New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Sony and Microsoft currently dominate the high-profile video game console market, and they have been at the top for decades. While some companies have tried their hand at the gadgets, none of them match the performance and accessibility of Sony's PlayStation series and Microsoft's Xbox series. When Ian Bell, the CEO and founder of Slightly Mad Studios, announced the Mad Box video game console on 2
nd January 2019, he promised the most powerful one ever built. Slightly Mad is new to the console game, but it is behind some of the most stunning car racing simulations, including Red Bull Air Race: The Game, Project CARS, and Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends.
Slightly Mad states that its ambitious decision to create a console, and the most powerful one, is propelled by its desire to change the duopoly market. Bell assured that they had the necessary hardware contacts to create an epic design and inject healthy competition into the market.
However, it has faced a lawsuit and lost key investors along the way, making the new console's release doubtful. If it does hit the market, it has stiff competition to go up against to be considered the best console. Here is how Mad Box stacks up against the latest releases - The PlayStation5 and Xbox Series X.
Hardware Design
Starting with the console design, the PS5 has a futuristic spaceship design with extreme attention to the exterior white finish. On the downside, it feels cheap, and the glossy middle scratches easily.
The Xbox Series is still modern but aligns with current times with an industrial build that can be set vertically or horizontally. The gadget is built like a tank and feels premium. It is still small and fits easily in different spaces
The only Mad Box console designs we have to go by are those shared by Ian Bell on Twitter. The most favoured one looks like a console from the future with LED strips that sit horizontally.
Controller
The PS5 dual-sense controller dominates the market thanks to its incredible haptics. While the Xbox controller just vibrates, PS5 gives haptic feedback. Similar to how high-end phones make it feel like you are clicking on actual keys on the display when typing. On the other hand, older/cheaper models have a vibration motor rattling inside.
The haptics is so good on this controller that in the preinstalled game Astro's Playroom, you can feel individual rain droplets hitting your fingers. Other upsides of this gadget include;
- Adaptive triggers that change tension levels depending on the game: Throwing a coin feels different from firing a gun
- A built-in speaker that adds to the immersion - It plays the sound effects only, not the sound on TV
- A built-in mic that can be disabled
- A touchpad that is used in some games and acts as a mini-controller in others
- Superior build quality that feels like sturdy plastic
The Xbox controller lacks most of these features, but it is more comfortable and fits most palm sizes. Although it does not have a built-in battery, using batteries allows them to be changed quickly once it dies.
The Mad Box controller concept looks like it has a display that changes depending on the game being played. It also has rear paddles and precision triggers. The controller does look bulky, but Bell assures it is smaller in real life.
Games
The games available to play on PS5 include Spider-Man Miles Morales, Astro's Playroom, Hitman 3, Black-Ops Cold War, God of War, and Last of Us. This console provides the best first-party, exclusive games that can be played on a powerful PC too. These games are not playable on PS4 and take advantage of PS5's new hardware.
You can expect Zoo Tycoon, AC Valhalla, Forza Horizon 4, and hundreds of others on the Xbox. The gadget is perfect for backward-compatible titles and cross-platform games at the highest possible quality. It can play games from any other generation, and they run automatically run on higher settings with better texture detail, improved shadows, and Native 4K60 with no manual patch required.
There are no exclusive games on Mad Box, and it can be a problem if the price is not perfect. Players need something to compel them to buy the console. It could be exclusive games like those offered on PS5 or cross-platform titles like those on Xbox.
Imagine yourself playing your favourite BerryBurst Max slot endlessly.
User Interface
All the consoles have some ways to go with their UI. The PS5 is easier to use, streamlined, and intuitive, unlike Xbox, which has menus on the top of menus and adds popping ads on the home screen. Playstation5 also integrates differently with different surround sound systems. Connecting Xbox to some sound systems requires you to purchase a Dolby Atmos license, and it might still not work with some games. The PS5's 4K UI also beats Xbox's 1080p option.
On the upside, the Xbox Series X upgrades any downloaded game to the latest version automatically. It also supports third-party chat apps like Skype. Mad Box has little UI info out, but the CEO states it will pay players with credits to watch ads. The credits later translate into real money.
Storage
The Xbox Series X comes with 1TB internal storage, while the Playstation5 has 825GB. Both consoles support external storage but can only be used for older generation titles. Current gen games need super-fast internal storage to function at optimum. There is an option to expand internal storage with Seagate Expansion Card for Xbox and any SSD drive with 5.5GB/sec or higher read and write speeds for the PS5.
Special Features
Xbox offers Game Pass similar to Netflix; one pays $10 per month to access hundreds of AAA games ready to download and play at any time.
This service cancels the need to buy games since new releases are included. PS5 has PlayStation.Now, but it mainly has older PS3 and a few PS4 streamed games, downgrading the quality heavily. The console can also play with VR, but it requires a special adaptor. Mad Box promises VR gaming as well.
Conclusion
These consoles thrive for different reasons. The PlayStation5 is similar to Apple, where it operates as a close ecosystem. On the other hand, Xbox Series X is the equivalent of Android, where everything is open, and you can explore a lot more options with it.
The consoles have a similar price tag of $500. PS5 does have a Digital version that costs $400 but removes the opportunity to play disk games. There is no information on the prize and specs on the Mad Box console.
