Specs
While the full specs for the Xbox Scorpio haven’t been revealed, Microsoft did share a few tidbits about the upcoming machine back at E3. It will feature 320 GBs of bandwidth, have an 8-core CPU, and the graphics card will have 6 TFLOPs of power. It was also revealed that it would fully support VR, as well as 4K gaming.
The PS4 Pro had quite a few features revealed. It will have 4.2 TFLOPS of power. Like the Scorpio and the standard PS4, it will have an 8-core processor and maintain its 8GB of GDDR5 RAM. 4K and HDR gaming are on the list of features, along with the full support of VR (which the standard PS4 also supports).
For the most part, they’re looking pretty comparable in this space, except that the Scorpio is looking to push out nearly 50% more power when it releases. It will be interesting to see how their full final specs match up and what experiences both machines are capable of delivering.
Games
So far, it isn’t exactly clear what each of the video game giants will be doing in terms of games. Both Sony and Microsoft strongly feel that no gamer should be left behind simply because they don’t want to upgrade their hardware, which could potentially eliminate the threat of exclusives. However, with much powerful hardware available, the publishers may be hard-pressed to convince developers to make sure games work across the board.
While we may not see any true exclusives (which is a blessing if it happens), there is a good chance that both pieces of hardware will birth exclusive features instead. Bonuses that can be enjoyed if you’re playing on the better hardware and possibly more graphical options can be made available. Perhaps even modding can be relegated to the stronger consoles as well.
Depending on how the Pro and Scorpio handle this particular subject, the battle between the behemoths can go either way. A big issue with the Xbox One’s initial launch was that consumers felt slighted by Microsoft, and Sony would draw a lot of ire if it suddenly ditched its whole pro-consumer movement.
Sony has, of course, already shared their plans for dealing with the PS4 Pro’s library for now. Nobody will be left behind and games will support both machines, with some bonuses for Pro when possible. But how long they’ll keep that up is up in the air, as we’ve seen companies desert past hardware before, so only time will tell. Microsoft pledged the same, so both are even here.
Pricing
There are currently no details on pricing concerning the Project Scorpio. Chances are that it will definitely cost more than an Xbox One costs now, but we’re still about a year out from its release. In fact, other than the few specs that were shared a few months back, there isn’t much known at all. It’s possible that the team over at Xbox is waiting to hear a bit from Sony first so they can plan out their approach. We honestly couldn’t blame them, as that strategy worked out really well for Sony leading up to the PS4’s initial release.
Sony unveiled a surprisingly low $399 cost, which will definitely put a lot of pressure on Microsoft. But that’s not all they have to listen up for. While the Xbox Team has been silent since the Pro’s unveiling, which actually included the console, they may be waiting on seeing what the machine is actually capable of. If they feel that they offer something more we may see a slightly higher cost, but with a year to sell, we can also see a price drop on Sony’s end to throw a wrench in Microsoft’s plans.
When Can You Get One?
Project Scorpio is slated for sometime during Holiday 2017. That can mean anytime during the fall or winter, most likely before Christmas, though. Many expect that Sony’s project would come out shortly before, but they apparently are going for a one year head start with the PS4 Pro dropping on Nov. 10 of this year. If you’re not good with time and dates, that means it’s just two months away.
It can prove to be a really smart move on Sony’s part, taking advantage of the building hype by having it available relatively immediately. Microsoft will definitely be playing the long game, though, as we move closer to the end of 2017.
Which is Better?
It’s still pretty early to decide which one is definitively better. Right now, even with the PS4 Pro being quite literally around the corner, it’s still just numbers on paper. We’ve seen fantastic demonstrations and the hype is palpable, but it may not be all that special when we finally get our hands on it. Likewise, the Xbox One’s Project Scorpio is just numbers as well. We know it will be more powerful than what we have now, but what will that mean in practice?
The good thing is that they’re releases are far enough apart where you won’t have to burn a hole into your wallet. You can buy a PS4 Pro now and have ample time to save up for the Scorpio whenever it’s ready to show itself. The only true advantage the Pro has is its release date. But once both hit the scene, it’s really anyone’s game.
