Needless to say, there are some basic differences in image quality that need knocking on the head right away. Chief among them is the hot topic of internal resolution, where we determine that the Xbox One code is indeed running at 1280x720. If this is set in stone for release - as is likely - the Microsoft version is poised to give us the most aliasing of the two next-gen platforms by a noticeable degree, and is only a stone's throw from the sub-720p resolutions of current-gen releases. On the other hand, the PS4 version delivers a whopping 1600x900 resolution in all modes, giving it a 50 per cent lead in output pixels overall. As well as cutting down on jagged edges, this reduces the amount of pixel shimmer we see in motion on complex shaders or thin geometry, with distant power lines, scaffolding and other elements with sub-pixel elements creating unwanted flickering on Xbox One.
Looking past image quality matters, we do see a direct comparison in texture assets, lighting and effects. However, there is discrepancy between the next-gen consoles in the PS4's use of ambient occlusion - which looks comparable to the PC's horizon-based method (HBAO) on ultra settings. This effect creates a gentle shaded halo around your character's hands and gun while approaching walls, adding a sense of depth to 3D objects that would otherwise appear flat. It's a taxing process for any platform, but curiously there's no ambient occlusion to speak of whatsoever at these points on Xbox One. Its absence is easy to miss due to the inherently darker gamma in our captures, but it's a notable omission nevertheless.
All in all, we can only give a preliminary outline of how Battlefield 4 will run on next-gen consoles, but there's plenty here that should remain the case for the final release in November. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that, in this near-finalised state, the PS4 offers a superior experience on several fronts. The resolution is higher at 1600x900, as compared to the tried and tested 1280x720 on Xbox One, suffering as it does for more visible aliasing artefacts. Visually, the PS4 has a marked advantage with ambient occlusion effects too, which simply isn't matched on Microsoft's platform with the build we played.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-battlefield-4-next-gen-vs-pc-face-off-preview











