Minecraft Java vs. Minecraft Bedrock
Minecraft is a game that most of us played as kids. However, the game has dramatically changed since we were young. The game split into two different editions: Minecraft Java and Minecraft Bedrock. Which edition of the game should one play: Minecraft Java or Minecraft Bedrock?
The Minecraft Java Edition is the original computer version, created in 2009. The Java Edition has many benefits: earlier updates, more world seeds and better redstone mechanics.
Also, despite the fact that the Bedrock Edition is the marketed version of Minecraft, the Java Edition receives updates before the Bedrock Edition. Currently, the Java update has several snapshots released of 1.16, the nether update. However, the Bedrock Edition is currently in the Java equivalent of 1.15. The final 1.15 update was released in January on the Java Edition, but the Bedrock Edition received it in February. Those were the final updates: the Java Edition had snapshots, pre-releases of an update which allows players to experiment with features, whereas the Bedrock Edition didn’t receive any of those. In actuality, most of the 1.15 features were added to the Java Edition in the 19w34a snapshot, which released in August. So, there was a six-month gap between the releases on Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft Bedrock Edition.
In Minecraft, the seed of a world determines the terrain generation. Each seed corresponds with certain structures and biomes spawning. However, seed mechanics are different for each version. The Bedrock Edition has a possible 4,294,967,296 (or 232) seeds, whereas the Java Edition has a possible 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 seeds (or 264) seeds. Therefore, the Java Edition has billions more seeds than the Bedrock Edition (to be exact, it has 4,294,967,296x more seeds than the Bedrock Edition). Therefore, the Java Edition has significantly more variety than the Bedrock Edition in world generation.
The Java Edition also has objectively better redstone mechanics. Although the Bedrock Edition has a few compelling features, such as the ability to place redstone on pistons, the Java Edition has more consistent redstone mechanics. In the Java Edition, you can trust that the circuit will be consistent every time; it doesn’t change. However, in the Bedrock Edition, the circuit has been known to randomly change. If a pulse goes to two pistons, it’ll move a different piston each time. However, on the Java Edition, it moves the same piston each time. So, the Java redstone mechanics are consistent: a feature essential to creating complex redstone creations.
The Bedrock Edition is actually a combined version of multiple versions. Before, the Mobile Edition (MCPE), PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox 1, and Nintendo Switch Edition were all different iterations of the game. However, in 2017, the Better Together update released, which combined all the other versions together but also made the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions no longer receive updates. That said, the Minecraft Bedrock Editon allows for cross-platform interaction, easier controls and less cost.
Therefore, the whole novelty of Bedrock is the ability to play across multiple platforms. Currently, on Minecraft Bedrock, someone who uses a phone could play with someone who uses an Xbox One. Although seemingly insignificant, this feature is huge in the gaming world; it allows people from different platforms to just come together and enjoy playing with one another. If people prefer the touch controls of an iPad, they can play with others who enjoy using a controller on an Xbox.
The Java Edition has a huge learning curve when controls are concerned; one must learn to use the mouse and keyboard in order to move around in the game. However, the touch controls of an iPad or a phone are extremely clear early on, allowing younger kids to easily play the game.
The Java Edition costs $26.95 to download and play. Even ignoring the cost, the Java Edition is a hard game for most computers to run well. Ideally, the computer would have 4 GB or 8 GB and have an excellent graphics card. Although it is possible to run the Minecraft Java Edition on a MacBook, the ideal computer for running Minecraft would be a gaming computer, which can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand. However, the Bedrock Edition costs $6.99 in the app store and can run on an iPad or iPhone. Admittedly, an iPad or iPhone costs a lot, but the game can also be played on an Xbox 1, which costs $200. Besides, most people already own an iPhone or Andriod. Therefore, the Bedrock Edition is more cost-effective.
So, which version is better: Minecraft Java or Minecraft Bedrock? Minecraft Java is better for players who like redstone due to the consistent mechanics, but redstone is doable on Bedrock; it’s just very difficult to handle. However, if you want to easily play with friends or play casually, Bedrock probably is the version for you. Simply put, like most things in life, it’s entirely subjective.