Microsoft's cheapest new Xbox can do something that Sony's expensive new PlayStation 4 can't

The brand new PlayStation 4 Pro is capable of powering games in glorious 4K, the successor to high-definition. That expensive new 4K TV you bought is about to get a lot more useful!

Samsung

Unfortunately, the PlayStation 4 Pro's ability to play 4K games and stream 4K movies doesn't translate to Blu-ray playback. A Sony representative confirmed to Business Insider that the PlayStation 4 Pro does not support 4K Blu-ray playback.

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That might not be such a big deal if ultra-high-definition weren't part of the selling point of the new PS4 Pro. The console costs $400 ($100 more than a standard PlayStation 4) and it's touted as the most powerful of Sony's three versions of the console.

Even more bizarre, Microsoft's $300 Xbox One S is capable of playing 4K Blu-ray discs, as well as streaming films in 4K.

Matt Weinberger/Business Insider

The Xbox One S can be stood up, but probably looks better laying down.

It's not clear why the PlayStation 4 Pro wouldn't be capable of playing Blu-ray discs, but it's the kind of unfortunate oversight that looks bad on paper if you're the average person trying to decide which console to buy.

Sony's new, $400 PlayStation Pro launches on November 10; another new PlayStation 4, the Slim, launches in September for $299.