SEGA Saturn vs Sony PlayStation

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Saturn compared with PlayStation

	SEGASaturn	SonyPlayStation
Overview
Released
Released	July 1995	September 1995
Performance
Type
Type	Home console	Home console
CPU
CPU	2 × Hitachi SH-2, 28.6 MHz	MIPS R3000A-compatible, 33.87 MHz
GPU
GPU	SEGA VDP1 and VDP2	PlayStation GPU
Memory
Memory	4 MB (better)	3 MB
Disc drive
Disc drive	Yes	Yes
CPU
CPU	Two Hitachi SH-2 at 28.6 MHz (25 MIPS each); Motorola 68EC000 at 11.3 MHz for sound	Custom 32-bit R3000A-based CPU at 33.8688 MHz; a Geometry Transformation Engine coprocessor handles 3D calculations (Sony developer manual)
GPU
GPU	VDP1 (sprites and polygons) and VDP2 (backgrounds); up to 16.77 million colours; up to 5 scroll planes; flat and Gouraud shading	PlayStation GPU with textured and Gouraud-shaded polygons; up to 360,000 polygons per second (Sony)
Memory detail
Memory detail	16 Mbit (2 MB) work RAM, 12 Mbit (1.5 MB) video RAM; separately 4 Mbit sound RAM, 4 Mbit CD buffer and 256 Kbit backup RAM	2 MB main RAM, 1 MB video RAM, 512 KB sound RAM and a 512 KB operating system ROM (Sony developer manual)
Storage detail
Storage detail	Double-speed CD-ROM drive; saves in internal backup RAM (battery-backed)	Double-speed (2×) CD-ROM drive; saves on removable 128 KB memory cards (two slots)
Storage expansion
Storage expansion	Cartridge slot (backup memory, RAM expansion); communication expansion port	–
Display and video
Built-in screen
Built-in screen	No built-in screen	No built-in screen
Video output
Video output	A/V out; 320 × 224 and others	AV Multi Out for composite and RGB; separate composite video and stereo audio RCA outputs on the original SCPH-1002
Audio
Audio	32-channel PCM or FM sound (16-bit, up to 44.1 kHz) with audio DSP	16-bit Sony sound processor, 24 ADPCM channels at up to 44.1 kHz; analogue stereo out; plays audio CDs
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × control ports, A/V out, cartridge slot, communication expansion port	2 × 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)
Controller
Controller	Control Pad with D-pad, six face buttons, L, R and Start	PlayStation controller at launch; later bundles came with the DUALSHOCK analogue controller
Design and power
Power use
Power use	About 15 W (Japanese model HST-3210, 100 V)	–