The console wars are on, and this Christmas it’s Microsoft’s Xbox One versus the Sony PS4 in a fight for gaming supremacy. Whether you’re buying one of these machines for yourself or as a gift, you need the facts. And here at View the Vibe, we have those facts – straight out of our facts machine. So read on, as we break it right down. Which gaming system is the one for you this Christmas?

The Hardware – Winner: PS4
While both systems offer blu-ray support and nearly identical eight-core processors, the PS4’s graphics and RAM chips edge out those of the Xbox One. This probably won’t make a difference in the first few years, but towards the end of this console’s run, Sony will have more headroom to offer games with better graphics.

The Controller – Winner: Xbox One
Xbox One stuck with a winning formula, making only minor changes to their previous console’s controller. The staggered positioning of the analog sticks makes for a much more ergonomic design than the PS4’s inline joysticks. Notably, Sony has added a small built-in touchscreen to the middle of the PS4 controller, but even that doesn’t trump the playing comfort that is Microsoft’s trademark.

The Price – Winner: PS4
Sony went with a compelling price tag of $399.99 (and presumably a razor-thin profit margin to go along with it) versus the Xbox One’s starting price of $499.99. Now I’m no mathematician, but I’m pretty sure that’s a whole $100 cheaper! For an extra C-note, the Xbox One has a built-in motion sensing camera and offers a variety of home entertainment options outside of gaming: You can split your screen between TV, games, or even use Skype through the Xbox Unit. Both systems can integrate with Netflix, so don’t worry, either way you can still binge-watch your favourite shows.

The Games – Winner: You decide
First some bad news: neither system offers native support for the previous generation’s games due to hardware constraints. This is unfortunate, yet understandable; you don’t want a bulkier, more expensive machine, and if you want to play the old games, just plug in the old system. As far as new games go, it really comes down to personal preference. Games like Halo and Dead Rising will be exclusive to the Xbox One. Halo alone is enough to sway some die-hard gamers over to the Xbox camp. The PS4 has its own exclusive titles, though: the Uncharted and Infamous franchises will eventually launch their next installments, and these games have legions of fans all their own.

Both Sony and Microsoft came out with stellar systems this year. As a pure gaming system, the PS4 is the winner by a nose, but for its ability to run your entire home entertainment system, the Xbox One makes a compelling case. No matter what, if you get somebody one of these as a gift, something tells me they won’t be complaining.

Ryan Turkienicz

Ryan Turkienicz is a Toronto-based real estate professional, writer, and musician. As a guitarist, Ryan has played at diverse venues in Toronto, New York, and Montreal, including the Montreal Jazz Festival. Sampling Toronto's endless possibilities for entertainment, you can find him at concerts, clubs, comic shops, cantinas, and basically anywhere that good times abound. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.