Two years into its life cycle and the Sony PlayStation 4 has definitely reached its stride. The eighth-generation game system packs the same impressive power, excellent DualShock 4 controller, and nearly identical interface it had when the system launched, and remains a strong, compelling package. The PS4 now uses Sony's C-Chassis, a slightly different case from the launch PS4 that retains nearly identical dimensions and button/port/drive positions, but is lighter and completely matte black. It's also less expensive, retailing for $349 for the 500GB model, compared with the launch price of $399, and certain PS4 bundles include systems with 1TB hard drives for $449.

The PlayStation 4 still faces off against the Microsoft Xbox One($200.00 at eBay), and once again the choice between the two boils down to a matter of taste. The PS4's complete lack of backward compatibility (a lack the Xbox One initially shared but is slowly addressing) will have most gamers clinging to their old system, even if they buy a new one. As a modern, dedicated game system with social networking and streaming media features, though, the PlayStation 4 shines, earning our Editors' Choice.

Editors' Note: This review has been updated to reflect additional features since the system's launch. The PS4 pictured in the slideshow below is the original launch model.

Design

The launch PS4 is still available, though Sony is phasing it out for the new C-chassis in various bundles and packages. The two versions have the same hardware and features, but the C-chassis makes some changes to the finish of the case, the Power and Eject buttons, and the overall system weight. This review focuses on the launch system, which we tested.

The console's original design is clearly inspired more by the PlayStation 2 than the PlayStation 3. It's black, mostly matte, and angular. From the front, it cuts the same profile as the PS2: a perfect rectangle. It's even closer to the (original) PS2 than the (original) PS3 in size, measuring 2.2 by 10.8 by 12 inches (HWD) and weighing a relatively svelte 6.1 pounds. The first PS3 weighed 11 pounds and measured 4.5 inches tall (later, it shrunk to 4.6 pounds and 2.4 inches), while the first PS2 weighed 4 pounds and measured 3 inches tall (and later became an ethereal 2 pounds and 1 inch tall).

Look at the PS4 from any angle other than head-on, though, and you'll see just how different it is. The system is designed as a parallelogram, with a front bottom and rear top that jut out at sharp angles. A prominent Death Star trench-like cut-out runs along the edges of the case, and the top side and top half of the front side of the system are split into glossy and matte black finishes. A colored indicator light sits hidden on a line between the two halves on top, glowing white, blue, or yellow to show what the system is doing.

It certainly looks striking, but it's not the most user-friendly physical design. The front panel holds two USB ports for charging controllers or other devices and a slot-loading Blu-ray drive you have to squint to see under the top lip of the system, in the trench. It's a drive you'll learn to find by feel alone, locating just the right spot to put your discs so the slot sucks them in. The back panel houses an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, an optical audio port, and a modified USB port for accessories like the optional $60 Xbox-Kinect-like PlayStation Camera (which, like the Kinect, has been more or less completely forgotten by developers). The overhang of the top side of the system makes it difficult to see the ports, but a few cutouts around them make them easy to identify by touch.

The Power buttons can be frustrating, but not Xbox 360 Slim frustrating. The bad news is they're touch-sensitive with no physical feedback. The good news is they're so small you won't accidentally turn the console on or off or eject the disc (like I've done many times with the Xbox 360 Slim). They're tiny rectangles on the front, positioned just left of the center of the system. The Power button sits between the glossy and matte black halves of the top, and the Eject button is between the two matte black halves of the bottom.

Hardware

Like all game consoles, the PlayStation 4 can't be judged purely by its hardware and how it looks on paper. Architectures and operating systems differ so much between consoles and generations that we can't evaluate them based on specs and benchmarking like we do with computers. However, to be complete, these are the specs of the PlayStation 4.

The console uses a 16-core, 64-bit AMD Jaguar CPU and 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, and its GPU is an AMD Radeon-based engine. It has a 500GB hard drive for storage, and uses a Blu-ray drive just like the PlayStation 3. The 500GB drive is all you get (unless you get a bundle with a 1TB drive installed), but you can connect external storage through USB if you want.

What's Included

The PlayStation 4 comes with only a few accessories, but they're enough to make the system completely functional. Besides the console itself, you get a DualShock 4 controller (which connects to the PS4 via Bluetooth), USB-to-micro-USB charging cable, an HDMI cable, and an earpiece that plugs into the controller. The included monaural headset is a simple earbud with an in-line microphone. The box also includes an insert with codes for 30 days of PlayStation Plus, 30 days of Sony Music Unlimited, and $10 on the PS Store, so you can start playing on your PS4 even if you don't buy any games with it. PlayStation Plus offers a rotating selection of free games that remain available after you download them for as long as you remain a member, and Sony Music Unlimited membership lets you stream any music available in a Songza-like service.

DualShock 4

While the PS4's body was designed with style in mind, its controller was clearly designed for comfort. It keeps the same basic design and layout of previous Sony DualShock (and Sixaxis) controllers, but makes many welcome changes that make it feel more satisfying in your hands. The little fin grips used in the DualShock 3 have been replaced by larger, rounder grips that have an Xbox 360 controller feel. The analog sticks have been redesigned, each with a convex center surrounded by a ring-shaped ridge that keeps the stick in place under your thumb. The triggers are larger and not nearly as wiggly as on the Sixaxis or DualShock 3 triggers, which will please shooter fans.

Besides the welcome physical changes to make the controller more comfortable, the DualShock 4 has a handful of new, useful features. The gamepad has a rectangular touchpad placed between the direction pad and face buttons (and between the Share and Option buttons that now replace Start and Select), which can be used to perform gestures in certain games. The touchpad clicks, so you won't accidentally register a button by taking your finger off the pad for a second and putting it back on. The gamepad also features a small speaker, like the Nintendo Wii Remote and Nintendo Wii U($679.99 at Amazon) gamepad. Finally, an accessory port on the bottom, between the grips, lets you plug in the included monaural earpiece, like the Xbox 360 controller.

Then there's the lightbar, which faces outward from the front of the controller. It's the most prominent aspect of the DualShock 4 because it glows. It lights up different colors based on who is playing and what game is being played, with blue as the default for the player in control and in the system's interface. The lightbar is also used by the PlayStation Camera for augmented reality and motion controls. As of firmware update 1.70 you can dim the bar, but you still can't can't turn it off completely. If you have a very glossy HDTV, you'll probably be seeing its reflection in dark games, especially if you like to play in low light.

Power and Graphics

Two years into the PS4's life cycle have seen developers really get their footing in making games look and play very well. The system is unquestionably more powerful than the PS3, and titles like Bloodborne, Destiny, and even remastered versions of The Last of Us and the first three Uncharted games show off what the system can do. The PlayStation 3 is now securely last-gen, and the PlayStation 4 is the console with the real graphical power.



Interface

The XrossMediaBar (XMB) interface that dominated the PlayStation 3 and most Sony home entertainment products for years has been rethought here. Instead, the PlayStation 4 uses the PlayStation Dynamic Menu, an interface that shows shades of the PS Store's most recent redesign and hints of Microsoft's Metro interface (on the Xbox One). Dynamic is the right word, because the entire screen changes based on what you have highlighted.

The main screen is populated by a row of large icons that expand when you highlight them, starting with What's New on the left, your most recent games to the right of it, and PlayStation 4 features like the Web browser, Live from PlayStation, and Downloads. Each selection shows additional information like your friends' activities in games, and if any of them are currently broadcasting gameplay (explained below). It's an attractive, information-rich interface that focuses on integrating social network features into the mix on every level.

The top of the screen holds icons for the PS Store, Notifications, Friends, Current User, Trophies, and Time. Pressing up on the left analog stick or the direction pad brings those icons to the bottom of the screen and hides the larger icons, freeing up the top third to display notifications, friends lists, trophies, and other information. The Settings menu is also accessed this way, along with a Parties voice chat feature that lets you bring together friends online for voice chat when doing different activities.

You can control the PlayStation 4 with your voice, either with the included wired headset or the PlayStation Camera. This feature is much more limited than the voice control features on the Xbox One, but it lets you jump to games, take screenshots, and even turn off the system. It worked well in our tests, though the noise of the lab sometimes made it mix up commands.

Sony added some new social features with the 3.0 update of the system's firmware. You can now join and organize communities on PSN, bringing together various players who can communicate with a unified message board on the system. The PS4 also displays events like official broadcasts of new games and online contests.

Online and Media Service

PlayStation Network is the way to get online with the PlayStation 4, serving as the access point to all online services. The PlayStation 4 has both Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, so you can access your network however you want. PSN has undergone a few changes with the PlayStation 4, especially with multiplayer gaming. PSN on the PlayStation 3 didn't require users to subscribe to the PlayStation Plus premium service, available for $50 per year, to play online games. Unfortunately, PSN on the PlayStation 4 needs the subscription to play online, with the exception of free-to-play games. It puts the PS4's online requirements closer to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One's requirements (both of which need the premium Xbox Live Gold service to play online).

The PlayStation 4 is very functional as a media streamer, just like the PlayStation 3. It works as a Blu-ray player and can access online services like Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, CrunchyRoll, Hulu Plus, and Netflix. It isn't nearly as ambitious as the Xbox One, though, lacking any integration with your cable or satellite service like the Xbox One's Watch TV feature. Functionally, it doesn't try to do too much more than the PlayStation 3; it just does it all more smoothly and comprehensively. Fortunately, you don't need to subscribe to PS Plus to use these services, while the Xbox One and Xbox 360 both require Xbox Live Gold subscriptions to watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, and nearly everything else.

Multiple Users

The PlayStation 4 juggles multiple users much better than in earlier iterations. Several players can sit on the couch, with each holding a gamepad (up to four, while the Xbox One supports eight simultaneous players). One user stays in control of the interface, indicated by the name on the top of the screen. However, when more than one user is logged in to the system, any user with a gamepad can take control, and the main screen will reflect that by displaying all of the pertinent game and social information of the active user.

A user can set the PlayStation 4 as their primary system, letting every other user play games downloaded from his PSN account. A user can only have one primary system, though, and if it's not the primary system only the user with the rights to the game (through purchase or PS Plus membership) can load it.

Sharing Button

The DualShock 4 features a new Share button in place of a Select button, which lets users record video, take screen shots, or stream gameplay online. The PlayStation 4 records the last 15 minutes of any game you play, and the Share button saves those 15 minutes as a file you can upload to Facebook or post on PSN. It also captures a screen shot (including shots of the main menu), which you can post on Facebook or Twitter. You can transfer captured video to a connected USB drive, so you can finally get footage you record on the PS4 on your computer for editing and uploading under your own terms.

The PlayStation 4 can access Share Factory, a free video editing app similar to the Xbox One's Upload Studio that lets you cut and edit your recorded clips. It's more powerful and complicated than Upload Studio, giving greater control over clip selection and placement of effects. It still has a 15-minute limit for videos, just like gameplay clips.

If you don't want to record video with the PS4 itself, you can disable HDCP to enable the use of a third party capture device. This disables Blu-ray playback, and any other software that uses HDCP (so expect it to disrupt any movie or TV-watching you want to do), but if you want even greater control over capturing gameplay it's a useful option and one that can be easily toggled on and off.

Live broadcasting in 720p through Twitch.tv and UStream are supported and integrate seamlessly into the system. When you play a game and press the Share button, you can choose between posting the most recently recorded clip, posting a screen shot, or live streaming to either service. I streamed some Resogun gameplay to my Twitch account, and it showed up online within seconds. You can also upload your footage while you broadcast.

These live feeds can be viewed on the PlayStation 4 without a Twitch or Ustream account. The Live on PlayStation menu shows users currently streaming, and if the stream is public you can jump in and watch at any time. Viewers on the PlayStation 4 also get an Interact button when watching streams, which Sony says can let viewers interact with the game directly and serve as helpers.

Backward Game Compatibility

There is no backward compatibility with PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation, PlayStation Vita, or PlayStation Portable games. Some older PlayStation games can be played through Sony's PlayStation Now streaming service, available on the PS4, but the selection is limited. Currently, there is no way to play previous generation PlayStation games on the PlayStation 4 in disc or download form, so you might want to keep your PS3 around (especially if it's a first version with backward PS2 compatibility). The Xbox One, in contrast, has begun rolling out backward compatibility and disc support for over 100 Xbox 360 titles.

PlayStation Vita and Mobile Integration

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or PlayStation Vita, you can interact with the PlayStation 4 directly through a local network. The PlayStation app for iOS and Android turns your mobile device into a simple interface and remote control for your PlayStation 4. You can access your PSN information on your mobile device's screen, or turn it into a gesture-based controller to navigate through menus. This is particularly useful if you want to use your PS4 to watch streaming media or Blu-ray discs. Strangely, the app doesn't function as a touchpad to control the on-screen Web browser, but it offers a keyboard to input text. The app also lets your mobile device serve as a second screen for games that support this feature, but it doesn't directly mirror what's on your HDTV.

The PlayStation Vita works not just as a second screen, but also as a controller and remote display. The Vita's Remote Play feature lets you play PlayStation 4 games on your Vita, as long as you're within Wi-Fi range (either on the same network or through a Wi-Fi Direct connection). The Vita has fewer buttons than the DualShock 4, so the touchpad on the back is used to activate the missing buttons. I found the Remote Play feature to be smooth and responsive, but the lower resolution of the Vita's screen made PlayStation 4 games, designed to be on HDTVs, harder to see.

Conclusions

The Sony PlayStation 4 feels like a beefed-up PlayStation 3, and that's just fine. It has several new and useful features like sharing gameplay footage and handling multiple users at once, and the DualShock 4 is a fantastic upgrade over the DualShock 3 and Sixaxis controllers. It's a game system at heart, and a very good one at that, earning our Editors' Choice for the improvements it makes over the previous generation.

So should you get a PS4 or an Xbox One? Which game system is right for you boils down to the games you want to play and how much money you can spend. The PlayStation 4 works very well as a dedicated game console. However, it has fewer features, and if you subscribe to cable or satellite TV, the Xbox One is a better all-in-one media hub. For a console, though, it's all about the gaming experience, and on that front, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are neck and neck.

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