PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which One is Better?

But that time has passed. Most of the information we were looking for is here, and now is the time to compare consoles coming from Sony and Microsoft. Therefore, we decided to put the technical specifications of these consoles “on paper” and see which one is “better”. Before you decide to buy, take a look at the rest of the text.

PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X: Price

On paper, the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, however, early game comparisons are showing the PlayStation 5 outperforming the XSX. Both consoles cost roughly the same amount of money, so it’s hard to pick the right winner. In the end, it all comes down to games you like to play the most.

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PlayStation 5

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Xbox Series X

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Keep in mind that both consoles have cheaper variants. The PS5 has a Digital Edition variant that has no disc drive, but features the same system specs as base PS5. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, has significantly weaker hardware, and is designed for people who can’t afford the Xbox Series X.

PlayStation 5 Specifications

These are the basic specifications for the PS5. But Sony will launch two variants of the PlayStation – the regular and digital version (Digital Edition). The latter will not feature a disc slot, which will result in lower weight – 3.9 kg vs. 4.5 kg, and will be slightly lower (92 mm vs. 104 mm).

Xbox Series X Specifications

But that is not all. Microsoft will be releasing two separate consoles. Another option from Microsoft is Xbox Series S.

Xbox Series S Specifications

Before we continue comparing the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, let’s take a look at what the “S” version has to offer.

• CPU : Custom eight-core, 16-threads, 3.6 GHz AMD Zen 2 CPU
• GPU : Custom AMD RDNA 2 architecture, 1.565 GHz (4 TFLOPS)
• Memory : 10GB GDDR6 RAM
• Storage : Custom 512GB NVMe SSD
• Expansions Slots: NVMe support, USB 3.2 external HDD support
• Video Output : HDMI 2.1
• Audio Output : Dolby Atmos
• Connectivity : 3 x USB 3.1
• Networking : 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi
• Dimensions : 65mm x 275mm x 151mm

The Xbox Series S, like the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, will come without disc slot. However, both regular and digital edition of PlayStation 5 will feature the same hardware, while Xbox’s won’t. The Xbox Series S will be slightly weaker than X, and will be targeted to a different audience. The S version will primarily target the less financially secure audience, as well gamers who cannot or don’t want to play games at 4K resolution.

Backwards Compatibility

The hardware specifications aren’t the only thing worth considering when buying a new console. One of the more important questions is how the old controllers and other peripherals will work with the new consoles (or whether they will work at all), and which older games you’ll be able to play on a new console.

Of course, the answer to that question is never simple. Most new hardware also includes a bunch of new software and different program codes. For example, when the PS4 came out “back” in 2013, it was not compatible with the PS3 console. Sony solved this by remaking some games and uploading them back to the PlayStation Now service and thus giving users “older” games. But of course – with a surcharge for players. What is the situation today?

The PlayStation 5 has more aces up its sleeve. For example, some games will perform better thanks to the Game Boost feature which basically allows you to play games at higher FPS than the PS4 can deliver. Furthermore PlayStation Now will also deliver a bunch of old games to your new console. Here we are talking about hundreds of PS2, PS3 and PS4 games. As for the PS4 controller, it will work with PS5 but only while playing PS4 games. So, you can use DualShock 4 while playing PS4 games on PS5, but when you switch to a PS5 game, then you have to use a DualSense controller.

The Xbox Series X will also offers great backwards compatibility support for its older brethren. All games from the Xbox One console will work on the new one. But also, the games you played on the Xbox 360 or the original Xbox will work. By the way, the Xbox 360 has 568 games, while the original Xbox has 39 titles. When you add that up, you get 600 games right away that you can play on XSX. Also, there’s the Xbox Game Pass with a bunch of titles that you can also download and play, so we have no doubt that gamers who choose this console will definitely play some of the “older” titles as well. As for the controller, there are no restrictions. You can play older titles with the new Xbox X controller, but you can also play newer titles with older controllers.

Which Console is Better: PS5 or XSX?

On paper, the Xbox Series X features better hardware specifications than the PlayStation 5. However, the difference is marginal. The CPU differs minimally, and both consoles come with 16 GB of GDDR6 RAM. The I/O slots are also very similar, as well as their graphics processing units. Basically, whichever console you choose, we believe you won’t regret your purchase. After all, PS5 games will work perfectly on the Sony console, just as Xbox games will work perfectly on the Microsoft’s console.

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