PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X Compared
In the console world, Sony and Microsoft are the only two reigning champions or rivals, depending on how you look at it. This rivalry has led to some awesome gaming hardware and games. It’s been two years since Sony launched its latest PlayStation 5 and Microsoft its flagship Xbox Series X, but they’re still holding up pretty well. If you’re out in the market for a gaming console, you can’t go wrong with either of them. However, there are a few subtle differences that you must be aware of before making a purchase.
Both of the consoles are capable of performing extremely well if all things are equal like the internet and other peripherals. Regardless of which console you end up with, make sure your internet isn’t the limiting factor because you’ll need a super-fast connection to download the latest games with file sizes amounting up to a couple of hundred gigabytes. Consider upgrading to Cox Internet so you can keep enjoying the fastest speeds and stay connected to the internet with over 4 million hotspots when you’re on the go. With that said, let’s move on to the comparison.
Specs
Both consoles are pretty similar in terms of specs with the Xbox outperforming the PlayStation marginally. Both consoles are capable of providing up to 8K video output, but the Xbox beats the PS5 in the GPU department with 12.0 teraflop vs 10.3 teraflops of the PS5. Another key difference between the two is the SSD, with the PS5 having a faster custom SSD as opposed to the traditional NVMe SSD on the Xbox Series X.
Price
The PS5 comes in two versions, a disk version and a digital version. The digital version is a bit cheaper than the disk version at around $400 vs $500 for the disk edition. The Xbox Series X also has a slightly stripped-down version Xbox Series S that’s priced at $300, while the Series X version is priced at $500.
Games
Both consoles follow a slightly different approach in games with the Xbox being inclusive, if that sense. For example, you can pick up from where you left a game on Xbox One. However, the PS5 came with a lot of exclusive titles that were released alongside the console at its launch. Although all of those titles are available on PS4 now, they weren’t at the time of release.
You also have to consider the fact that you’ll have to get a subscription regardless of the console. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs only $15 per month and you can download a ton of games from the library. Sony has the PlayStation Plus Premium, which offers a lot of games for all its PlayStation consoles, but the functionality is not as nearly as defined as the Xbox Game Pass.
Performance
Take Assassin’s Creed Valhalla for example. Playing this game in 4K at 60 frames per second is not a problem, and you won’t feel any noticeable difference playing on either of them. Everything from lighting to fluidity, and texture was excellent on both of these. Moreover, they both offer ray tracing to enhance the graphics, but the ray tracing on the Xbox is slightly better with deeper blacks and sharp contrast. In everyday gaming, they’re both pretty capable and you can run any title on either without any problem.
Design
Design is always a subjective thing and there’s really no comparison here. The PS5 has a slightly unconventional tower design with aggressive-looking fins at the back and the two-tone color scheme really highlights the design elements. The Xbox, on the other hand, offers a simple and non-complicated design, which may appeal especially to the minimalists.
Controller
The controller that comes with the Xbox Series X is highly reminiscent of the controller from the Xbox One except for a few minor upgrades like the grip and a few buttons. However, the PS% DualSense is a game changer and a significant upgrade from the DualShock 4. The new controller has better and bigger grips with extremely sensitive haptics. You can feel the resistance when you pull the trigger.
Backward Compatibility
Xbox is way better than PS5 in terms of backward compatibility. You can play almost every Xbox game ever created on the Xbox Series X. The PS5 also offers backward compatibility, but only up to PS4. You can play the games from the previous PlayStation versions.
Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming has come a long way since its early days and it’s possible to stream the downloaded games stored on either of these consoles. You have to have the subscription, which is priced at $10 per month for PlayStation and $15 for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. In terms of usage and functionality, the Xbox is a little better than the PS5.
Conclusion
To conclude, both consoles are really powerful and it comes down to individual preference and the ecosystem you already live in. Also, note that the native and third-party support for accessories is better on the PS5, and you can get things like the PS VR2 and enjoy your games in VR, something that is lacking on the Xbox. Since you’re unlikely to find these consoles on discount shelves, now is a great time to buy either one if you’re in the market for a console.
Regardless of which one you end up with, you’ll be able to play the latest games for at least a few years. Or you could always build a custom gaming PC if you want something that’s more future-proof, but that’s another story.
