PS4 vs Xbox One: Battlefield 4 showdown

Battlefield 4 reviews are out today and along with the accompanying reviews on the PC platform, websites are being allowed to post video captures and analysis between the Xbox One and Playstation 4 versions of the games.

Digital Foundry was the first to go in-depth with side-by-side comparisons and the results are very compelling. For starters, the Xbox One version runs at 1280 x 720 upscaled to 1080p, while the PS4 is running at 1600 x 900, also upscaled to 1080p. The resolution on the PS4 version has 56% more pixels on screen.

Digital Foundry ends their comparisons with the following statement according to their findings:

“Needless to say, there are some basic differences in image quality that need knocking on the head right away. Chief among them is the hot topic of internal resolution, where we determine that the Xbox One code is indeed running at 1280×720. If this is set in stone for release – as is likely – the Microsoft version is poised to give us the most aliasing of the two next-gen platforms by a noticeable degree, and is only a stone’s throw from the sub-720p resolutions of current-gen releases. On the other hand, the PS4 version delivers a whopping 1600×900 resolution in all modes, giving it a 50 per cent lead in output pixels overall. As well as cutting down on jagged edges, this reduces the amount of pixel shimmer we see in motion on complex shaders or thin geometry, with distant power lines, scaffolding and other elements with sub-pixel elements creating unwanted flickering on Xbox One….In our single-player tests, it is clearly the PS4 code that is the ascendant.”

There are other differences in the two platforms as well. The comparison videos below show that the Xbox One version lacks details and effects like smoke around the base of the helicopter as well as less flying, separate objects in :evolution events, while the PS4 just adds more and more finer details as the gameplay continues.

The most glaring difference is noticeable aliasing (jagged lines) on the Xbox One version, which the PS4 does not suffer. You can see jagged lines around buildings, little details like the power lines, and noticeably on the helicopter scene. Pause the video right at the beginning and look at the windows – the Xbox One has a jagged, rough window outline while the PS4’s is smooth. This is exacerbated as the video continues.

One thing also needs to be taken into account – the oversaturation of colours on the Xbox One makes the game look slightly better. The brightness levels are lower and the gamma is set to a different level, obscuring any lost details in dark textures when upscaling the game and making colours appear to pop out more.

In fact, Digital Foundry notes that the Xbox One has “inherently lower gamma levels” which suggest that this won’t be a setting gamers, or reviewers, can change to make comparisons more accurate.

The PS4 isn’t without its issues either. The software upscaler Sony or DICE is using is making the game lose some detail, but not as much as the Xbox One. The resolution difference is still clearly there thanks to crisper details in the horizon and backgrounds. DICE has done an impressive job of getting the game to run optimally on both consoles, but the compromises taken to get there may be deal-breakers for some.

As far as actual gameplay goes, both versions are stellar. Performance stays around 60 frames per second in the single-player campaign. However, where some heavy scenes cause the Xbox One to dip as low as 36fps, the PS4 retains a higher framerate.

In scenes where there are more objects flying around and more destruction, the PS4 dips lower because it has the higher workload, while the Xbox One, by not rendering those details, remains playable.

At this early stage its unclear which platform will win out with consumers but these results are as expected – the PS4, having a much more capable GPU and faster system memory, outperforms the Xbox One by a clear margin. It’s worth noting that none of the video comparisons available today will be able to show the Xbox One’s performance in multiplayer matches, where the PS4 maintains an acceptable minimum of 40fps in an online match.