Playstation 4 Hardware Review
Developer Sony
Publisher Sony
Platform PS4
Release Date 29th Nov 2013
Finally after all that waiting the PS4 is here, the 29th of November marks the Irish release of Sony’s next Generation console. Having broken all kinds of records two weeks ago on its US release the PS4 is sold out all over the country as this years “must have” gadget.
The system itself is tiny, very elegant and very light. The bright blue line is aesthetically pleasing contrasting off the dark blacks, the matt finish is slick but the gloss finish is a dust magnet. On the back you have your HDMI port, your power slot, your internet slot and a slot for the camera which comes as a welcome boost as it no longer takes up a valuable USB port.
The front face has two USB ports which are nicely set back in to the groove along with small partially hidden power and eject buttons. It is slanted so can fit right on the edge of your TV stand without looking like it is at risk of toppling over.
The controller is near perfection, fitting beautifully into your hand. The wider fit is perfect for those with the bigger hands. The analogue sticks are at a nice comfortable distance apart and are contoured to hold your thumbs in place when playing. Of course it has a big glowing light bar on top of it which allows the camera to track your position and movements. The touch pad offers another feature but only the test of time will tell if it is actually functional in game. Finally the built in speaker tops off a pretty amazing controller.
The setup process is nice and fast, it connects to the internet instantly and updates the first patch for the software in a matter of seconds. You are ready to play your first game within a few minutes of getting it unboxed.
The first big plus we noticed after booting the console up was the huge increase in speed to download games and updates as well as installing from disk. Most games will install in about a minute and the download speeds are pretty staggering, allowing ten of GB’s of data to be downloaded and installed in record time. Anyone who struggled with the slow pace of the PS3 can their mind at ease. The PS4 can also download multiple items at once, and download them in the background so you can continue to play unhindered.
The voice controls work perfectly I had no issues directing the PS4 to take a screen shot by simply saying PlayStation screenshot (if even understands Irish accents).
The camera is a pretty decent quality, not quite HD but a vast improvement from the PS3’s camera. It opens up the console to many more VR experiences. Things like Wonder book and the Play Room will flourish and once developers get going and we hopefully will see plenty of interesting integrations into the games in the future.
The Vita’s remote play feature can be used in two ways, first as a second screen for games like Battlefield, Watchdogs and Assassin’s Creed that have this feature built in. Or to actually stream your PS4 content to the Vita. This is perfect for when someone takes over the TV or if you need to pop to the little boys room and don’t want to stop gaming.
Streaming works really well when you are in the same room as the PS4 and when you connect directly to the PS4. There is a noticeable drop off in quality when using it over Wi-Fi but it is still very impressive. The option to stream outside of the home over the internet is not technically working yet, but we are led to believe it is possible. Unfortunately you do need your game disk in the PS4 to play the game, so unless you have a digital library you can only play the game that is in the machine. A tiny complaint for an amazing feature.
The graphical output is what everyone wants to know about. The playStation 4 produces stunning quality, with crisp clean images and bright vibrant colors bringing it inline with the industry. The release games such as Killzone and Battlefield showcase what is possible right now but let remember this is just the beginning, consider how far the PS3 has come over the last 7 years. It is safe to assume that there is much more to come from the PS4.
Overall: Simply one of the best consoles ever made, not since the SNES has one console clicked so quickly with me. It screams quality from the very moment you open the box. The simplistic design approach will appeal to a much wider audience. How focused it is on gaming and getting you playing those games as quickly as possible will resonate with dedicated gamers. This is the start of a long love affair and I can’t wait to hear from others once they get their hands on it. As long as the games keep flowing Sony are onto a winner.
Please Join us on your Social Platform of choice
