In our developing digital generation, a lot of people are considering getting a console over a gaming PC. The times are changing and one of the biggest wars is taking place at this very moment, not a war with guns (unless you count the video game ones). The release of the Eight generation consoles marks the start of the Next-Gen War.
The current competitors are Sony's PlayStation 4 (PS4), Microsoft's Xbox One (Xbone) and Nintendo's Wii U. Each of these comes from a long line of renowned and distinguished predecessors.

Release Date and Customer Reaction
PlayStation 4 was officially announced at a press conference on February 20th, 2013 and was released on 15th November 2013 in North America with a price tag of $399. In the first 24 hours it sold more than 1 million units.
Xbox One was officially announced at a press conference on May 21st, 2013. Microsoft had intended to implement strict control over reselling of games and other controls but due to public backlash it was reversed. Xbox One was released on 25th November, 2013 in 13 countries with a price tag of $499. The Xbox One had similar results as the PlayStation 4, and sold over 1 million units.
Wii U is the first 8th gen console as it was officially introduced on June 7, 2011. It was released on 18th November, 2012. Base price starting from $299. Sales have not surpassed 500,000 units in the first six months which is comparatively low.

PlayStation 4
The PS4 is light and slim compared to the Xbox One, with its power supply built inside as opposed to a power brick. It's matte on the bottom and glossy on the top, which contrasts well. Its weight is approximately 2.8 kg (6.1 pounds). It is only available in one colour at launch, jet black. The PS4 is a world of difference lighter and more stylish than the launch PS3, and even the PS3 slim.
The controller will be Dualshock 4. The DualShock 4 sports an integrated touch pad, headset jack, share button, and LED player identifier. The unit weighs 69 ounces. The DualShock features the same two sticks, eight buttons, and one D-Pad configuration as previous models. The Dualshock 4 retails for $59.99 in the US.

Xbox One

Xbox One's exterior casing consists of a two-tone “liquid black” finish; with half finished in a matte grey, and the other in a glossier black. The design was intended to evoke a more entertainment-oriented and simplified look than previous iterations of the console; among other changes, the LED rings used by Xbox 360 are replaced by a glowing white Xbox logo used to communicate the system's status to the user.

Xbox One's controller maintains the overall layout found in the 'Xbox 360s design. The directional pad has been changed to a four-way design, and the battery compartment is slimmer. Menu and View buttons have replaced the Start and Back buttons. Each trigger features independent rumble motors called “Impulse Triggers”, which allow developers to programme directional vibration. One trigger can be made to vibrate when firing a gun, or both can work together to create feedback that indicates the direction of an incoming hit.

Wii U
The Wii U looks extremely similar to the original Wii, only more rounded and longer. It's designed to sit flat rather than upright, but you still have the option of which ever suits you. It looks better lying flat in my opinion. On the front of the console is a slot loading disc drive; power, eject and sync buttons; and a flap which hides two USB ports and an SD card slot. Round the back is the power connector and, for the first time on a Nintendo console, an HDMI port (cable included). There's two more USB ports, the same sensor bar connector and an AV port so Wii owners can use previous cables if they wish or don't have an HDMI port.
The main attraction of the Wii U would be its controller. Tired of playing on the television all day? No problem, the Wii U controllers come with a stunning 6.2” touchscreen display. The controller also features a front-facing camera (usable for video chat), dual analogue sticks, and motion control support.

Final Verdict
In a strict comparison like this, the PlayStation 4 comes out as the better console of the three and is priced $100 less to boot. Things get a little murkier when you start looking beyond just the core stats of the systems though. If you're looking for mobility I would suggest the Wii U, as its controller offers a mobile experience. The best buy for the holidays would be Sony's Playstation 4 .Though the war of the consoles will continue for a few years we can primarily see that Xbox One and PS4 will be the ones imperatively dominating the market. At the end of the day, the choice is up to you. Buy a console for its games, not its hardware.

Iftekhar Rafsan is a Grade X student at Scholastica, Dhaka.