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Kotaku: Why PS4's higher resolution than Xbox One matters

If this were just a question of resolution it would matter, though it wouldn't be the end of the world. What it really means, though, is that there's a lot more graphical horsepower under the pod that can be used in a wide variety of ways. Resolution is one possibility, sure, and for a cross-platform title it's one of the easiest for a developer to take advantage of as we're seeing at launch. Given more time, a developer could choose to use that extra bandwidth and computation for additional effects, or a better frame rate, or more character detail, or higher resolution shadow maps, etc.

Giving a developer expanded options is what lets them achieve more of what they envision, and I expect we'll see some pretty interesting ways to take advantage of the hardware over time.
 
Is there some sort of embargo up on Xbone? Seems like there are finally some sites covering its deficiencies the past few days.
 
animlboogy said:
Good IQ makes great art show even better, though. Look at Dark Souls with DSfix. That unveiled just how beautiful and detailed the texture work was in that game. We wouldn't have known without it.
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Totally agree, that's why I pony up and invest in PC gaming as my platform of choice :)
 
.GqueB. said:
What bugs me about this argument is the fact that superior graphics/whatever the fuck hasn't proven to be THAT much of a factor historically. I'm really confused as to why people are latching onto it.
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Historically, hasn't the more powerful box cost more? Only outlier is GameCube I think... but Nintendo goofed up in a lot of other areas with that. You can make the case that if Nintendo bothered to put modern hardware in the Wii it would've lasted a lot longer as well.

I think people would be a lot more forgiving of the One's shortcomings if it was cheaper, like $350.
 
I don't think the resolution matters as much as the fact that the PS4 can output double the pixels. That kind of extra power can go towards anything, not just resolution. People are focusing too much on pixels instead of the bigger picture
 
My Assassin's Creed looks crystal clear on my tv which I feel I have set up very well using PC inputs and calibrated brightness levels and looks so much smoother and clearer than these crappy shots I keep seeing


Oh and NBA and Forza are both 1080p on xbox so its not like it will be like this for the generation

Xbox will get the devs to get games to 900-1080 when appropriate
 
Kind of sad that in this day in age we really need articles stating how a higher resolution is better than lower res as if its like some controversial opinion.
 
dark10x said:
Those are part of it, but I also want to see a technology that moves away from a fixed pixel design and eliminates the need for refresh rates (like G-Sync, basically).

The R&D going into LCDs is being wasted due to the nature of the technology. They are sample and hold displays using a fixed pixel grid requiring some sort of back light. All of those things need to be changed.


CRTs provide zero input lag and whatever refresh rate you desire along with superior performance in other areas. Unfortunately, they are all but dead, large in size, and limited in resolution (though resolution is less important on a CRT).
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I think what you find with LCDs taking over is the combo of price/size taking over for the majority vs the small amount who can really tell the difference.

I hate a ton of the issues with old school games on a LCD vs CRT, but the trade off of not having a 300 lb tv vs my like 20 lb one that also takes up less space.

I hope display tech gets better, and in time it will. but for the foreseeable next 5 years, I'm ok with getting a 4k lcd followed by something else in 202X.
 
Starbuck2907 said:
Meanwhile, Ryse at 900p on Xbox One is killing it.
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Even I have to admit, that game was extremely impressive graphically due to Crytek's custom upscaler. Also, I think the physically based lighting/rendering made a huge difference. It was one of the only games that I looked at the screamed "These are next gen graphics and I want the next batman to look like this!".

But anyway, one the subject, the resolution difference will matter to folks who play FPS and find it difficult to spot enemies. Other than that, I can't think of anything else that would spoil the experience gameplay wise. I mainly game on the PC anyway.
 
nailbombxx said:
Kind of sad that in this day in age we really need articles stating how a higher resolution is better than lower res as if its like some controversial opinion.
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Blame the majority of gaming "journalists" (I laugh every time I hear them calling themselves that) and their blatant favoritism towards MS.
 
Green Slime said:
This article should've come at the latest before Black Friday. "Noticed a disparity"? Get real, the 720p vs 1080p issue was known pre-launch, and countless outlets tried to make light of it. Now, after everyone has purchased the system, you guys decide to voice this "opinion"? And you don't expect people to call you out on your bullshit?
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This should have come before Black Friday why, exactly? Because you arbitrarily decided that this particular Kotaku article about graphical disparity should come before people go holiday shopping? As if we haven't been covering these issues for weeks and months already? As if we haven't already told our readers that our best sources tell us the PS4 is the more powerful system? As if we didn't write thorough reviews telling people not to buy either system yet?

We have posted and will continue to post about next-gen graphical disparities for weeks and months and years to come, not just "before Black Friday," and if you have a problem with that, I invite you to not read our website or post in threads about the content that our website gives you. Thanks in advance.
 
Shaunboy97 said:
Then why are my friends and coworkers that own both systems play their Xbox more? I'm thinking it has nothing to do with p's
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You know lots of people who bought both at launch and managed to obtain them.

Impressive. Your little bubble is an impressive one to say the least.
 
The only good thing that has and will come out of this topic is the word "crusty" to describe jaggies. Such a perfect choice and one im surprised noone has thought of it before.
 
jschreier said:
This should have come before Black Friday why, exactly? Because you arbitrarily decided that this particular Kotaku article about graphical disparity should come before people go holiday shopping? As if we haven't been covering these issues for weeks and months already? As if we haven't already told our readers that our best sources tell us the PS4 is the more powerful system? As if we didn't write thorough reviews telling people not to buy either system yet?

We have posted and will continue to post about next-gen graphical disparities for weeks and months and years to come, not just "before Black Friday," and if you have a problem with that, I invite you to not read our website or post in threads about the content that our website gives you. Thanks in advance.
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It's not like Black Friday made a big difference in their sales either way. haha
 
Of course it matters, I don't need a blog to tell me that 720p upscaled to 1080p looks like garbage compared to native 1080p.
 
jschreier said:
We have posted and will continue to post about next-gen graphical disparities for weeks and months and years to come, not just "before Black Friday," and if you have a problem with that, I invite you to not read our website or post in threads about the content that our website gives you. Thanks in advance.
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I'll gladly accept the invitation to not read your website, but decline the latter. If I see something I disagree with, I'll be voicing my issues with said content, whether it comes from Kotaku or any other site. If it bothers you so much, then just continue ignoring my grievances and towing the company line, as you are now.
 
Warm Machine said:
There is no reason why an Xbox One can't get 1080p out of most games. If most 360 games like Gears 3 were hitting 720p, having 10 times the power at their disposal means that 1080p should be a breeze. It has to be a driver or tools issue.
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No, it's not a driver issue. It's an issue with the GPU not having enough ROPs to render graphically intensive games at 1080p. Major sacrifices have to be made (like AA or in the case of Forza, dynamic lighting AND AA) in order to hit 1080p. For devs that use the PS4 as their lead platform, you can pretty much guarantee the Xbone version will run at 900p or 720p unless they make major changes to the engine or effects being rendered. That's just how it is. MS put a crappy GPU in their console and now they're paying the price for it.
 
But my TV is only 720p!!! Well, actually 1366x768. I have another one but that room is not suitable for Kinect or the Eye. And I fully expect this gen to be a 720p gen. The first thing that suffers when devs look for more power is resolution. Those 1080p launch titles (most of them ports of current gen titles) don't fool me, when devs have the choice to either add more eyecandy or make it more sharp they will add more effects because that's what everybody instantly recognizes. The gaming press thought Ghosts looked vastly better on PS4 than on X1 (except Polygon). Then it turned out that both were running at 720p. Ryse at 900p looks better than any 1080p game. Horizon at 720p looks better than any 1080p racer. There's much more to a good final result than resolution.
 
jschreier said:
Oh, fuck off. Our posting schedule is not determined by the whims of NeoGAF. Kirk played a bunch of games, noticed a disparity, and wanted to write about it. Got a problem with that? Don't read our website.

"Show no stones when it counts" - as if we aren't the outlet that has been constantly breaking news about both next-gen consoles all year, and as if we didn't tell readers that neither console is worth buying yet, because that's the brutal truth. Some of you people drive me crazy sometimes.
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Look man, I know you have been reporting everything under the sun, which I am grateful for - but you are also an opinion website, and your opinion influences potential buyers. To hold back the opinion that it is important that the PS4 has a better resolution than the XBone until December 3rd is kind of weak.
And in terms of being driven crazy - how about spending six months witnessing a weaker console's faults being continuously glossed over or forgotten by just about every reporter in the industry.
 
Yopis said:
Why are people mad that Kotaku did this article?
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I can only speak for myself:

1.) It comes well after other sites claimed the opposite, thus restarting an argument that I thought was thankfully over.

2.) It's an "article" stating the obvious. 1080p is superior to 720p? No shit!

3.) It comes after the biggest shopping day of the year, when it might have mattered to some consumers who had been led astray by other sites.
 
Green Slime said:
I can only speak for myself:

1.) It comes well after other sites claimed the opposite, thus restarting an argument that I thought was thankfully over.

2.) It's an "article" stating the obvious. 1080p is superior to 720p? No shit!

3.) It comes after the biggest shopping day of the year, when it might have mattered to some consumers who had been led astray by other sites.
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Gotcha thanks for the reply I can understand the thought process. Carry on.
 
Green Slime said:
I can only speak for myself:

1.) It comes well after other sites claimed the opposite, thus restarting an argument that I thought was thankfully over.

2.) It's an "article" stating the obvious. 1080p is superior to 720p? No shit!

3.) It comes after the biggest shopping day of the year, when it might have mattered to some consumers who had been led astray by other sites.
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1. Well you could just not read the threads about it, not that hard.

2. Yeah it should be obvious, but sadly other journalists are talking shit about resolution not mattering, so I'm glad they did it.

3. Eh.... Can't say I give a fuck, but I guess I get that point.
 
x3sphere said:
What are the chances MS comes out with a slightly beefed up Xbox One to match the PS4?

Games would still run fine on the old box, just lower res. Seems feasible. Just would suck for early adopters. I reckon they might do it, otherwise this is going to bite them in the ass for years to come.
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I suggested this and had my topic locked, mobile phone api's have multiple "profiles" that tell the game code what resolution and FX to use based on the specific hardware.

I see no reason why Microsoft couldn't do the same to "level the graphical playing field".....this is pretty much the only way I'm paying far a X1.

You move Microsoft
 
Klocker said:
My Assassin's Creed looks crystal clear on my tv which I feel I have set up very well using PC inputs and calibrated brightness levels and looks so much smoother and clearer than these crappy shots I keep seeing


Oh and NBA and Forza are both 1080p on xbox so its not like it will be like this for the generation

Xbox will get the devs to get games to 900-1080 when appropriate
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This isn't like the difference between the PS3 and the 360 where both consoles were about equal in power expect that the PS3 was far harder to program for. In that case, as time went by developers learned how to tap the potential of the PS3 to bring it to parity with the 360. However now there is a real difference in power between the consoles that will never go away.

Resolution is just a symptom. It is the easiest way we have right now to see the power difference between the PS4 and XB1. While games will get better on the XB1 as this generation goes on, so to will they on the PS4. I can foresee the XB1 getting 900-1080p games, but then I see the PS4 getting that plus splitscreen coop, better FPS, better image quality, better pathfinding, more AI enemies per level...

Some of that might require PS4 exclusive games to be demonstrated because third party developers can't split the code base too much. However it will be interesting to see what happens when a very noticeable gap opens up between PS4 exclusives and multiplatforms. Will that hurt the sales of multiplatforms on the PS4? If the PS4 opens up a significant lead in the install base, then it might be worth the while of multiplats to use the power of the PS4 to its fullest.
 
Nice to see the press starting to write about this disparity in almost all the next gen multiplats. I'm not sure there is a good parallel for this kind of scenario from the previous console launches, given both consoles launching at almost the same time and one being noticeably more expensive. I think it was a really good move by ms to have all those exclusives, especially peggle ;).
 
Green Slime said:
Why is this still a topic worthy of discussion? 1080p is better than 720p, most people will notice the difference, and it all comes down to the games. The end. I swear, "game journalists" seem to love to just keep reigniting this silly argument.
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Because it's the story many here at gaf have been asking for and so it makes good click bait.
 
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