The next generation console wars are now upon us with tech giants, Sony and Microsoft at the helm of affairs yet again. With both the PS5 and series x set to launch officially in November, there’s no better time than now to ask the all-important question of choice. Should you order a PS5 or a Xbox Series X? The question is indeed a tough one considering that both brands promised a memorable experience for the users with both consoles. However, I am here to help you make a decision. To be quite honest, there’s no outright final say on which console comes out top as they both have different philosophies in what they are trying to achieve. It all depends on the experience users are looking to get. I’ve decided to categorize every important feature and elaborate on each to help you easily make a choice on what console to invest in. Without much ado, lets dive into the comparisons.
RELEASE DATES
Microsoft draws first blood in this category as they have a less complex release plan than their Japanese counterparts. The Xbox series has been confirmed to launch on November 10 worldwide while the PS5 will hit the shelves 2 days later on November 12 in a few select countries(Japan, US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand) with November 19 being the launch date for the rest of the world. Clearly, Microsoft took a better release approach with the global launch which will see the console available around the globe on launch date.
DESIGN/AESTHETICS
To begin with, the design aesthetics of both consoles are strikingly different yet again with Sony’s effort being a bit more on the artistic and futuristic side and Microsoft’s on the traditional rectangular black box look that we see in PC rigs. Both approach are totally valid though and it all depends on the users tastes and preferences. With that said, it is important to note that the PS5 is the bigger of the two consoles. The design language of the PS5 in particular is quite interesting to say the least with several reviewers/people likening it to a Wi-Fi router. The Xbox Series X on the other hand has a quite simple rectangular and stealthy look to it.If you’re looking for something more stylish and futuristic to grace your living area, then the PS5 is the way to go. However, if you don’t care about all the flair and just want something that can blend into the background and furniture and not look out of place, then the Xbox Series X is your best bet. Ultimately, the console’s appearance would have no effect on how well it performs.
BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY
It should be easy to give the crown to the Series X in this aspect but the PS5 has some nice things going for it in this aspect also.With top personalities in Sony stating that the PS5 would have an incredibly powerful backwards compatibility support, it is clear that Sony now truly understands the importance of preservation and backwards compatibility. Players with a Playstation Plus subscription can even play classic PS4 games of their choice via Playstation Plus. It is also rumored that the PS5 would be able to act as an emulator for PS3, PS2 and even PS1 games. Keep in mind though that there is yet to be an official confirmation of this. Microsoft’s approach to backwards compatibility seems to be quite different and more flexible than Sony’s though with them confirming that the Series X would be backwards compatible with four generations of Xbox games. Older games are also expected to get graphics update and performance boost on the Series X. furthermore, Microsoft has also confirmed that older accessories would be compatible with the Series X and vice-versa. I would give the Series X the crown here because of how clear Microsoft has been with its intentions of backward compatibility and the efforts they have taken so far to support it.
CONTROLLERS/ACCESSORIES
Sony’s Pulse 3D wireless headset though this is not included with the console and would have to be bought separately.Furthermore, the Dualsense is rechargeable by USB-C out of the box. Sony has also replaced the ‘share’ button with the ‘create’ button which they claim will be a much more effective sharing method. To fit all these new components into the Dualsense, a new design language has been employed. The PS5 controller now has a slightly sharper/angled feel to it but it is still very ergonomic and suitable for everyone regardless of hand size.
In contrast, there isn’t very much to say about the Xbox Series X controller as it went for a more traditional design with a few tweaks. This is understandable as Microsoft’s aim here is to fully support backwards compatibility for it’s controllers. Some of the changes include a revised D-pad hybrid design and tactile bumps for the triggers and handles. Microsoft has confirmed that the series X controller would also be usable with the Xbox One X and even PC. Dynamic Latency input(DLI) which promise users a smoother and more responsive gaming experience is also another feature present in the Xbox Series X controller.
Ultimately, both controllers look promising and are guaranteed to perform as expected. It all depends on the user preferences.
A host of other accessories have also been announced for the PS5 including an HD Camera, a charging station capable of charging two controllers at the same time, a media remote and a pulse 3D wireless headset. In addition to this, a lot of other unofficial PS5 accessories would be available to users. Microsoft on the other hand are yet to announce any accessories for the Xbox Series X.
STORAGE
Sony’s storage solution on the PS5 seems to take home the price here. Although, both companies promise a super fast SSD on both systems, The PS5 storage is 2x faster than an already fast Xbox Series X storage. The PS5 is alleged to have an IO throughput of 5.5GB/S with the Xbox Series X coming in at 2.4GB/S. Keep in mind that this figures are for RAW files and they’ll even be higher for compressed files. For storage capacity the Xbox Series X will ship with a 1TB SSD and the PS5 would come at a much smaller 825GB SSD storage. Thankfully, both companies have storage expansion solutions set in place. The Series X storage would be expandable through 1TB expansion packs that would fit at the back of the console. Sony also says that the PS5 storage can be expanded by expanding the internal SSD storage or connecting an external hard drive to the system. Though it seems likely that external hard drives won’t be ideal for PS5 games, we would have to wait to see how well they work. In a nutshell, both system offer excellent storage that promise to eliminate load times as we see them. This can increase immersion and effectively change the way we play games and I’m excited to see what developers do with this.
SPECS AND PERFORMANCE
Before we delve into this category, it is important to note that both machines have really impressive power that can rival even high-end PCs of today. Both consoles will also support technologies like ray tracing, a technology only found on high-end PCs until now. However, how both consoles stack up against each other is an interesting topic. On paper, it would seem like Microsoft once again goes home with the prize but it is not quite as simple as that as we’ll see. Both companies have chosen once again to pair with AMD in the CPU and GPU design with the PS5 equipped with a custom third gen ryzen processor designed with AMD’s proprietary 7nm Zen microarchitecture clocked at 3.5GHz. As for the Xbox Series X, it is packed with a custom made eight-core zen 2 processor co-engineered by both AMD and Microsoft clocked at a similar 3.6GHz. For Microsoft’s system,it is important to note that the CPU and GPU are integrated.On the GPU front, things are looking quite promising with Microsoft opting for yet again a custom made AMD GPU that can handle 12 teraflops with 52 compute units clocked at 1.825GHZ as opposed to last gen’s puny 1.4 teraflops with 12 compute units found on the Xbox One S. Meanwhile, Sony didn’t hit too far from the mark with the PS5 GPU coming at a whooping 10.28 teraflops and 32 compute units clocked at 2.23GHz. It is indeed a very notable improvement and huge leap from the last generation and weather you finally choose the PS5 or the Xbox Series X, you should see a huge leap in overall performance. I’ve posted a head-to-head comparison of both systems to show you how well they stack up against each other. Both systems would support variable refresh rates and are capable of supporting framerates up to 120Hz at 4k. However, Microsoft’s more budget friendly and smaller variant, the Xbox Series S is specifically geared towards 1440p gaming.Both consoles are also equipped with a 16GB GDDR6 RAM and solid state drives that have promised to eliminate load times as we see it as opposed to last gen’s much slower mechanical drives. It is interesting to see what developers do with the extra horse power now available to them on both consoles.I for see a huge graphical improvement and huge game worlds like we’ve never seen before. So which console is more powerful? That might be a little hard to answer considering that both companies have approached with different philosophies. Would the 52 CU of the Xbox Series X edge out on the much fewer 32 CU on the PS5 albeit at a lower clock? We’d definitely find out soon enough but I say both systems are not far apart in power and will offer a very pleasant experience to users.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES/SERVICES
Sony and Microsoft have some really nice plans for next gen consoles .With services like Xbox games pass and Playstation plus collection that gives users access to hundreds of games to play for a small monthly fee, it is not far fetched to think that the future of gaming is in services. Microsoft in particular has been more aggressive in its efforts with them placing huge investment in services like Xbox live and Xbox game pass. Cloud streaming also seems to be a big prospect for both companies. Sony’s effort on this front in the form of Playstation Now and ProjectXcloud has been a huge success and is quite promising for the PS5. With this services, PS5 users could potentially download PS2 games and even stream select PS3 and PS4 titles from an ever-expanding library on their PS5 consoles via the cloud. Thankfully, Microsoft is not resting on their oars either with the company teasing it’s Azure cloud architecture and ProjectXcloud and even going into a cloud partnership with Sony, it is safe to say they’ve also got huge plans for game streaming. Though game streaming still has a long way to go, it is good to know that both companies realize the potential of this platform and are actively investing in it.
On the subject of VR, it seems the playstation remains the best bet for people willing to get the console VR experience. This is hugely due to the fact that Microsoft decided to pull its weight in this aspect on the PC exclusively. With that said PS5 VR would be very much available on launch and will also support backwards compatibility.
Launch titles for both consoles are mouth watering to say the least with both Sony and Microsoft announcing a plethora of exclusives and third-party launch titles.A list of all announced titles for the PS5 can be found here. A list of announced Xbox Series X titles can also be found here.
PRICE
Both consoles come at a fairly reasonable price tag with both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X coming in at a cool $499(£449). However, the slightly less powerful Xbox Series S come at an even cooler $299(£249), a very good choice for gamers on a budget, though a little less powerful and without a disc drive. Sony’s cheaper digital edition PS, also without a disc drive is priced at $399(£359), thankfully, it has identical specs with the full fledged PS5. These prices are very reasonable considering the fact that you need a lot more than this to get a gaming PC with equivalent specs/power.
MAKING YOUR CHOICE
So time for the verdict. Which console should you go for? That totally depends on where you stand right now. If you’re on a budget, your best choice is definitely the more budget Xbox Series S which sacrifices a very minimal horse power for a whooping $200. provided, you’re satisfied with 1440p gaming which looks really good anyways, The Xbox Series S should suffice. However, if you already have a library of either PS4 or Xbox One games, you’d want to pick the console which can play most of your previous titles to enjoy the backwards compatibility offered by both consoles. It might seem like Sony’s PS5 could offer a better experience with all the fancy new features and accessories but Microsoft also have some good features going for them such as the already established Xbox game pass, cloud streaming and a variety of other services. Which ever console you choose in the end, you’re bound to have a good time.
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