Project Cars 2 will look significantly better on Xbox One X than PlayStation 4 Pro

By Richard Devine
published

In a new interview, the developer of Project Cars 2 has hailed the power of the Xbox One X.

We already know on paper how powerful the Xbox One X is, and the demo footage we have seen is certainly impressive. But it's still good to hear from the people actually building games for it just what their opinions are.

In the case of Project Cars 2 developer, Stephen Viljoen, in an interview with Trusted Reviews he's been raving about how good it really is for a console.

"Obviously we can't go everything ultra, because on PC you can run it on three 4K monitors, and everything set to absolutely incredible detail, which is simply not possible on [this] generation of consoles. The Xbox One X is a great piece of hardware and we're very excited for it and we're making the most of it, so when you run the game on it, it will certainly look better than if you're running it on anything else, other than a high-end PC. But even so you can only do so much."

That "anything else" of course includes the PlayStation 4 (PS4) Pro.

"I can't tell you exactly what all the various sliders will be at when you're on Xbox One X versus on PS4 Pro, but obviously, they'll be higher, so there will be a significant, a noticeable improvement, because you have better hardware."

Project Cars 2 will put physics at the core, so that the driving experience is consistent across platforms, regardless of how powerful the machine is that you're running it on. As such, visual fidelity is something that can be compromised, though when it comes to the console versions the developer will optimize, not leaving it to the player as on PC. It'll be interesting to see what the difference actually is between the two, but we'll have to wait until November for that.

Project Cars 2 launches on Xbox, PC, and PS4 on September 22 and can be pre-ordered now for $59.99.

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Richard Devine
Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

23 Comments
  • Does significantly better = uncompromised 4K?
  • Not uncompromised since he did say "we can't go everything ultra [...] which is simply not possible on [this] generation of consoles". "Significantly better" means better visuals than other consoles and low end PC. 
  • It will look better than a lot of pc's. Not only low end pc's. To get the same graphic fidelity from a pc where there is a lot of overhead, you have ro go up to around the $1000 mark. 
  • Yeah, current consoles look better than low end pcs.
  • Agreed!
  • I've heard it somewhere that most Steam gamer still use hardware that's weaker than ps4 / xb1... in that case, xb1x WILL def look better than most of existing PCs...
  • Yeah. Most people do not have high end gaming pc's.
  • you don't need to go everything ultra to get 4K. you just need a 3840x2160 resolution. which... even though promised a couple billion times, the one x can't handle for most games. and whoever is saying you need a 1000$ pc to match that thing doesn't know about pcs at all. you can build a 1080 tig for that. a 1080 rig will do truly uncompromised 4k in project cars 2. actual 3840x2160 at ultra.  look guys I'm not saying the one x is a bad console. it's great for it's price. but that thing is full of false advertising. the uncompromised 4k promise was bull, and so is this article that claims everyone is praising the thing. I've seen more criticizms than I can count.
  • @Giddora and others.
    I mentioned low end PC because that's what the dev was talking about. He was talking about high end PC and low end PC. @ryanhossain9797
    This is a tough place to make such type of comments. I understand what you're saying and I agree with you but there are certain people here who are going crazy about this console. 
    Some are saying it's going to outperform a gaming PC with a gtx 1070. They are even going to compare this to a gaming PC with a 1080 or a 1080ti...lol I tried talking some sense into them but they are just being ridiculous.
    They are working to try to create hype and excitment over this console...
    For many of them, resolution and power was not the priority few months back... LOL 
  • @ryanhossain9797
     Microsoft promised their games would be 4K.  I know as probably a Sony PS4 fanboy or even worst one who claims to be a member of the master race (less than 5% of your clan apparently are true members of 4K capable - 1070 & 1080 but all seem to think they belong) you are most likely repeating things you heard from your friends.  All Microsoft said XBOX has the true capability to do 4K. And to that point Microsoft would take advantage of that with their games and let third party developers decide how they want to use it themselves. Considering most developers have had the access to some devkit for only a few months (only a small percentage of developers have had it more than that time) only time will tell what they can do with the power in the future. Not once did they say it would be more powerful than NVidia 1080.     As for specs.  A Nvidia 1080 will set you back at least $500. So already if just upgrading to that card you are paying more to play on a rig in your living room TV or did you spend $400 on a bare minimum 27" 4K computer monitor (remind me how many of those have HDR). I will stick with 65" UHD 4K on my couch.  Remember the new XBOX has been said, by DF the only ones really having an outside look at the machine, to run somewhere between a 1070 and a 1080 in its graphic capabilities.  If you upgrade to a NVidia 1070 (marketed as 4K capable card with most running around $400) you will be outshined by this machine when it comes to most gameplay.  So, you can probably take most of that 5% master race PC gaming rigs off  the run better as 4K machines when compared to the XBOX.   People always seem to put the PC on this pedestal when comparing it to consoles. Somehow ignoring the obvious that this group that really can actually outclass the console in gaming is very limited membership. Most by a large margin don't even come close to membership. Heck,  just because I can stick a NVidia 1080 in an i3 with 8GB of ram won't make it run a lot of games at 4K or not even run most games at all with bare minimum processor requirements and that goes for an i5 as well with those games you want to run in 4K on the PC. So, saying one can just upgrade a card the point that PC games always go to first as their argument is truly the real lie. Most PC gamers rigs in use today would take a lot more than spending $500+ on the newest card to be as capable a gaming device.  And yes it is true, the Xbox (or any consoles) will never be able to run those Excel calcs or edit with Photoshop as often the PC gamers with their tiny 27" monitors point out. But, I am OK with that. I will just sit on my living room couch with my friends playing games.  By the way, Microsoft never said it would be better than a machine that costs over $1200 to build. PCs users willing to spend cash will always be better with the newest tech.  As for building a machine several articles have already tried to build a device with similar specs to the new XBOX but, always seem to cheat to get it under even $1200.    @Guest_aotf  
    People comparing the XBOX capabilities by stating it runs somewhere between and Nvidia 1070 and a Nvidia 1080  are only acknowledging the statements from the one group that has actually examined and toyed with the device outside of Microsoft itself and has been allowed to talk about those capabilities: Digital Foundry. They stated from their experience that it is was capable in most situations to run better than a 1070.  Now, if you want contradict that point please provide your own evidence (like some one who has examined the capabilities of the device directly) and not some personal belief of your own making.   As for that power argument, it goes both ways.  Your are obviously a PS4 fanboy because that was your claim to fame for 4 years. The PS4 was more powerful device (graphically). And it is often still argument point in forums.  Xbox had most of the exclusives the first two and half years and PS4 had essentially remasters.  Then last year that switched PS4 started coming out with some good exclusives and Microsoft announced the power of Scorpio. So that argument you now say is hyporcitical of Xbox users is actually just as  hypocritical of PS4 users for those same years as well. Microsoft has the power with Xbox but also has  somewhat a dry spell with new IP exclusives. And I am sure when PS5 comes out in a few years you will again believe power matters and of course dry spells only last so long. I am sure ignoring the exclusives Xbox has becasue of  PC Anywhere (which most PCs can't play anyway).  "Why get an XBOX.  I will just play it on my PC."  I always find that argument laughable. Those that argue that never really seem to do that by just the fact they are ignoring 95% of all actual games sales are often multiplatform games (PC, Xbox, PS4) as well and they could play on a PC them as easily instead of the PS4 but never seem to do that. 
  • Oh boy, here we go... -_- @Paul Josephson
    The XB1x's GPU has feature derived of a RX 480. Go watch digital foundry's video on the reveal of the specs (11:50).  So far, there has been ZERO benchmark of any 3rd party or even first party to make a proper comparison. Yet people are coming here and says that it outperforms a gaming PC with a 1070 and compares it to a PC with a 1080 or a 1080ti. Totally ridiculous. Oh so digital foundry said that in most situation the console runs better than a gaming PC with a 1070? So when did they say it? Instead of asking for evidence, can you provide the link to where they said that "in most situations the Xb1x run better than a 1070"? Now, it's funny how you'll insult me of being a "PS4 fanboy" for no apparent reason. I didn't even mention PS4 or Sony!! LOL I've NEVER hyped up power. For me, it was ALWAYS about games. Power for me (just like majority of people in console history) isn't and has never been my priority. 
    1) I game on consoles including weaker consoles like wii U.
    2) I didn't care about the PS4 pro. I just stuck with the PS4 and I'm not hyping that console.
    3) I have a PC but I don't constantly change my graphics card.    "Xbox had most of the exclusives the first two and half years and PS4 had essentially remasters."
    LOL that's nonsense. PS4 did have remasters but it had more exclusives after two and half years. Please don't make stuff up... lol
    The PS4 had more exclusives. But just to make it clear after  two and half years, the PS4 had 9 AAA exclusives the XB1 had 4. (2 of them are Forza games).
    It remains 4 until now with no new upcoming XB1 AAA exclusive. And what's laughable about playing on PC? I played Quantum break on PC. :)
  • @Paul Josephson
    More than 24 hours and no reply... As expected you ran away.
    When I initially made the comment you weren't part of the "certain people" I was talking about because I didn't know you. Now you're certainly part of those people. So funny how you come here asking for evidence even though you made bs statements/lies without ANY evidence. That is so typical from people like you.... People whose priority isn't the consumer but one company/brand!! :)
  • your taking the words out of context. He's talking about a PC that can run 3 screens with ultra detail. He is not referring to a single monitor running PC2 on a 1070-1080GTX clearly. Most people consider those PCs high end. But a 1070GTX would die a horrible death trying to run this game while rendering 3 screens with max detail. The One X will run the equivalent of a 1070GTX PC on a SINGLE monitor. Or a but better than it. Don't talk about low end BS. Not again. Your twisting the devs words. By leaving half the sentence off.  
  • The console crowd is freaking out over in the other article about Xbox One X developers.   They are under some kind of delusion that the Xbox One X will magically run better than a high end PC. It will run better than any console in history but comments like this developer has stated plus the already known tactics implemented in upcoming games for Xbox One X (dynamic scaling for example) should make it pretty clear the Xbox One X is not going to offer uncomprimised 4k gaming. 6TFLOPS with a 2.3Ghz CPU is not enough horsepower no matter how much "optimization" you have.  
  • Uncompromized 4K depends on the game. 4K is just a resolution. It's the types of visuals the game is trying to push will determine if it can render at 4K.
  • can it do, say, same quality as ps4 pro in everything else but at 4k? no it can't, then what's the point? it just isn't powerful enough. I would call console graphics at 4k resolution decent 4k. if it can't manage that it's not decent, let alone uncompromised
  • TitanFall2 ver.xb1 runs 6k with no effort, FM6 ver.xb1 runs 4k with no effort. Are you calling'em (include Digital Foundry) liars? If you manage the computation cost properly, why can't xb1x render @ 4k + 60fps + 4k-resources? If you think 30fps is good enuf, feel free to spend your budget on something else.
    e.g. Grass collider in Assassin’s Creed: Origins (which Horizon Zero Dawn doesn't have) The baseline is drawn and the rest is all up to the devs. Choice is there.
  • Even a highend PC is not going to offer uncompromised 4k gaming. So your point is?
  • A high end PC can do resolutions above and beyond 3840x2160, but you'll be paying for it.
  • You must not be a PC gamer because my GTX 1080TI runs 4k uncomprimised. 
  • I am a pretty big Xbox fan. I have picked up every console at launch and invested hundreds/thousands of dollars into it. I have been on Xbox Live even before it was released to the public. When the original Xbox came out, I had given up on PC gaming, my console is strong enough now to play on a TV, the HDD, Broadband Capabilities, and the graphics looked good. Even the 360 kept me involved. The Xbox One has been  a different thing altogether. I've been happy with it, not enamoured with it. The Xbox One X looks interesting...but will it out perform my PC? Doubtful...add to the fact that my NVidia Shield TV can stream my PC Gaming to any TV I hook it up to and have it look flawless...the Xbox One X doesn't look so great. Not to mention all the streaming I could possibly want...which the Xbox One was doing well with until it shifted gears to a Game Only console. I got used to the Entertainment Console, I was one of the few that liked it. The repurposing of Xbox One over it's short lived life is proof enough there was a huge mistake made regarding the messaging during its release. I don't want to be another $500 guinea pig for MS...MS has been letting me down and I need to break from their grasp...don't even get me started on Windows Mobile. Honestly at least with Ballmer there was a set direction, Nadella seems to change his mind depending on the way the wind blows...if Xbox X doesn't perform well, whose to say they don't pull the plug, like they have had with EVERY SINGLE piece of hardware they have released the past five or so years? They are already "pulling the plug" on the Xbox One and it hasn't even been five years. I'm kind of over it all.    
  • Totally agree with what you said. The kinect 2 is a perfect example of what you're talking about. They hardly invested making games for it. And soon sold XB1 without it (even though they said few months before it would never happen). Looks like they made the XB1x just because some people were talking of the advantage the PS4: having a more powerful console.
    But console generation have shown us that power isn't a major factor. In fact most of the more powerful console sold the worst in every generation. Game library is more important, yet that is where they struggle as they hardly make any exclusives for their console anymore. As it was they weren't producing a lot of games few here back, now it looks like they are investing A LOT less as the number of AAA exclusives dried up. I think you're good with your PC. You'll have a powerful machine as you said PLUS you'll get all upcoming "MS games" because they are also on PC, you don't need to pay to play online, choice/freedom, mods, cheaper games, real BC/FC...
     
  •  I am fine with my PC. It is a beast. Trust me. I'm not against Xbox by any stretch. I am just tired of being burned by MS. Kinect 2, lol. It's been in my office desk for three years, when I realized it was DOA. They have pulled nearly all support with it with each subsequent release. That was a total joke even though we were told that big thing were coming for it. I do love Xbox Live it has improved and is pretty amazing. Plus, no cheaters. At least very few.  I'm not here to debate the Xbox v. PC thing...I am just kind of over MS' ubiquitous ****. Mixed messaging, untruthful statements, little to no information. As a consumer who has invested money and years into products it has become disheartening to see all of this happen. I dont own stock but i have spent thousands over the years from PC's to Keyboards. Hopefully the Xbox X will set the flailing Xbox division straight. I am sure i will pick one up at some point. Between my daughters Switch (which is absolutely amazing, not without its flaws though) and my PC. I'm not sure at which point.