You have to pay in order to play online. Ps4 destroys Xbox done though.
The two are, essentially, identical in terms of hardware and software. There are a few minor differences in memory bus sizes and clock rates on those busses - but it basically boils down to transparent differences in architecture and theoretical performance marks.
I will say that Microsoft has the more advanced optical recognition interface, however. On one hand - it's cool and a plus. On the other hand - it's creepy. That said - its ability to detect motion precisely and accurately is superior to the PS4's implementation. It's accurate enough to work in concert with people using the standard controller (without them having to make overt gestures) - which is impressive.
That said - Microsoft has already soiled the attitude of many people because of a few design choices as well as their marketing approach. It will be a couple years before people like myself are willing to decide whether or not Microsoft has regained enough reputation to warrant a purchase of their system.
Of course - I'm still boycotting Sony over Blu-Ray and the overall silliness of their PS3 hardware design (cell... for a console ... really?). I won't even buy Sony-branded speakers/earphones. So I've pretty much removed myself from this upcoming generation of consoles.
Which, really, isn't a bad thing. There are plenty of other things I can do with my time - I have quite a library of computer games that I can keep myself entertained with - but there are books to be read, projects to be worked on, novels to write, and programming ideas to see through.
I think this next console generation is, in the long-run, going to under-perform previous console systems. Games are getting old and tired. Just about everything has become its own version of Madden on the Super Nintendo - purchase a whole new game for that years' team rosters.
Those games that do well will be revived concepts of flight simulators, 'party brawlers' like BattleTanx, and possibly some of the 'toy' games (Army-Men, Toy Commander, etc) - though that last category is going to be more difficult for some of the up and coming generations to relate to. They didn't turn ironing boards into aircraft carriers or couches into fortified plateaus bristling with Surface to Air Missiles.
