Yep, birthday money FTW! This is my only first Sony console if you discount the 2nd hand PS1 I picked up at uni to play FF7. Obviously I'm a massive Ninty fan, but I also love the multiplats which unfortunately aren't going to be coming my way. Basically the PS4 is going to be a Dragon Age/Mass Effect/Assassins Creed box. Hopefully I'll discover some Sony first party offerings that have previously passed me by in the process; LBP, Tearaway and Uncharted are 3 I'm keen to try.

Anyway; initial thoughts are as follows:

GUI/OS: Not a fan. It's functional, but I've never been a fan of the cross media style (is that what it's called?). Definitely prefer the Nintendo approach to UI design. But that said, it is nice and clean and I appreciate the lack of ads (it's one of the main reasons I've opted for PS4 over XBox One this gen), no doubt I'll get used to it.

Controller: And from the main reason I'm avoiding the Xbox this gen, to the main reason I avoided the PS3 last time: I despise the Dual Shock- the first 3 were badly designed Fisher Price toys compared to the 360 and literally any Nintendo controller post NES. Thankfully the DS4 has lost the slippy, cheap feel to it, I love the new triggers, the touch pad is suprisingly useful and although the analogue placement is weird no doubt I'll get used to it. Only criticism is that the sticks feel a bit cheap and nasty. May have to replace with the Xbox One ones.

Apps/Shop: Shop is nice; easy to navigate, doesn't throw ads at you in an obnoxious way; not sure whether I prefer the WiiU or PS4 shop, both do what they need to perfectly. Literally no complaints. Apps wise I've only the iPlayer and Netflix installed currently; both do what they need to. Netflix is leaps and bounds above the Wii U version (which is a hidden positive as it means that the PS4 will be the Netflix box, enabling the gamepad to be used for gaming whilst films are on)

Games: I've Diablo 3 and Last of Us. Last of Us is pretty, not my sort of game, it's mainly for the missus; but I'm willing to give it a go. Enjoying it so far. Diablo 3; hit X to win. Good fun.Enjoying Fex on Plus. Say what you like about Phil Fish, he didn't half make an excellent game.

Obviously the main draw for me is the upcoming games and if I waited any longer the bairn would be out and I wouldn't have the cash for a new console. Hence jumping in a couple of months before the games I'm really after arrive. Any recommendations to keep me occupied in the 4 weeks til my next payday? Preferably cheap. When do the free games refresh each month?

Username is ToxicJosh51 if anybody cares to add me. (my NNID is ToxicJosh if any Wii U owners stumble on this and want to add me)