PS5 Vs Xbox Series S: When compared side by side, the PS5, and Xbox Series S couldn’t appear more different. However, depending on your needs, both systems offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Microsoft’s smaller, lighter, the disc-less system is an obvious choice in light of its low price and wide availability. If you’re not quite ready to give up on tangible media, but you are interested in experiencing the full potential of the next generation of video games, what are your options?
While PS5’s 4K resolution and improved frame rate are certainly impressive, the console’s new DualSense Controller and 3D audio also contribute to a more immersive gaming experience.
Hundreds of games, next-gen features like Quick Resume, and lightning-fast load times are all available on the Xbox Series S, so it’s still a good deal. In 2022, more games, including Starfield and Forza Motorsport, will be available exclusively on Microsoft’s newest systems.
Do you get the sense that this is more of an incremental improvement than a daring plunge into the unknown?
However, if you were thinking this was a fight between two heavyweights, you’d be wrong. We’ve got everything laid out so you can make an educated decision based on your desired level of immersion into the event.
Specs
The PS5 has far greater raw power than the Xbox Series S, as seen by both technical specifications and actual gameplay. Despite sharing the same unique AMD Zen 2 eight-core CPU as the Xbox Series X, the Series S is significantly less powerful and fundamentally different. Read on to learn about the PlayStation 5’s official features:
- Processor speed: up to 3.5GHz (8-core) (variable frequency) optimized AMD Ryzen Zen 2
- Visual Processing Unit (GPU): 10.3 teraflops, up to 2.23 GHz
- 16 GB of GDDR6 Memory
- There can be up to 120 frames per second.
- Up to 8K Resolution
- Ultra High Definition Blu-ray Discs, Optical
- Capacity: 825GB, NVMe SSD
The DualSense controller for the PS5 also features haptics, adaptive triggers, a built-in speaker and microphone (the latter of which can be used for voice chat if you don’t have a headset), and an infrared light bar, all of which contribute to a more immersive gaming experience than is reflected in these specifications.
Its spatial surround sound technology is made possible by the Tempest 3D audio engine and can now be heard through TV speakers as well as headphones. Sony’s first-party games, such as Astro’s Playroom, which comes preinstalled on every PS5, make particularly good use of these characteristics.
Although the Xbox One S seems more like an incremental update, it is still a powerful next-gen console capable of playing the same games as the Xbox One X so long as you don’t mind the lower native 1440p resolution (which can be upscaled to 4K). Games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps achieve 4K resolution, although this is unusual.
If you possess an Xbox One X, you may feel like you’re missing out by upgrading to the Xbox Series S since games that are backward compatible won’t take advantage of the graphical improvements made for the Xbox One X.
But the cheaper Xbox includes ray tracing, 120Hz output, and super-fast load times owing to its NVMe SSD, and it also takes advantage of FPS Boost, where Microsoft boosts the framerates of certain backward-compatible titles. In the following, you’ll find information on the Xbox Series S:
- Cores per CPU: 8 AMD 7nm, custom-built, 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT)
- A 4 teraflop, 1.550 GHz GPU is used.
- Memory: GDDR6 10GB
- Rate of up to 120 frames per second
- Upscaling to 4K from 1440p
- No disc drive is required; all data is stored optically
- 512GB NVMe Solid-State Drive for Storage
The limited 512GB storage space on the Series S is a major drawback, especially if you plan on installing large games like Grand Theft Auto 5 and/or the newest Call of Duty. The proprietary Seagate storage extension cards are more expensive than the more robust Series X, but they are also significantly more convenient to plug in than opening the PS5 and screwing in an SSD.
However, you can still play older games and save money by storing them on an external hard drive (albeit without the benefit of faster loading times).
PlayStation 5 originally lacked the option to save games to an external hard drive, however, a subsequent system update by Sony included this capability. Of course, you’ll need to copy games onto the internal disc in order to play Xbox Series S-optimized games or PS5 games.
When it comes to sheer size, though, the Series S is in a league of its own. The Xbox Series S is the smallest Xbox Microsoft has ever manufactured, making it simple to place beneath your TV or alongside any other gear fighting for shelf space, whereas the PS5 is a polarising eyesore and the second heaviest PlayStation of all time. Moreover, it’s remarkably portable.