Are you an enthusiastic gamer? Does your favourite game run smoothly on your PC? Probably not; that’s why you are here determining whether you should buy the Microsoft Xbox Series X or Sony PlayStation 5. Both of these consoles are not new on the market, and neither is the battle over which one is the BEST.
The performance of both of these gaming consoles is impressive, and they are gaining more features and games over time. However, since you’ll invest a lot of money to own a gaming console, you will want to ensure you get the best bang for your buck. We know a minor glitch can ruin your gaming experience, and the slightest change in the specifications can make a lot of difference.
Though users reported no glitches or problems with these gaming consoles, dive into this blog to determine how each console performs. We have compared the two gaming consoles, and both devices give each other tough competition. Read on this blog to learn which console has won the contest.
1. Xbox Series X vs. PlayStation 5: Specifications
Before you delve deep into this blog, first, let’s familiarise ourselves with what each gaming console has loaded with (the hardware). So, here is the information you need to know about each of these gaming consoles:
| Aspects | Xbox Series X | PlayStation 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499 | $499 |
| RAM | 16 GB GDDR6 | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Storage | 825 GB custom SSD | 1 TB custom NVMe SSD |
| CPU | 8-core 3.5 GHz AMD Zen 2 | 8-core, 3.8 GHz AMD Zen 2 |
| GPU | 10.3 teraflop AMD RDNA 2 | 12.0 teraflop AMD RDNA 2 |
| Resolution | Up to 8K | Up to 8K |
| Frame Rate | Up to 120 fps | Up to 120 fps |
| Optical Disc Drive | 4K UHD Blu-ray | 4K UHD Blu-ray |
| Backwards Compatibility | Almost all PS4/Pro games | All Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox Original games |
From the above information, we can conclude that the Xbox series X has more powerful hardware compared to the PS5. However, that doesn’t mean it performs better. To learn about the performance of each gaming console, refer to the performance section.
2. Who Has the Best Design?
The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, both gaming consoles, have different designs and are not identical to each other in any aspect. The PS5 is the tallest gaming console available on the market, with a unique design of two white faceplates that protect the main console between them.
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On the other hand, the Xbox Series X is just the opposite of what the PS5 has. Its chunky and squat design makes it look like a mini-tower PC instead of a game console. Heat dissipation significantly affects the design of the two machines, so there is no one to blame for their designs.
The PS5 can be laid horizontally or stand on its end. However, you might struggle to handle it if you have an AV cabinet. The same is the case with the Xbox Series X. But you won’t have issues with the management of the latter since its design is not too complicated and it fits the AV cabinet well.
Which design of gaming console you choose depends on your personal preference. If you like a sleek and modern design in your cabinet, go with the PS5. The Xbox Series X is perfect for those who don’t care about the design. However, there is nothing the best or the worst about gaming console design.
3. What About the Performance?
That’s the most anticipated, exciting, intriguing and crucial question on this blog, and answering this question is quite challenging for us since both machines can load the games at ludicrous speeds. However, that answer won’t suffice (we know). Here is what we found:
- First, we tested how much time each gaming console takes to boot up, and the results were unexpected. The PS5 took 23 seconds to turn on, while the Xbox Series X did it in 18 seconds, which suggests that the latter is faster when it comes to boot speed.
- It is possible to compromise on the boot speed (for us, at least). However, there must not be any delay in loading games. So a cross-gen game (Overwatch 2) test is a must! The PS5 took nine seconds to load the game, while the Xbox Series X did the same task in 13 seconds.
- Since you will not play only one type of game on your gaming console, it is also important to know how it works on other games, i.e., Exclusive Games. Marvel’s Spider-Main: Miles Morales was used to perform this test; the PS5 took 12 seconds to load the game, while the Xbox Series X took more than 12 seconds for the same task.
4. Whose Controller Is Good?
Before investing in any gaming console, you might also want to know which offers you a better controller to win every game you play. The Xbox Series X has a controller that is nearly similar in design to the Xbox One Model. However, an improved D-pad, new share button, textured grips and shoulder buttons give its new controller an extra edge. With a few enhancements and upgrades, it has become one of the best controllers in history for gamers.
However, the controller of the Xbox Series X runs on AA batteries, which seems a bit old-fashioned and also increases the cost of use to the end-user. If you talk about the PS5 DualSense, it has its own design and everything from the DualShock 4, from the two-tone scheme to much bigger grips. The sensitive haptics and built-in mic are new features in the PS5 DualSense but not in the DualShock 4.
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Everything else seems good in the PS5 DualSense except for a lot of wasted space, especially in the touchpad. There is room for improvement in the controllers of both gaming consoles, so no one has the perfect controller. However, you should also consider that none of the controllers will give you a better gaming experience than the others, even if the brands make the mentioned improvements.
5. Which One is Affordable?
The price is also a crucial factor when it comes to buying a gaming console. You might want to buy a game console that fits your budget or is pocket-friendly. But this is not the case when you compare the Xbox Series X and Sony PlayStation 5 prices; both come at a price tag of $499.
There’s a catch; these prices are for standard variants of these gaming consoles, and if you want a gaming console from Sony on a limited budget, you also get the option of buying the PS5 Digital Edition, which will cost you $399. However, if you are a fan of Microsoft, consider the Xbox Series S, priced at $299 only.
In summary, there is no difference in price between the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. However, if you are limited on budget and want to buy from your favourite brand (Sony or Microsoft), there are also some other options available in the market for you. But you won’t get the same experience on those little variants that you get on the standard variants.
6. PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X: Backwards Compatibility
If you talk about this essential feature, both machines have an excellent backwards compatibility feature. The PlayStation 5 can play any PS4 game; however, it doesn’t go further back than that. On the other hand, Xbox allows you to play every game available on Xbox One and Xbox 360 (that’s a lot of backward compatibility).
From the above information, it is apparent that the Xbox Series will give you access to hundreds of more games than the PlayStation 5. Sony is trying to outcompete the Xbox Series X with PlayStation Plus Premium, which allows users to download many PS1, PS2 and PSP titles. However, that doesn’t seem to work for now.
To conclude, the Xbox Series X provides you access to all the games that you used to play on Xbox One and Xbox 360, while the PS5 is not compatible with discs older than the PS4 variant, which makes the Xbox Series X better in the backwards compatibility race.
7. List of Games You Can Play on Each
You will want to ensure that you can play all your favourite games on your gaming console seamlessly. For that purpose, determine which gaming console has most of your favourite games. The list of exclusive games on the PS5 is as follows:
- Returnal
- Deathloop
- Gran Turismo 7
- Demon’s Souls
- Astro’s Playroom
- Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Destruction AllStars
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
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On the other hand, the Xbox Series X comparatively has fewer options, and the list of exclusive games you can enjoy on this gaming console includes the following:
- Halo Infinite
- Forza Horizon 5
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
Undeniably, the PS5 has a more exciting game selection compared to the Xbox Series X/S. However, with the $17-per-month subscription service called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can download more than 100 games across several genres, and Sony does not have a strong competitor for that (at least, right now).
8. Should You Buy PS5 or Xbox Series X for Cloud Gaming?
You can download and play cloud games on both PS5 and Xbox Series X; cloud gaming is not a big deal for any of these gaming consoles. However, cloud gaming has evolved and will continue to grow in the next few years. Therefore, it is essential to determine which gaming console will adapt and perform better in the coming days.
PS5 allows you to stream various PS3 and PS4 titles to PlayStation consoles and PCs and costs you $10 monthly. On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs you $5 per month and allows streaming to Android, iOS, non-gaming PCs and Xbox consoles.
All this indicates that the PlayStation Plus revamp is not a good option compared to Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is a much more refined service currently.
9. Is It the Right Time to Buy PS5 or Xbox Series X?
Amid the rumours of the development of the PS5 and revamped Xbox Series X, you might be confused about whether to wait for the latest models or buy the existing variants. The short answer is yes; now is the perfect time to buy the PlayStation 5 or Microsoft Xbox Series X.
Though you might not be able to find any discounts on the PS5 or Xbox Series X, you get a wide variety of game options with them right now. Not to mention the range of accessories you get to use with them. You also might be familiar with the fact that game publishers do not release new games on the older versions that you are probably using, i.e., PS4 or Xbox One.
Being an enthusiastic gamer, order the Sony PlayStation 5 or Microsoft Xbox Series X without delay and enjoy the latest games and mods. Consider the trade-in option to save a few dollars while upgrading to the newest version of your favourite gaming console.
Final Verdict
As a gamer, you don’t want minimal disturbance or frame drops while playing your favourite games on your gaming console. And since you are using an older gaming console, your game might be choppy or not as smooth as it used to be earlier. That’s a good reason to shift to the PS5 or Xbox Series X. However, it is essential to determine which one offers you the best gaming experience.
To determine which gaming console will provide you with a great gaming experience, give our exclusive blog a read. In this blog, we compared the specifications, design, controller, prices, performance, and everything else to help you choose the best game console you could ever buy for yourself.
