Comparison Sony PlayStation Portal vs Nintendo Switch Lite

The platform or set of platforms supported by the set-top box.

A platform can be described as a basic set of software and hardware that makes games work. Such sets significantly differ in the set of characteristics and, usually, are incompatible with each other. Therefore, any "platform" game is necessarily released for a specific platform (or in several versions for different ones), and for its normal operation it is necessary that the console supports this platform.

Most modern platforms were created by large companies, and their names are directly related to the brands of set-top boxes of these companies: for example, Sony has a PlayStation, Microsoft has an Xbox, etc. Note that one platform can describe several types and generations of game consoles; see details below in the descriptions of the individual items.

The most popular options today:

— Play station. Developed by Sony. Includes multiple generations of PlayStation desktop consoles, as well as portable consoles (see Form Factor) such as the PS Portable and PS Vita. Later desktop models are compatible with games from previous generations (with rare exceptions), and portable consoles can also run games from early desktop PlayStations. Supports the PS Move controller, which works on the principle of motion tracking.

— Xbox. Platform created by Microsoft. Includes only desktop models, is charact...erized by a fairly powerful hardware. One of the interesting features is the original Kinect controller, which is a camera to track the user's movements and control the game through these movements.

— Nintendo. A platform developed by the company of the same name. Within this family, three directions of consoles can be distinguished: desktop Wii, portable DS and combined Switch. One of the most striking features of this platform is that when developing new consoles, Nintendo pays attention not so much to increasing hardware power as to introducing original technical solutions. Thus, the Wii became the first set-top box on the market to use motion controllers (see "Packages"). The DS family is feature-packed, and some of these consoles are even capable of displaying a 3D image that is visible without special glasses. The Switch is the first full-fledged hybrid set-top box that natively allows for both portable and desktop use (see Form Factor for details).

— Android. Unlike all the above names, Android is not a gaming platform, but a full-fledged operating system designed for various mobile devices (primarily smartphones and tablets). Its key difference from the actual platforms is the extensive possibilities for installing additional applications, among which the actual games are just one of many categories (and far from being the main one). Most Android models are gaming tablets (see "Form Factor").

It is worth noting that technical support of one set-top box for several platforms is not excluded. In addition, this list is not exhaustive, there may be other options on the market — most often the original eight- and sixteen-bit platforms.

The official release year of the game console. Usually, it is indicated by the date of official sale. This information allows you to determine the "age" of the device — and, accordingly, its functionality (to some extent), including within its own platform. So, for example, the difference between the Xbox One S and Xbox One X in terms of name is not particularly obvious; but knowing that the first was released in 2016, and the second — in 2017, you can definitely determine which model will be newer and more advanced. Accordingly , the novelties of 2020 and 2019 will be even better.

The diagonal of the set-top box's own display. The display is by definition found in handheld models and game pads (see Form Factor); in desktop models, this element of equipment is quite rare and is usually installed not in the set-top box itself, but on standard controllers (which sometimes can even work as separate devices).

The larger the display size, the larger, respectively, the overall size of the image that the user sees on the screen. However, it is worth considering 2 points. Firstly, an increase in the display size has a corresponding effect on the dimensions of the set-top box itself, and therefore even in advanced tablets it does not exceed 7". Secondly, the image quality depends not only on the size of the display, but also on its resolution (see below). Moreover, at the same resolution, the picture on a larger screen will be less clear and more "grainy" due to the larger pixel size.

Set-top box native display resolution. This parameter largely determines the quality of the image: the higher the resolution (with the same diagonal) — the more even and smoothed the “picture” will be, the less noticeable will be the individual points that make up it. Here, however, it must be borne in mind that the corresponding graphics resolution should be provided for in the games themselves. Ideally, it should match the display values — otherwise the image will look either too rough, "grainy" (if the game resolution is less than that of the screen), or small and cloudy (if the game resolution is higher). However, most platforms for portable models have certain requirements for screens, and manufacturers, even unofficial ones, usually try to follow them.

The presence in the design of the set-top box of a screen that is sensitive to touch — like those used in modern smartphones and tablets; in fact, gaming tablets (see "Form factor") are equipped with such screens by definition. The touch display significantly expands the control possibilities — in some games it is most convenient to control the process with the help of touches on the screen, and in general, as a controller, it is quite universal. In addition, this function can be very useful when using additional, non-gaming features (for example, while surfing the web).

— LAN (Local Area Network). The most common and in fact the dominant interface today for wired connection of various electronic devices to computer networks. Allows you to work with local resources, as well as access the Internet. In the case of game consoles, such a connection can be used for network games, for working with specialized gaming services, cloud storage, firmware updates, and even for full-fledged web surfing and/or playing music and videos from local resources or Internet sites; specific network capabilities in different models are different. Note that the LAN interface is installed exclusively in desktop consoles (see "Form factor") — it is poorly suited for portable ones for a number of reasons.

— Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). Game consoles use Wi-Fi wireless technology primarily to access the Internet. The ways of using such a connection can be different: multiplayer games, access to branded gaming services, social networks, full-fledged web surfing, updating games or firmware, etc. This method of connection is more convenient than wired, because it eliminates the hassle with cables; and for portable models (see "Form factor"), it is actually the only possible one. Specifically, the Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) standard provides data transfer rates up to 300 Mbps and uses two bands — 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The latter ensures compatibility with both earlier (Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g) and later (Wi-Fi 5) standards. And the mentioned speed is consider...ed relatively low, but for most tasks it is more than enough.

— Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Further, after the Wi-Fi 4 described above, the development of Wi-Fi technology. It uses the 5 GHz band and gives a data transfer rate of more than 1 Gbps (in the future — up to 6 Gbps). This speed not only simplifies the transfer of large amounts of data (for example, downloading games or updates to them), but also reduces lag in online games. For compatibility with older Wi-Fi standards using the 2.4GHz band, Wi-Fi 4 may also be supported in addition to Wi-Fi 5.

— Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). The latest version for 2020 uses the ranges from 1 to 7 GHz — that is, it is capable of operating at standard frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (including with equipment of earlier standards), and in other frequency bands. The maximum data transfer rate increased to 10 Gbps, however, the main advantage of Wi-Fi 6 was not even this, but further optimization of the simultaneous operation of several devices on the same channel (improvement of the technical solutions used in Wi-Fi 5 and WiGig). Thanks to this, Wi-Fi 6 gives the smallest speed drop among modern standards when the channel is loaded.

— Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax). The Wi-Fi 6E standard is technically called 802.11ax. But unlike basic Wi-Fi 6, which is named similarly, it provides for operation in the unused 6 GHz band. In total, the standard uses 14 different frequency bands, offering high throughput in the most crowded places with many active connections. And it is backwards compatible with previous versions.

— Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). As in the previous edition of Wi-Fi 6E, the technology supports operation in three frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz. Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth has increased from 160 MHz to 320 MHz, allowing larger amounts of data to be transferred overnight. IEEE 802.11be uses 4096-QAM modulation, which also allows more symbols to be accommodated in a data transmission unit. The maximum you can squeeze out of the standard is up to 46 Gbit/s information exchange speed. In the context of game consoles, the development of MLO (Multi-Link Operation) looks like a useful innovation, with which you can aggregate several channels in different ranges. This significantly reduces delays in data transfer, while simultaneously ensuring low and stable ping in games. And when connecting multiple client devices, Multi-RU (Multiple Resource Unit) technology is designed to minimize possible delays.

— Bluetooth. Wireless interface designed for direct connection between various devices; very versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes. In game consoles, use cases for Bluetooth include connecting wireless controllers, headphones and headsets, and sharing files with other gadgets (such as a laptop or tablet); the specific capabilities of this interface are different in different models. Bluetooth uses the radio range and has a range of about 10 m, while it can maintain a connection even through walls (except that the range in this case is reduced).

— NFC. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless communication technology with a short range, of the order of several centimeters. Potentially, it has quite extensive capabilities, but today it is most often used as an auxiliary tool when connecting via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. If both connected devices have an NFC, instead of searching, connecting, authorizing and other actions, it is enough to bring these devices to each other and accept the connection. The vast majority of game consoles with an NFC are portable (see Form Factor).

— mini-Jack (3.5 mm). General purpose connector, most commonly used as an analogue audio output. Simply put, in set-top boxes, such an interface is usually designed to connect headphones, speakers and other external audio accessories — a lot of such devices use a 3.5 mm plug, and there are corresponding adapters for other interfaces. At the same time, the specific functionality of the mini-Jack connector may be different. So, in some models it works only as an output, in others it can be used to connect a headset with a microphone or even a separate microphone. In addition, this connector can be combined with an optical S / P-DIF output (for more details, see "Additional").

— miniHDMI. A smaller version of the HDMI interface detailed below. It is installed in portable consoles and game pads (see "Form factor"), does not differ from the full-size version, except for the dimensions of the connector, and is used for the same purpose — to connect to a TV or other screen and transmit video and audio signals.

— HDMI. A digital interface that allows you to simultaneously transmit high-definition video and multi-channel audio up to 7.1 over a single cable (in addition, in high quality and with a minimum of interference). It is one of the most common in modern video technology, the vast majority of TVs and monitors have at least one HDMI input. At the same time, for working with resolutions from...HD (1280x720) and higher, this connection interface is considered optimal today. Therefore, the presence of HDMI is almost mandatory for desktop consoles with support for high-definition video (portable models do not use a full-size connector due to their relatively large dimensions).

— microUSB. A reduced (actually, the smallest to date) version of the USB interface, widely used in computer technology for connecting external devices; completely identical to the full-size version, except for the shape and dimensions of the connector. Appeared due to the fact that the original USB connector has rather large dimensions, poorly suitable for pocket-sized equipment; accordingly, among consoles it is usually found in portable models and gaming tablets (see "Form factor"). The microUSB connection is designed for the set-top box to work as a connected device, slave (for more details, see "USB 2.0"). With it, you can, for example, download new games to your device or update the firmware.

— micro USB (MHL). Connector that combines the capabilities of microUSB and HDMI (see above). It is completely identical in shape and size to microUSB, it is also compatible with a conventional USB interface and provides the same features; however, MHL can also be used for high-definition video and multi-channel audio. Such a transfer is provided through a simple adapter cable with a microUSB plug on one end and HDMI on the other; with this connection, the set-top box battery can even be recharged. MHL was created as a mobile standard and it is used, respectively, in portable models (see "Form factor"). It eliminates the need for manufacturers to provide a separate miniHDMI output for video output, which has a positive effect on compactness. However for normal operation in video transmission mode, it is necessary that the TV or other external screen also has MHL certification; however, in extreme cases, the situation can be corrected with a simple adapter.

— USB-C. A kind of USB connector, positioned simultaneously as a replacement for full-size USB and for compact microUSB. It is comparable in size to microUSB, which is why it is found mainly in portable and hybrid consoles (see "Form factor"). One of the features of this interface is a two-way connector that can be inserted into the socket by either side (unlike previous types of USB connector). In terms of purpose, USB-C is in most cases similar to microUSB; and in terms of data transfer speed and other characteristics, it usually corresponds to USB 3.0 or 3.1 (see below).

The performance of the graphics card installed in the game console.

Performance is measured in FLOPS, the number of floating point math operations that a graphics card processor can perform in one second. Game consoles traditionally use teraflops, or trillions of operations per second.

Theoretically, higher performance means a more advanced graphics card and corresponding graphics quality. However, in fact, this parameter is often given more for promotional purposes than to describe the actual capabilities of the console. The fact is that the quality of game graphics depends not only on the capabilities of the graphics card, but also on other factors — including the general characteristics of the set-top box (processor, memory, etc.), as well as how well the games are optimized for this platform . Therefore, models similar to each other in this indicator may differ markedly in the actual video capabilities. Moreover, a relatively modest graphics card can also outperform a more performant counterpart. For example, Microsoft's Xbox One S, which has a "only" 1.4 TFLOPS video accelerator, supports 4K resolution and HDR (see "Features"), while its peer PS 4 Slim with a 1.84 TFLOPS graphics card TFLOPS does not have such capabilities. Therefore, it makes sense to compare video performance only on consoles that differ significantly in digital indicators.

The amount of RAM installed on board the console.

RAM is one of the main components of computer systems (which are all game consoles). Performance significantly depends on its volume: the more memory (ceteris paribus), the higher the speed, usually, and the better the system handles with resource-intensive tasks. On the other hand, in game consoles, RAM is installed in such a way that it is guaranteed to correspond to the claimed platform, so it makes sense to pay close attention to this parameter only in gaming tablets. This moment is described in more detail above in the “Processor” paragraph.