It’s been a couple of years since the release of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. At launch, getting either of these consoles is pretty much impossible due to shortage issues and scalpers. Now that supply has been stabilizing, it’s a bit easier to get your hands on either of them. Ideally, you’ll want both consoles to experience the best of both worlds, but if you can only get one, which of the two should you pick? Which one is better, PS5 or Xbox Series X? We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the Xbox Series X vs PS5 below.
PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X Comparison Chart
PS5 vs Xbox Series X Design
The PS5 is tall and slim while the Xbox Series X is shorter but bulkier.
These two consoles have very distinct designs. The PlayStation 5 is taller and slimmer, while the Xbox Series X is shorter and bulkier. The PS5 has a more unique design with its curvy form factor. There are two faceplates that sandwich the main unit, and you can buy these faceplates separately if you want to customize the look of your PS5. The black and white color combination provides a clean look to the console.
On the other hand, the Xbox Series X has a more minimalist design. It’s basically a rectangular box that looks like a mini-tower small form factor PC. Which design you like will depend on your preference, but the important bit here is that both consoles have enough cooling for their internal components.
Both consoles can lay flat or stand vertically. The PS5 measures 10.2 x 4.1 x 15.4 inches and it weighs 8.6lbs. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X’s physical dimensions are 5.94 x 5.94 x 11.85 inches and it weighs a bit more, at 9.8lbs.
When it comes to controllers, the PS5 DualSense is definitely the more feature-packed. It comes with adaptive triggers, haptic feedback and the touchpad is also present. On the other hand, the Xbox Series X controller is a minor revision of the Xbox One controller that features the same layout and ergonomic form factor. Here is our more in-depth comparison of the DualSense and Xbox Series X controller.
PS5 vs Xbox Series X Exclusives and 3rd Party Games
Sony has more exclusives, but the value of Microsoft’s Game Pass is undeniable.
Sony’s lineup of exclusive games is definitely the biggest reason why the PlayStation is more successful than the Xbox. Sony is able to pump out a good number of exclusive games that are well-received by critics and gamers alike. Games such as Demon’s Souls Remake, Horizon Forbidden West, Returnal, Spider-Man Remastered and Astro’s Playroom are some of the platform’s most well-received games, with a bunch more yet to be released, including the God of War: Ragnarok, Forspoken and more.
Microsoft can’t match the quality and quantity of Sony’s exclusive games. Even their most well-known IPs such as Gears of War and Halo have struggled recently. That might change in the future, though, with Microsoft’s acquisition of gaming giants such as Activision and Bethesda. But if you’re more interested in the now, then Sony definitely has the major advantage when it comes to exclusive games.
What Microsoft has that Sony doesn’t is Game Pass. This service is a game changer for a lot of people that want to save money in the long run. It’s basically a subscription service that’s similar to Netflix, but for games. For a fixed subscription fee, you’ll get access to all the titles in Microsoft’s lineup, including many 3rd-party games.
PS5 vs Xbox Series X Specs
The Xbox Series X specs is more impressive than the Sony PS5’s.
On paper, the Xbox Series X is the more powerful console. Both consoles sport custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPUs, but the Xbox Series X’s is clocked higher at 3.8Ghz compared to the 3.5GHz of the PS5. It’s the same story when it comes to graphics, with the Xbox Series X boasting 12 Teraflops of processing power to the PS5’s 10.3 Teraflops.
Storage is another area where the Xbox Series X has the advantage. While both of them have custom SSDs for superfast loading, the Xbox Series X has 1TB of storage to the PS5’s 825GB. On the Xbox Series X, 825GB is accessible to the user whereas on the PS5, only 700GB is accessible. The difference in storage space may seem insignificant, but with how much space games take these days, the extra space on the Xbox Series X is definitely an advantage. You have the option of expanding the storage space on both consoles, but as of now, the supported devices are quite expensive.
As for RAM, both consoles have 16GB GDDR6 memory.
PS5 vs Xbox Series X Performance and Graphics
They offer similar performance, with few games performing better on the PS5, and vice versa.
As mentioned above, the specs of the PS5 and Xbox Series X are similar. Unsurprisingly, their performance is pretty much the same in majority of games. Both consoles are capable of up to 4K resolution and up to 120fps. However, in reality, only a very few games will ever be able to run at 4K 120fps. Most games run at 60fps on the PS5 and Xbox Series X when resolution is set to 4K.
At launch, only the Xbox Series X had 1440p support. That changed with the September 2022 PS5 update. Now, both consoles can play games at 1440p, which is a good compromise for graphical fidelity and framerate. If a game has a 1440p/120fps mode, that’s certainly the best experience in terms of graphics and smoothness, provided that you have a high refresh rate TV or monitor that supports 1440p.
As for features, both consoles have ray tracing, VRR and ALLM. VRR and ALLM allows for a tear-free gaming experience with minimal input lag. Ray tracing, on the other hand, is a tech that allows for realistic reflections in games, to put it simply. One advantage of the Xbox Series X in features is its Dolby Vision support for media consumption and future games. The PS5 does not come with this feature.
Verdict
Choosing between the two will come down to which console has the games you’re interested in.
PS5
Better exclusive games
Xbox Series X
Game Pass offers excellent value
The consoles in this generation are neck-and-neck when it comes to hardware and performance. As such, the determining factor as to which console you’ll choose will depend on the games. The Sony PlayStation 5 definitely has the upper hand when it comes to exclusive games. They have more quality exclusives than Xbox. On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass is a very attractive service that gives you access to hundreds of titles for a monthly or yearly fee. Choosing between the two will ultimately come down to whether you prefer Sony’s exclusives or if you want to take advantage of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass.
FAQs
They are pretty similar in performance. The PS5 has a better lineup of exclusive games while the Xbox Series X allows you to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. As to which one is better, it will depend on which games you want to play.
The Xbox Series X is more capable than the Series S. The Xbox Series S is cheaper, but not as capable. Click here to learn more about the differences between the Xbox Series X and S.
There’s no news of a PS5 Pro yet.
No, it doesn’t overheat easily, unless you got a defective unit. It warms up naturally as you use it, but it should have built-in protection from overheating.