PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which console wins?

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which console wins?

More than a year after their release, the PS5 vs Xbox Series X battle remains a fierce one. In our reviews we were suitably impressed with both games consoles and remain so, with the two machines gaining more features and games as the latest generation gathers pace. But if you can only choose one, you’ll want to find out which one is best for you. 
As such, Tom’s Guide has compared the two consoles head-to-head, and without spoiling the results, it’s a very close contest between two high-quality consoles. Read on to discover how each system fares in our PS5 vs. Xbox Series X faceoff.
Check out our Xbox Series X review
PS5 review — our verdict is in
Xbox Series X vs. PC: Which is right for you?
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Specs

PS5
Xbox Series X
Price
$500 (PS5); $400 (PS5 Digital Edition)
$500
Key Exclusives
Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon II: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7
Halo Infinite, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Forza Motorsport 8, State of Decay 3
Backwards Compatibility
Almost all PS4 games, including optimized PS4 Pro titles
All Xbox One games / Select Xbox 360 and original Xbox games
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
RAM
16 GB GDDR6
16 GB GDDR6
Storage
825 GB custom SSD
1 TB custom NVMe SSD
Resolution
Up to 8K
Up to 8K
Frame Rate
Up to 120 fps
Up to 120 fps
Optical Disc Drive
4K UHD Blu-ray (Standard PS5 only)
4K UHD Blu-ray
While the specs are handy to know, they only tell part of the story when it comes to performance. As such, this section isn’t scored. However, we can say that the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, in terms of both GPU and SSD. Check out the performance section to see how this hardware performs in action.
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Price
Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X cost $500 apiece. Since the two systems are very similar, this category would seem to be a tie at first glance. However, the standard PS5 and Xbox Series X are not the only variants available. There’s also the $400 PS5 Digital Edition and the $300 Xbox Series S.
The PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition are identical, save for a 4K Blu-ray physical disc drive in the former. The latter has no disc drive, as the name suggests. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S has significantly different hardware from the Xbox Series X: a less-powerful GPU, a smaller SSD, less RAM and so forth.
(You can see a more comprehensive breakdown in our Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S article.)
As such, both consoles have cheaper variants, and both the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S have legitimate applications: the former for digital diehards, the latter for casual players or secondary setups. Still, since the Xbox Series S is a somewhat different system, and not just a console variation, it’s hard to pick a definitive winner. Both full-fledged systems cost the same amount of money; that’s the most important thing at the moment.
Winner: Tie
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Games
The PS5 and Xbox Series X have fundamentally different approaches to game libraries. The Xbox Series X assumes you’ll pick up the same games you left off on the Xbox One, and will want optimized performance across the board for all favorites. The PS5, on the other hand, has a bevy of exclusive titles that launched alongside its new console — although most of them are also available on the PS4, to be fair.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Performance
Over the past 12 and a bit months since the PS5 and Xbox Series X launched there have been a suite of cases where one is better than the other in certain games.
The Xbox Series X has more overall power to play with but that doesn’t always mean it performs the best. Similarly, there PS5 has the faster SSD, but that doesn’t mean there’s much of a real-world difference in loading time between the consoles. 
What we can say is the PS5’s exclusive games look utterly stunning with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal being some of the most visually striking games around. Horizon Forbidden West also looks incredible on the PS5, though it’s also a PS4 title. 

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Design
For the most part, whether you like a console’s design comes down to personal preference. But my personal preference is that I cannot stand how the PS5 looks. Not only is the system comically large; it’s also a pain to switch from vertical to horizontal configuration, and the standard version sports an ugly, asymmetrical design.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Controller
Another area in which the Xbox Series X plays it safe, to its credit, is in its controller. The Xbox Series X controller is nearly identical to the Xbox One model, save for textured grips and shoulder buttons, an improved D-pad and a new “share” button in the center.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Backwards compatibility 
Both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X have excellent backwards compatibility features, but there’s no denying that the Xbox reaches further back into Microsoft’s library. Not only is the Xbox Series X compatible with just about every Xbox One game; it’s also compatible with many Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. While it doesn’t include every stab Microsoft’s ever taken at backwards-compatible games (the Xbox 360 still plays many original Xbox games that the Series X can’t), it’s an impressive effort with zero friction.

PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming isn’t a huge issue for either the PS5 or the Xbox Series X, since you can simply download games and play them natively on either platform. But as cloud gaming grows over the next few years, it’s good to know where each company stands at the outset of this console generation.
The PS5 has PlayStation Now, which lets you stream a variety of PS3 and PS4 games to your PS5 or PC. You can also download certain PS4 titles. It costs at least $8 per month, and doesn’t work on mobile platforms.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Buy now or wait?
Currently, it’s still tricky to track down a PS5 restock, whereas getting hold of an Xbox Series X restock is a little easier. But the question is which should you buy right now? 
Both have their merits and both offer slightly different gaming experiences, with the PS5 being an exclusive games machine and the Xbox Series X being more of an ultimate Xbox that spans all four generations of Xbox games. 
If it was our choice, we’d advise getting a PS5, as it currently has more exclusive games that are also extremely impressive; we’re talking about Deathloop, Gran Turismo 7 and Returnal. The Xbox Series X is well worth considering too, but if you have an Xbox One X or a powerful PC, you should still be able to get access to the best Xbox Series X games right now, meaning the PS5 is the console we’d choose if forced to make such a choice. 
Winner: PS5
PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Verdict

PS5
Xbox Series X
Price (10)
8
8
Games (20)
18
15
Performance (15)
13
12
Design (10)
5
8
Controller (10)
7
7
Backwards compatibility (10)
7
9
Cloud gaming (5)
3
3
Total (80)
61
62
While both consoles are off to a strong start and show significant room for improvement, the Xbox Series X seems like a slightly better investment for the moment. With more powerful hardware, a better design, a more comprehensive game subscription service and a delightful controller, the Xbox Series X has the early lead in the next generation of consoles.
Still, the PS5 has some virtues that the Xbox Series X does not. There’s a full-featured digital console, a more inventive controller, a faster SSD and — this is not to be understated — a better selection of exclusive games.
From having used both consoles extensively over the last few months, my gut feeling is that they have more similarities than differences, and whichever one you get should be more than sufficient to power your gaming for the next few years. Of course, you could always just build a gaming PC — but that’s a different story.
More: PS5 vs. Xbox Series X vs. Nintendo Switch: Which console is right for you?

#PS5 #Xbox #Series #console #wins

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which console wins?

More than a year after their release, the PS5 vs Xbox Series X battle remains a fierce one. In our reviews we were suitably impressed with both games consoles and remain so, with the two machines gaining more features and games as the latest generation gathers pace. But if you can only choose one, you’ll want to find out which one is best for you. 
As such, Tom’s Guide has compared the two consoles head-to-head, and without spoiling the results, it’s a very close contest between two high-quality consoles. Read on to discover how each system fares in our PS5 vs. Xbox Series X faceoff.
Check out our Xbox Series X review
PS5 review — our verdict is in
Xbox Series X vs. PC: Which is right for you?
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Specs

PS5
Xbox Series X
Price
$500 (PS5); $400 (PS5 Digital Edition)
$500
Key Exclusives
Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon II: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7
Halo Infinite, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Forza Motorsport 8, State of Decay 3
Backwards Compatibility
Almost all PS4 games, including optimized PS4 Pro titles
All Xbox One games / Select Xbox 360 and original Xbox games
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
RAM
16 GB GDDR6
16 GB GDDR6
Storage
825 GB custom SSD
1 TB custom NVMe SSD
Resolution
Up to 8K
Up to 8K
Frame Rate
Up to 120 fps
Up to 120 fps
Optical Disc Drive
4K UHD Blu-ray (Standard PS5 only)
4K UHD Blu-ray
While the specs are handy to know, they only tell part of the story when it comes to performance. As such, this section isn’t scored. However, we can say that the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, in terms of both GPU and SSD. Check out the performance section to see how this hardware performs in action.
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Price
Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X cost $500 apiece. Since the two systems are very similar, this category would seem to be a tie at first glance. However, the standard PS5 and Xbox Series X are not the only variants available. There’s also the $400 PS5 Digital Edition and the $300 Xbox Series S.
The PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition are identical, save for a 4K Blu-ray physical disc drive in the former. The latter has no disc drive, as the name suggests. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S has significantly different hardware from the Xbox Series X: a less-powerful GPU, a smaller SSD, less RAM and so forth.
(You can see a more comprehensive breakdown in our Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S article.)
As such, both consoles have cheaper variants, and both the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S have legitimate applications: the former for digital diehards, the latter for casual players or secondary setups. Still, since the Xbox Series S is a somewhat different system, and not just a console variation, it’s hard to pick a definitive winner. Both full-fledged systems cost the same amount of money; that’s the most important thing at the moment.
Winner: Tie
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Games
The PS5 and Xbox Series X have fundamentally different approaches to game libraries. The Xbox Series X assumes you’ll pick up the same games you left off on the Xbox One, and will want optimized performance across the board for all favorites. The PS5, on the other hand, has a bevy of exclusive titles that launched alongside its new console — although most of them are also available on the PS4, to be fair.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Performance
Over the past 12 and a bit months since the PS5 and Xbox Series X launched there have been a suite of cases where one is better than the other in certain games.
The Xbox Series X has more overall power to play with but that doesn’t always mean it performs the best. Similarly, there PS5 has the faster SSD, but that doesn’t mean there’s much of a real-world difference in loading time between the consoles. 
What we can say is the PS5’s exclusive games look utterly stunning with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal being some of the most visually striking games around. Horizon Forbidden West also looks incredible on the PS5, though it’s also a PS4 title. 

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Design
For the most part, whether you like a console’s design comes down to personal preference. But my personal preference is that I cannot stand how the PS5 looks. Not only is the system comically large; it’s also a pain to switch from vertical to horizontal configuration, and the standard version sports an ugly, asymmetrical design.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Controller
Another area in which the Xbox Series X plays it safe, to its credit, is in its controller. The Xbox Series X controller is nearly identical to the Xbox One model, save for textured grips and shoulder buttons, an improved D-pad and a new “share” button in the center.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Backwards compatibility 
Both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X have excellent backwards compatibility features, but there’s no denying that the Xbox reaches further back into Microsoft’s library. Not only is the Xbox Series X compatible with just about every Xbox One game; it’s also compatible with many Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. While it doesn’t include every stab Microsoft’s ever taken at backwards-compatible games (the Xbox 360 still plays many original Xbox games that the Series X can’t), it’s an impressive effort with zero friction.

PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming isn’t a huge issue for either the PS5 or the Xbox Series X, since you can simply download games and play them natively on either platform. But as cloud gaming grows over the next few years, it’s good to know where each company stands at the outset of this console generation.
The PS5 has PlayStation Now, which lets you stream a variety of PS3 and PS4 games to your PS5 or PC. You can also download certain PS4 titles. It costs at least $8 per month, and doesn’t work on mobile platforms.

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Buy now or wait?
Currently, it’s still tricky to track down a PS5 restock, whereas getting hold of an Xbox Series X restock is a little easier. But the question is which should you buy right now? 
Both have their merits and both offer slightly different gaming experiences, with the PS5 being an exclusive games machine and the Xbox Series X being more of an ultimate Xbox that spans all four generations of Xbox games. 
If it was our choice, we’d advise getting a PS5, as it currently has more exclusive games that are also extremely impressive; we’re talking about Deathloop, Gran Turismo 7 and Returnal. The Xbox Series X is well worth considering too, but if you have an Xbox One X or a powerful PC, you should still be able to get access to the best Xbox Series X games right now, meaning the PS5 is the console we’d choose if forced to make such a choice. 
Winner: PS5
PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Verdict

PS5
Xbox Series X
Price (10)
8
8
Games (20)
18
15
Performance (15)
13
12
Design (10)
5
8
Controller (10)
7
7
Backwards compatibility (10)
7
9
Cloud gaming (5)
3
3
Total (80)
61
62
While both consoles are off to a strong start and show significant room for improvement, the Xbox Series X seems like a slightly better investment for the moment. With more powerful hardware, a better design, a more comprehensive game subscription service and a delightful controller, the Xbox Series X has the early lead in the next generation of consoles.
Still, the PS5 has some virtues that the Xbox Series X does not. There’s a full-featured digital console, a more inventive controller, a faster SSD and — this is not to be understated — a better selection of exclusive games.
From having used both consoles extensively over the last few months, my gut feeling is that they have more similarities than differences, and whichever one you get should be more than sufficient to power your gaming for the next few years. Of course, you could always just build a gaming PC — but that’s a different story.
More: PS5 vs. Xbox Series X vs. Nintendo Switch: Which console is right for you?

#PS5 #Xbox #Series #console #wins