When students aren’t studying hard for tests or working in an office, you can bet many are sitting around playing video games with their friends. It is a popular pastime and a huge revenue generator for game system manufacturers and software developers.

Both Microsoft and Sony have introduced next generation game systems to the public and college gamers are wondering which of the two most deserves their meager and hard-earned money. Sony has introduced the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft has come out with the Xbox One. I acknowledge that there are devoted gamers in both camps, yet for most gamers the choice is clearer than you might think.

Many features should be taken into account when choosing an expensive piece of equipment, such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Price is an obvious issue for almost every gamer. The system has to be not only worth the price demanded, but it must also be affordable for a majority of the gaming community.

The prices of today’s gaming systems are immensely higher than the gaming systems of the 80s and 90s. The winner here is obvious: the PlayStation 4 will run for $400, whereas the Xbox One will cost $500. College gamers, like any college student, live day-by-day financially. That $100 price difference is going to weigh heavily on gamers and put the new Xbox One at a serious disadvantage.

Although Sony will require users to pay a monthly fee for PlayStation Plus in order to play the PS4 online, it still beats the price of the Xbox One and its monthly online charge. The clear winner in the battle of overall cost is the PlayStation 4.

As when the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 battled for the public’s affection, many are asking if the new systems will be backwards compatible. The regrettable answer to this question is no, neither the Xbox one or the PlayStation 4 will be backwards compatible, leaving the two consoles on even footing at least in that arena.

Another important feature that makes the PS4 a superior gaming system is the exclusive games. Although both systems haven’t really established many clear exclusive games, there are still a few that make the PlayStation 4 a better console.

Plenty of games at this year’s E3 conference aroused attention. The PlayStation 4’s big games will be Final Fantasy XIV, Outlast, Planetside 2, and many others. The Xbox One will have yet another Halo, Ryse: Son of Rome, Killer Instinct, and Titan Fall. I must admit, Titan Fall did look like a decent game, and the battle of the games has proven to be quite the war of attrition. Titan Fall has a similar look to the original Halo game, which drives me and many other gamers to it. However, nothing Xbox One has to offer beats the aesthetic beauty of Outlast, a game reminiscent of the Half-Life series. Outlast gives the player a scary and thrilling experience that I believe no Xbox One game can provide.

Another reason why the PlayStation 4 is a better gaming console is the dependability of Sony’s products. With their previous product, Microsoft had many issues with their “red ring of death”. The Xbox 360 was not a very reliably product for many people who purchased one, including myself. The PlayStation 3 had no problem handling the many tasks it was required to do. All the gamers who suffered through the “red ring of death” breakdown with earlier Xbox models will appreciate PlayStation’s reputation for reliability.

To most gamers, the clear winner in the gaming console battle is PlayStation 4. The PS4 is listed at an economical price, and has superior games and offers a better quality product. When making a decision on which gaming console to choose, Sony simply provides the better product.