Nintendo Nintendo 64 vs Sony PlayStation

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

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Nintendo 64 compared with PlayStation
NintendoNintendo 64SonyPlayStation
Overview
ReleasedMarch 1997September 1995
Performance
TypeHome consoleHome console
CPUNEC VR4300 (64-bit), 93.75 MHzMIPS R3000A-compatible, 33.87 MHz
GPUSGI Reality Coprocessor (RCP), 62.5 MHzPlayStation GPU
Memory4 MB (better)3 MB
Disc driveNoYes
CPUNEC VR4300 (MIPS R4300 family, 64-bit) at 93.75 MHzCustom 32-bit R3000A-based CPU at 33.8688 MHz; a Geometry Transformation Engine coprocessor handles 3D calculations (Sony developer manual)
GPUReality Coprocessor at 62.5 MHz, with signal and display processors for graphics and audioPlayStation GPU with textured and Gouraud-shaded polygons; up to 360,000 polygons per second (Sony)
Memory detail4 MB Rambus RDRAM, shared; 8 MB with the Expansion Pak2 MB main RAM, 1 MB video RAM, 512 KB sound RAM and a 512 KB operating system ROM (Sony developer manual)
Storage detailNintendo 64 Game Paks (cartridges); some games save on the cartridge, others on a Controller PakDouble-speed (2×) CD-ROM drive; saves on removable 128 KB memory cards (two slots)
Storage expansionMemory expansion slot (Expansion Pak); Controller Pak slot in each controller–
Display and video
Maximum output576i–
Built-in screenNo built-in screenNo built-in screen
Video outputMulti AV out with composite video; some PAL revisions also support S-Video with the correct cable, but stock consoles do not output RGB; up to 576i on PAL consolesAV Multi Out for composite and RGB; separate composite video and stereo audio RCA outputs on the original SCPH-1002
AudioStereo audio mixed by the Reality Signal Processor16-bit Sony sound processor, 24 ADPCM channels at up to 44.1 kHz; analogue stereo out; plays audio CDs
Design and power
Weight1,100 g–
Power usePower supply provides 12 V and 3.3 V DC–
Connections
Ports4 × controller ports, Multi AV out, memory expansion slot, extension port underneath2 × controller ports and 2 × memory card slots on the front; serial I/O, parallel I/O and AV Multi Out on the back (serial and parallel ports dropped on later models)
ControllerNintendo 64 controller with analogue Control Stick, Z trigger and Controller Pak slotPlayStation controller at launch; later bundles came with the DUALSHOCK analogue controller

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