The top reason for buying a PlayStation 4 over its competitors this generation is the console's perceived "better resolution", a new US survey reports.

The study, undertaken by numbers company Nielsen, listed the top five reasons given by consumers for choosing either the PS4, Xbox One or Wii U.

4000 teens and adults were polled over two phases, before and after Christmas, as well as 400 children.

The second-most important feature listed by PS4 adopters was the console's Blu-ray player - a feature that Xbox One also boasts, but that only Sony included in its last-gen console (and is nowhere to be seen on the Xbox One's list).

The PS4's game library and "faster processing power" were also listed, ahead of it being simply "what the family wants".

Xbox One owners picked the console's brand as their top reason for purchasing, perhaps due to the high market share of the Xbox 360 last generation in North America.

The Xbox One's "innovative features" scored second place in its list (perhaps the lure of US cable TV compatibility, or even voice control and Kinect), followed by "faster processing power".

Exclusive games and content were also important - a reason not found at all on Sony's list. Microsoft has again managed to secure exclusive or timed-exclusive DLC and features for top franchises such as Call of Duty and FIFA this generation, along with its own strong stable of first-party brands such as Forza, Fable and Halo.

It's a completely different story for Wii U, where "fun factor" is the top reason for purchase, followed by its kid-friendly status, its price and value, its backwards compatibility (with the Wii, but perhaps also its Virtual Console) and its exclusive Nintendo games.

Nintendo also fares well in a table detailing last-gen console ownership, broken down by consumers' current console choice. 86 per cent of Wii U owners owned a Wii, the highest percentage of brand loyalty for any platform.

76 per cent of Xbox One owners had owned a Xbox 360, while just 66 per cent of PS4 owners had owned a PS3. But, crucially, more Xbox 360 owners jumped ship and bought a PS4 (59 per cent) than PS3 owners bought an Xbox One (43 per cent).