Is Xbox One X Worth $100 More Than The PS4 Pro?

The Xbox One X has been shown to be a powerful gaming machine that’s capable of state of the industry visuals.  Microsoft has revealed that a number of games will take advantage of the technology making 4K gaming on console a reality this fall.  The only sticking point for many people is that the console costs $499, more expensive than Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro.

According to Microsoft the price is right.  “I would make more of a comparison to the PC space in terms of capabilities,” says Dave McCarthy of the company.  The console has the kind of horsepower that you’d expect in a high-end gaming PC.  The 6 teraflops, extra RAM, cooling chamber, it’s really stuff that consoles haven’t had or needed in the past.  Throw in the UHD Blu-ray player, 4K streaming capabilities, HDR support, and Dolby Atmos, $499 is lower than anyone thought the console would be when it was announced.

If your main objective is to get to 4K resolution and a stable framerate it’s certainly a less expensive alternative to a gaming PC which could cost almost double the $499 price tag.  The PlayStation 4 Pro, however, will utilize that 4K TV as well.  And while there’s been no mention of a price drop for the PS4 Pro in response to Microsoft’s announcement of $499 for the Xbox One X, analysts are already speculating that Sony could move lower if they wanted to and that would put Sony at an even greater advantage in terms of price.

Currently, the PS4 Pro sells for $399 while the Xbox One will cost $100 more.  It’ll be up to Microsoft to get out there and explain why these two consoles differ and where that extra $100 goes.  The UHD Blu-Ray and streaming capabilities will be go a long way in that.  But the difference between “True 4K” and the methods that Sony uses to get there aren’t easily discernable by the average consumer.

It sounds like the list of games optimized for the Xbox One X will be pretty robust.  A long list of titles was announced at Microsoft’s press conference that revealed over thirty titles would be seeing post launch patches to take advantage of the console.  Even with the November 7th release date just a handful of months away, those interested in securing the console have yet to do so.  Pre-orders for the Xbox One X have yet to go live.