a PS4.5 arrives.
If the world just consisted of exclusives, then a console could get away with lower quality by offering something unique. Even something simple like Pacman is unique, but unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, most games are multiplat so every gamer gets the chance to play it. And that’s when you say, how come your playing it in higher quality than me when we just paid the same price for the game and hardware.
More power brings better graphics and better performance. The latter is especially important for gameplay. I play games, I don’t spend my time drooling over the UI and fiddling with it like a PC IT nerd.
The PS4 UI is nice and simple. No clutter. Just straight to the games. Brilliant ergonomic design, just like Apple. You only have to compare MS Windows to the Mac OS to know what I’m talking about.