PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X, comparison: this is how the battle to take the throne of the next-gen consoles remains

Here is a full comparison between PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X and battle between these two. The next-gen of consoles is already served. Shortly after Microsoft revealed the price of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Sony has confirmed the price of its new PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. There is no more data to give. Sony and Microsoft have put all the meat on the grill and now it is up to the user to decide whether to choose one console or another.

In that sense, there are certain differences in terms of video game specifications and strategy. Precisely for this reason we are going to compare the four consoles that Sony and Microsoft offer us to see what similarities they have, how the most affordable and digital versions compete and, of course, what is the strategy of each console in terms of games. Below is the comparision chart of PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X…

PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X

When it comes to raw power, both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are very similar . Both consoles mount an eight-core Zen 2 CPU, although the Xbox one is slightly faster. If we stick to the teraflops and the CUs (computing units) of the GPU, the Microsoft console is capable of performing more options per second and is somewhat more powerful, hence the Xbox Series X has 12 TFLOPS and the PS5 10 , 28 TFLOPS. It is a difference, but it is not overly noteworthy either.

In other words, as far as graphic power is concerned there is not a very remarkable difference. Both consoles promise that we will be able to play in 4K at 60 frames per second and reach 120 FPS . Ultimately, it’s something that will depend on each game and each studio. Be that as it may, and strictly sticking to the technical sheet, the Xbox aims to be a little more powerful in graphic terms.

Similarly, comparing the TFLOPS and Compute Units of one console with those of another is not overly reliable. Mark Cerny himself, chief architect of PlayStation development, pointed out during the presentation of the console that this metric can lead to misunderstandings and that, for example, the 36 CUs of the PS5 would be equivalent to about 58 CUs of the PS4 , since the Transistor density is much higher and, in addition, they operate at a higher speed.

Now, where there are substantial differences is in the storage system. The Xbox Series X features a custom 1TB NVMe SSD with transfer rates of 2.4GB per second for raw data and 4.8GB per second for compressed data, but Sony has gone for a custom SSD that takes advantage of the PCIe 4.0 standard and a host of enhancements specifically aimed at making that storage system perform fantastic.

Except for the storage system, both consoles promise similar graphics performance
And what does that translate into? At much higher transfer rates. Specifically, the PS5 is capable of transferring 5.5 GB / s of raw data and between 8 and 9 GB / s of compressed data , double that of the Xbox Series X. Basically, it is capable of loading 2 GB in 0.27 seconds, something that, on paper, should translate into much shorter loading times.

In short: at equal prices, both consoles aspire to offer a similar experience in terms of graphics, but the SSD of the PlayStation 5 is above. However, we do not know if that difference in performance will really make a clear difference between the two consoles, since both storage subsystems are really a differential leap from the current generation of consoles.

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S

If in the most powerful consoles the differences were scarce, in the completely digital models it is the opposite. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is, on paper, much more powerful than the Xbox Series S . Not only because it has more TFLOPS and CUs, which we have already said are not reliable metrics, but because the GPU of the Xbox Series S is less powerful than that of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.

Both consoles share the processor of their older sisters, so we continue to find an octa-core CPU at 3.5 GHz in the case of the PS5 and 3.8 GHz in the case of the Xbox Series X. The GPU is still a Custom AMD RDNA 2, but in S Series it is less powerful. In fact, the PS5 Digital Edition has 16GB of GDDR6 memory and the Xbox Series S 10GB GDDR6 .

Basically, the Xbox Series S is a cropped version of the Xbox Series X that sacrifices power and cuts in resolution. The Xbox Series X aims to render in 4K at 120 FPS, but the Xbox Series S stays at 1,440p at 120 FPS with 4K upscaling . The PS5 Digital Edition, however, maintains the specifications and capabilities of the standard PS5, only eliminating the optical drive.

When it comes to storage, the two consoles share the specifications of their disc drive models, so on paper the results should be exactly the same . Now, it should be noted that the PS5 Digital Edition has the same capacity as the standard PS5, while the Xbox Series S has half the storage of the Series X. The storage of both consoles can be expanded using external devices.

In summary accounts, and always bearing in mind that we are building on the official specifications, one could say that the PS5 Digital Edition is more powerful than the Xbox Series S .

Services and videogames

Thus we come to services and video games. If in terms of hardware both consoles are, with their exceptions, similar, the strategy of both companies in terms of software is radically different : Microsoft bets on services, while Sony prefers to fight based on exclusives and large franchises.

We started with Xbox. Microsoft has long given a lot of prominence to Game Pass , its “flat rate” for video games. Not only because all titles from Microsoft’s studios will be available in the launch Game Pass on the console , but also because users who pay for Game Pass Ultimate will be able to access EA Play (Electronic Arts’ catalog of games), xCloud ( streaming games from mobile phones), Gold (to play online) and PC games from their computers.

PlayStation, for its part, does not have such a “unifying” service for its console. It has PS Now , which is a flat rate with about 800 video games that allows you to stream or download titles on the console, but it lacks the “launch available” factor that Xbox is betting so much on. PS Now is available for PC, although only to play in streaming and in 720p resolution. It is not at all the same as Game Pass Ultimate.

In terms of services, Microsoft takes the medal. However, Sony can boast of having a very rich catalog of exclusive games with great franchises under its belt, such as ‘Spider-Man’, ‘Ratchet and Clank’, ‘The Last of Us’, ‘Gran Turismo 7’, a new Square Enix IP, ‘Demon’s Souls’, ‘Horizon: Forbidden West’ or ‘Sackboy: A Big Adventure’, based on the universe of ‘Little Big Planet’.

Finally, it is necessary to talk about backward compatibility , one of the most controversial sections of the new consoles. Both consoles will allow you to play games from previous generations, although a priori Xbox promises a greater range of options.

Microsoft ensures that we will have access to “thousands of titles from four generations of content. Including Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.” They claim that there is a ” curated list of titles that will feature enhancements far beyond what was originally created”, such as 4K rendering, HDR, anisotropic filtering and more frames per second. How many games will be supported? It is not known. If I have an Xbox 360 disc and I put it in the Xbox Series X, will I be able to play? It is also not known.

Sony, for its part, today announced the PS Plus Collection , a collection of PS4 video games that, they say, will be available from launch via digital download to be played on PS5. Among the games included are ‘God of War’, ‘Ratchet and Clank’, ‘Uncharted 4’, ‘Detroit Become Human’ and a few more. However, it remains to be seen whether the PS5 will be backward compatible with PS3, PS2 and PS1 games.

Neither Sony nor Microsoft want their current generation games to be obsolete. They have yet to clarify which titles will be playable, under what conditions and if they will only be accessible after digital downloading or if it will be as simple as putting the disc in the optical drive. Be that as it may, what is clear is that the new console war has become very interesting. And it’s only just begun .

Who is each console aimed at

If we take a look at the specification tables for each console, we will see that each one is designed to offer a different experience and, therefore, for a different type of user. Some Xbox users may not need the Xbox Series X to enjoy their favorite games, as perhaps the power of this most basic console will have enough.

The PlayStation 5 promises to play 4K at 60 FPS and hit 120 FPS. By having an optical drive, it allows us to buy physical games and exchange them with friends, and even sell them once we have tired or have overcome them. The same happens with the Xbox Series X , although it is more oriented to exploit the catalog that Game Pass makes available to its subscribers.

The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, meanwhile, aims to offer a similar experience to its sister with a disc player, but completely forgets about boxes and physical games. There are no differences in terms of performance, as it also promises to play in 4K at 60 FPS or up to 120 FPS , but by its nature it may be more focused on free-to-play and competitive titles such as’ Fortnite ‘or’ Call of Duty: Warzone ‘, which are eminently online.

This same philosophy can be applied to the Xbox Series S. It is a less powerful console, with more limited storage and no optical drive. It aims to render games at 1,440p at 60 FPS and some at 120 FPS, but it is not intended for big heavy games, but for online titles like the ones mentioned above or lighter games available on Game Pass.