Sony claims that the PS4 is the bestselling next generation console. Microsoft claims the same thing, that in fact their Xbox One is the highest selling. No matter which company is right, consumers are buying up the consoles at a record pace. The PS4 launch was the biggest ever for a Sony-branded games console, and the Xbox One blew away sales figures for Xbox 360 and the original Xbox.

One thing is clear though when in comes to the PS4 and Xbox One: they are complete energy hogs. In fact, the Xbox One on standby mode consumes more electricity than a 50" flat screen TV, per a report by the NRDC. The total energy consumption of the Xbox One, with its whiz-bang feature set, comes to 40 percent more than its predecessor. The PS4 is even worse as it consumes twice the energy of PS3 despite offering less functionality (i.e. no 3D Blu-ray playback).

You may not think this is a big deal, but let this statistic sink in: the total energy consumption of every PS4 and Xbox One outweighs that of Houston, TX, America's fourth largest city. With more consoles set to hit store shelves after the holiday season, the energy consumption could start to rival New York City.

But enough about energy consumption; as long as you are willing to pay the higher electric costs, who really cares? The real thing gamers are worried about is console availability and the quality of the game titles. Like most system launches, the game lineups for the PS4 and Xbox One were lukewarm. Many games, for instance Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, got a simple resolution bump and better textures when compared to the previous generation of consoles. Xbox One came under fire for not even playing video games in Full HD 1080p. The hit Infinity Ward title Call of Duty: Ghosts has to be upscaled from 720p. At least Microsoft and the Xbox One developers produced games people were willing to shell out money for. PS4's launch lineup didn't have many exclusives, and the newest Killzone game Shadow Fall was a dud.

Both consoles are pretty much sold at this point. Christmas is right around the corner and those of you desperate enough to get a console will find that eBay is the place to be. Price gouging is common and expect to pay twice face value for a PS4 or Xbox One if you resort to bidding. Gamestop has a limited amount of Xbox One's and Amazon has been touch and go. The nations biggest retailer Wal-Mart occasionally gets in a few consoles, but their web-based store is sold out until January. The PS4 retails for $400, while the Xbox One comes in at $500.  

What system are you thinking of buying? Let us know in the comments section below.