PS5 Vs Xbox Series X: Since the launching of both platforms, consumers have been distracted by the ongoing war between the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox One Series X, making it harder for them to decide which device to buy when it comes time to upgrade to the next generation.
Both systems include excellent exclusives that have received high accolades from critics and players, making a selection tough. However, if you aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of video game consoles, there are a plethora of options to think about.
In the first place, it’s important to note that one’s own preferences will likely play a major role in the final decision. Since both PlayStation and Xbox are so ubiquitous, you probably had one of these consoles before the following generation came out.
Our PS5 review and Xbox Series X review, on the other hand, will give you a deeper dive into the capabilities and finer points of both consoles, which is especially helpful if this is your first time purchasing a gaming system.
When comparing the two, however, there is no clear victor. There is no doubt that the finest PS5 games and the best Xbox Series X games will keep any player entertained for hours. Both are quite well-made and can support 4K gameplay at 120 frames per second, making it difficult to choose between them.
This leaves the final verdict up to the player’s own tastes and objectives for the game. While the PlayStation 5’s exclusive titles like God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Gran Turismo 7 will provide a high-quality and worthwhile gaming experience, the Xbox One X provides several enhancements in use, such as Quick Resume and FPS Boost.
There’s no disputing that Microsoft and Sony have spared no expense in developing their next-gen home consoles. The greatest Xbox Series X accessories, or the best PlayStation 5 accessories, can enhance your gaming experience. Every week, Microsoft and Sony release new features, games, and deals in an effort to outdo one other, but this only serves to benefit gamers.
But the good news is that any console would be a welcome addition to your collection, so you have few if any genuine choices. To help you make the best possible gaming-related decision, we’ve broken down both systems and compared them to one another. Check out our comparison of the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox One Series S if you’re more interested in a disc-free version.
Design
Both companies have made efforts to set apart their consoles from one another, notably in terms of appearance, despite their similarities. Sony’s latest game console, the PS5, is the company’s tallest and most substantial product to yet.
On the other side, the Xbox Series X’s cuboid design makes it resemble a gaming PC more than any previous Xbox console. Regardless of your opinion on the appearance and size of either console, be assured that they both run quietly and smoothly.
Sony’s new DualSense controller aims to bring players deeper into the action, and the company is committed to providing unique content. Microsoft, however, is betting that the allure of the Xbox Game Pass (and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate) will be sufficient to get consumers into its ecosystem.
Even while PS5 Discord integration is still in the works, Discord has already been made available to all Xbox Series X users.
The PS5 is only compatible with PS4 games, however, both systems have backward compatibility so you can play your old favorites on the new system. Conversely, the Xbox One library in its entirety, as well as select Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles, are all playable on the Xbox Series X.
It’s great news for everyone who has held on to their old Xbox 360 games since they can be played on Microsoft’s new console.
Specs
Sony and Microsoft have adopted similar strategies in terms of hardware specifications, with a few notable exceptions.
PlayStation 5 uses a modified version of AMD’s third-generation Ryzen chipset, which features eight cores, Zen 2 architecture, and Navi visuals, and is the driving force behind the console. The processor speed is 3.5GHz.
The GPU has 36 CPU cores, each operating at 2.23GHz, for a total performance of 10.28TFLOPS. These components are accompanied by 16GB of 448GB/s GDDR6 memory. Because of this, the PS5 will be able to make use of techniques like ray tracing, a lighting method that requires a lot of processing power and was previously only available on pricey high-end PC GPUs.
Additionally, the PS5 can handle resolutions as high as 8K, which is far greater than the 1080p HD of most televisions and even the rapidly growing 4K. If you have a monitor that is HDMI 2.1 compatible, you may also take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate for silky-smooth gameplay.
These are quite demanding system requirements, so we wouldn’t expect a game to consistently meet them (especially since it also requires a costly TV that would support them), but at least 4K/60fps will become more commonplace with the PS5.
When wearing a headset, the PS5 can produce realistic, 3D sound. The new Tempest Engine from Sony is responsible for this audio, and it can process hundreds of sound sources to provide a more immersive audio experience. If you’re familiar with the spatial audio format Dolby Atmos, you may expect a similar experience here.
Sony’s construction is particularly notable for its emphasis on solid-state drives (SSDs). The PlayStation 5’s solid-state drive is a one-off piece of technology, and it can store 825GB of data at a raw speed of 5.5GB/s (or 9GB/s when compressed).
As a result, games may be loaded extremely quickly, allowing programmers to get around any of the streaming and bandwidth limitations of yesteryear.
However, because of its incorporation of haptic feedback, the PS5’s DualSense controller stands out as a particularly fascinating feature. These tiny sensations in the hand can replace the DualShock 4’s rumbling technology.
Using haptic feedback, designers may dial in specific experiences for players, such as the sound and feel of rain or the texture of sand underfoot as they run. It’s really effective, as it boosts both feedback and immersion.
Additionally, the PS5 DualSense controller has adjustable triggers, which let developers set the resistance of the triggers to more closely simulate actions. The kickback of a rifle, or the strain on a bowstring, are both sensations that may be felt. And once again, it’s a fantastic feeling.
The controller has its earbud port but, critically, adds a microphone. You may send a voice message to a buddy or participate in a party chat using the gamepad alone if you don’t have a headset handy.
Sony has announced (via PlayStation Blog(opens in new tab)) that the old DualShock 4 controller will not function with new PS5 exclusive titles, which is probably not unexpected given all of the new capabilities.
The DualShock 4 is still compatible with PS4 titles owing to backward compatibility, although it cannot be used with the PS5 edition of Horizon: Forbidden West.
However, Microsoft has verified that all Xbox controllers are compatible with the Xbox Series X and its library of games.
However, the Xbox Series X is very stunning. It’s two times as powerful as the Xbox One X, the crown jewel of the previous generation, thanks to its unique AMD internals based on the same Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architecture as the PS5.
The 52 compute units of the Xbox Series X GPU are responsible for the 3328 shaders that allow for such a high level of processing power. It operates at a constant 1,825 GHz, with no noticeable ups and downs in performance as you’d get from typical graphics processing units.
Instead, it maintains a constant clock speed regardless of environmental conditions or the nature of the game being played. An AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores and sixteen threads was modified for this chip.
The interesting thing is that developers can get a top performance of 3.8GHz by turning off simultaneous multithreading (SMT), or a base speed of 3.6Ghz by turning it on.
If you have an HDMI 2.1-certified TV, the Xbox Series X can handle resolutions up to 8K and frame rates up to 120Hz at 4K. Like the PlayStation 5, the Xbox One X supports DirectX ray tracing, and its built-in 1TB NVMe SSD (expandable with a proprietary NVMe card) may be used as virtual RAM to speed up load times by as much as 40 times.
The Xbox Series X comes with 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, which is a nice boost from the Xbox One X’s 12GB of GDDR5. These numbers put the Xbox Series X at a modest advantage over the PS5 in terms of raw performance, but in practice, the two consoles’ relative speeds have been indistinguishable.
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), enhanced Xbox controller connection, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) compatibility, which makes use of TVs with HDMI 2.1 support, are just some of the innovative features that Microsoft has included in Xbox Series X to make latency a thing of the past. If you want to use a monitor for your game, you may easily adjust the resolution to 1440p.
Because the Xbox One’s peripherals are compatible with the Xbox Series X, you won’t have to hurry out and buy new pads or a new headset. Although the Xbox Wireless Controller looks and feels very much like the original, it has been updated with a number of additional functions.
It’s not as forward-thinking as the DualSense controller, seeing as it functions in the same way that the Xbox One controller did, but it’s more user-friendly than ever owing to its shrunken size and enhanced ergonomics.
Previously released Xbox One titles, such as Gears 5, have been upgraded to make use of the Xbox Series X’s processing capabilities. There’s a disc drive included for those who prefer physical copies of games over digital downloads. Similar to the PS5, it supports 4K UHD Blu-ray discs.
Features like Smart Delivery, which automatically updates your games to the “greatest possible version” when new releases become available, are among the many neat additions to the Xbox Series X.
This meant that gamers who purchased games like Cyberpunk 2077 on the original Xbox, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X could download and play the enhanced Xbox Series X edition whenever it was released, at no extra cost.
Quick Resume is a feature exclusive to the new Xbox from Microsoft. It allows you to pause numerous games at once, allowing you to switch gears and return to where you left off in a different game in a matter of seconds. Extremely helpful, indeed.
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