Why do people choose to buy a PlayStation 4, an Xbox One or a Wii U?

Owners of different consoles buy them for very different reasons, according to new research.

A new study from Nielsen asked console owners for the top reasons why they chose to buy a particular new machine. The answers that came back show a stark diversity for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U.

For PS4 owners, the most important thing is "better resolution," followed by a Blu-ray player, the game library, and family preference.

Xbox One owners cite brand as the top reason followed by "innovative features," system exclusives and "fun-factor."

Owners of both system said they made the purchase due to "faster processing."

Wii U owners were focussed on fun-factor, children, value and older games.

Also interesting is the breakdown of prior console use among current generation users. 86 percent of Wii U owners owned a Wii. 43 percent of Xbox One owners owned a PS3, while 59 percent of PlayStation 4 owners owned an Xbox 360.