Game Install Times On Xbox One & PS4 Compared

Both Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 consoles require you to install your new games, and there’s no getting around that wait, whichever next-gen machine you choose. Those plumping for the Xbox One, however, will seemingly spend a lot more time with the kettle on than their PlayStation counterparts.

A new video from Kotaku shows the comparison – with a PS4 and Xbox One racing to install cross-platform launch title Need For Speed Rivals. The results are astonishing.

The site tested six multiplatform games and every time the Xbox One took considerably longer than the PS4. In each case Sony’s machine required less than sixty seconds of pre-loading before gameplay began, whereas Microsoft’s needed several minutes, and included waiting for updates – all of which happened in the background on the PlayStation.

Obviously once the game’s content is fully installed future boot up times are much the same, regardless of console choice.

The full list of tested titles and their install times can be found below. For the purpose of this test both consoles were connected to WiFi with a moderate download speed of around 10Mbps.

Assassin’s Creed IV:
Xbox One (offline, no update): 5 minutes 50 seconds
Xbox One (with update): 10 minutes 32 seconds
PS4: 42 seconds

Need For Speed Rivals:
XB1: 09:25
PS4: 00:32

Just Dance 2014:
XB1: 08:48
PS4: 00:45

NBA Live 14:
XB1: 16:26
PS4: 00:35

FIFA 14:
XB1: 16:06
PS4: 00:34

Madden 25:
XB1: 09:38
PS4: 00:38

Quite a difference, and it doesn’t always end there. You’ll notice that Madden 25 took 9 minutes longer to launch on Xbox One than PlayStation – and even then parts of the game’s single player were unavailable, apparently still installing, despite everything being available almost instantly on PS4. A similar thing is reported to have happened with Assassin’s Creed 4. Crikey!

Source: Kotaku.

44 Comments

  1. Woah. When you said PS4 came out on top I wasn’t expecting it to be by that much!
    That is a huge gulf between the two consoles. Sony sorted that out nicely, well done them. It won’t sell any extra units of course but very favourable when you’re using it.

  2. I read somewhere the ps4’s bluray drive reads 3x faster than the x1 so kinda what would be expected.

    • You’de think with the price they’re charging for the console they could have put in a better drive …

    • Hmm both are 6x Blu-Ray drives – ps3 had a 2x one.

      So why XBone isntalls slower maybe due to inferior OS? Or the way it’s used.

      • Dunno then. Not that it matters to me, I’ve got neither!

      • The install system, and the PS4 drive COULD still be better, e.g. the seek time could be lower while still having the same spin rate. Also PS4 actually stealth installs 90% as the game is being played.

        In theory Microsoft could patch it up with better algorithms to improve speed, as well as giving developers a better install system. So could the PS4 though!

  3. Blimey. That is startling news. Judging by the consistency of the PS4 results the test seems pretty accurate too. I wonder what the difference is.

    • The PS4 installing updates in the background certainly helps, although even offline (in the case of Assassins Creed 4, the figures are still stacked massively in Sony’s favour.

  4. Yikes, that’s bad news for Xboners (yeah, I portmanteau’d three words).
    Those aren’t even kinda close. Over 16 minutes for FIFA and NBA is ridiculous, especially given that the PS4 is doing it literally 30 times faster!

  5. Those figure are amazing. I hope, as PS4 games get better in the future that this figures don’t creep up too much.

    • i would imagine, if anything developers will learn to tailor their games to the system, so they can start running with less data installed, and bring down the times on both systems.

      of course it’s the X1 that needs that to happen really badly if this is any any indication of typical install times.

      still, i don’t think anybody would say no to even quicker loading times on PS4. ^_^

  6. i couldn’t figure out what i was seeing at first, i though, but they’re playing the game, why isn’t the video over, and where’s the comparison?
    then i realised that’s the PS4 through the tv input on X1.

    and just wow, that’s a world of difference.

    16 minutes for the sports games?
    jeebus that’s a long time to wait, especially when the PS4 it seems, gets you in game in less than a minute.

    gonna make managing installed games a pain when you have to start deleting games to make room for new ones, and need to reinstall them to play them again.

    especially when the X1 doesn’t seem to actually tell you how much space you have left or how big each game is apparently, so you don’t know which ones to delete to make room.

    it’s kinda surprising that there such a big difference though, i can only imagine it’s that secondary chip for streaming that’s allowing the game to start with less data installed while it does it’s job in the background.

    and i’ve said it before, and i’m saying it again.

    i can’t wait to see how ms try to spin this one. ^_^

    • “We believe the excitement of waiting for your new game to start is almost as good as playing it”

      • While waiting why not watch a movie or chat to other waiting gamers using the fantastic multimedia properties available on the XBox One

      • Plus it gives you plenty of time to ‘drop the kids off at the pool’ before those massive online sessions.
        Microsoft – We’re full of sh*t, so you don’t have to be. ;p

      • “We want to remind our customers, if you don’t like the long install times, remember you can always just buy an xbox 360. Game installs are not required!”

      • No excuses needed. Its the all new ‘tantric install system’ only on xbox.

        Jump in…wait…wait…wait for it…waaait…NOW!

  7. PS Phwoaaaar! Get it

  8. OMG! This is unbelieveble..
    Why is there SO MUCH difference between the consoles?
    I mean 16 mins XBONE with 40 secs PS4 is…is…too much!

    • Someone please correct me if wrong but we’re starting to see the benefits (already) of the secondary CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the 256MB of memory apportioned to all background and secondary tasks. This means that the pS4 installs are 10% through (or close to that percentage) and are happy to dive in whilst is does the rest, seamlessly, in the background. Not just that but updates too.

      Bloody. Bloody. Bloody hell, that’s impressive in comparison.

      • Ah, didnt think of that for the 256mb ddr3, makes sense as that will not take up the GDDR5 bandwidth.

      • Thank you for explaining that, if not all people (me included) would have just said it’s because of the DDR5

      • Processors can try to divide the tasks as efficiently as possible but nothing beats having a second CPU and its own memory (RAM).

  9. Holy crap those times are amazing. Playstation you are a sexy beast. Got my confirmation email today.

  10. That’s heck allot of difference. Glad I’ve choose the bright side

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