those engineers are not failproof, look at the ps3. had it been weaker and easier to program the games would still look the same as they did and it would have saved sony hundreds of millions of dollars.

If they can make it more powerful at lower cost? Why NOT do it?

HAHAHAHAHAHA, yes they would. You only had to show him Uncharted 3, Last of Us, God of War and Killzone. If anything, the difference in power is even bigger this time, 50 percent better GPU and faster ram. I believe we've already seen the difference, compare the Dark Sorcerer, The Order or Deep Down demos to the Xbone games. No contest

I have both consoles and am completely neutral.

From my point of view the PS3 exclusives look only distinctly better if you play on a smaller TV. The larger the screen gets, the more visible the jaggies are, which is really off-putting.

I have a 55 inch Flat and have to say that most of the games look better on the Xbox360 due to the better antialising (multiplats). If I compare both with my PC, which is connected to the TV as well, they both pale in comparison.

The new generation won´t be any different. Maybe there will be 3-4 games, which will look a little better on the PS4, but it´s not as if  it is capable of rendering in 4k, while the Xbox1 isn´t. In some years, while console players are arguing about  minimal technical differences, it will be PCs which are making the true next step again.

So just enjoy the games and buy the console, which better suits your taste and needs.

I agree, "power" is not everything. What was the defining factor for me was the controller, the inclusion of SixaxiS in Dualshock 3, all you have to do is look at flOwer to truly see why the game (at the time) was not possible anywhere else. (Not the rendering of each blade of grass that someone once said in an interview. It was the mix of the visuals capable on the ps3 and the controller that made that game possible.

I think Sony made the smart choice of trying new things with the DS4, X1 doesn't seem to do anything unique, yes it has the menu and view buttons but the DS4 offers much more opportunities for game functionality. I'm really looking forward to PS4 exclusives who can use the controller to its full potential.

Better hardware for $100 less.

Sorry, what was the question?

Why? Even if 3rd party publishers don't make use of the extra processing power, memory bandwidth and available system/video memory, SCE studio and SCE exclusive developers will.

I will, unless their cheap hardware in the box. Sony so determine to out shine the competition with better hardware. Sony have always been more known for powerful hardware, but need to learn that really console gamers just want their games to look good.

I agree with what many are saying here.

Since both consoles are running similar hardware--from the same company, in fact, when it comes to the CPU and GPU--the extra raw power will be much easier to exploit on the PS4 this time. GDDR5 will offer an advantage on top of that as well. It'll probably end up not being used as much with multiplats, though.

Really, though, you can't use trailers and E3 footage as visual proof of anything. Most of the footage is either straight CG, running on a "equivalent" PC, or is likely high-end "in-engine" cutscene footage far beyond the scope of actual gameplay visuals. We won't know for sure how this pans out until people start playing the games on the real consoles.

Yes, it does have extra power for no reason, but it's not quite like the PS3 because they were able to keep costs in line. Still, if they were wise they would have made it a little weaker and sold it a little cheaper and/or banked the extra cash.

Is it really that big a deal when it's already $100 cheaper than the Xone? 

Costs will come down over time. And that extra power will help make the system more future proof. Without the crazy complications of the Cell this time, I think this approach is better long-term.

The difference in raw power this upcoming gen; is bigger than the difference between the PS3-X360. So I think that as the generation goes PS4 first party titles will look better than XBO titles (similar to the case of PS3 and 360; but the difference will be even bigger down the road); and that multiplats will run better on the PS4; like better AA, better framerate, better textures.

And it is even better considering it cost $100 less.