Which is better? The PS5 or the XBOX Series X? It's been a little over a year since the Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5 have been released, and a lot has happened since then.
We have had twelve months to be with them, see their game libraries grow and watch developers exploit the next-gen capabilities of both systems. We should have have enough experience now to make a more informed decision on which system is better. Many people still wait in ridiculous digital lottery lines in the hope of winning a new console. It has been a year of shortages and frustration.
Normally, a "versus” article would compare the Xbox Series X/S and the PS5 head to head, comparing their specs, stats, and games. All that will be covered, but the important question is not "How do these stack up?" But rather, "How do you stack them up given everything?"
They are really hard to find
Sony has sold 13.4million PlayStation 5s by September 2012. Although Microsoft does not release sales figures, Niko Partners, an analyst at market intelligence firm Niko Partners, estimated that the company has sold approximately 8 million Series X consoles and S consoles. These numbers are impressive considering the current supply shortages.
However, they don't show how difficult it is still to obtain either console. Although it has been a year since the last console was released, there is still the option of paying more to Amazon and eBay scalpers or waiting online for a new console to drop at a retailer. These consoles sell quickly, leaving many disappointed next-gen gamers.
The Wii and Nintendo Switch were both scarce and difficult to purchase well into their second year. However, it is not common for Xbox and PlayStation. Usually, supply would match demand by now. You should be able buy one at your local electronics store, or on Amazon for the actual retail price. This is not true.
The Games offered on each platform has improved
Although it took over a year to get both consoles to have decent game libraries, they are now starting to look good. Although they aren't great and there aren’t enough big-name titles to make either console a must buy, albeit things are getting better.
Exclusive titles have just come out Halo: Infinite was released by Xbox on December 8, 2021. Horizon: Forbidden West was released by PlayStation on February 18, 2022. Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, and Spider-Man are both fun on PS5, but at this point the Xbox Series X/S feels a bit like an echo chamber due to the lack of big name exclusives.
It's difficult to determine if a new title is a next-gen or older-gen game, perhaps by design. Except for exclusives, new games continue to be released with both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions.
Both consoles have the best third-party games. This is great news for anyone who can afford either console. However, it's not so great for Sony or Microsoft as there's very little to distinguish them.
What is in the consoles
The Xbox Series X is a lot like the PlayStation 5. The one is a physical box, the other is a curvilinear space oyster and looks almost like a background doodad from Mass Effect. They are actually twins on the inside.
They are the same price. Both have the 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPUs with slightly different clock speeds (the Xbox's 3.8 GHz clock speed to the PS5's 3.5 GHz), and the AMD RDNA graphics chipsets. There are also the exact same 16 GB RAM and almost the identical off-the shelf storage capacities (-825 GB for PS5 and 1 TB each for Xbox Series X). They both produce 8K, 4K and 120 Hz.
The Xbox Series S is half the price of the Xbox One, and it's really only half as good. It doesn't output games at true 4K, but it does support ray tracing and--theoretically--120 FPS gameplay. If you don't own a 4K TV or don't intend to buy one, it's a great choice. However, I would advise people to save their money and wait for the Series X to become more available. Because of its higher-powered hardware, it is more secure for the future.
The PS5 is the best in storage space. But only if you are comfortable opening your PS5 and installing new hardware. Although you can increase the 800GB hard drive's capacity with an additional M.2 drive (but this requires some hardware knowledge and is not for everyone), it is possible to do so. An external drive can be used, but it can only be used to store your current games. You will need an expansion card to plug into your Xbox Series X. They are easy to install, work well, and you can even play games from them. They are expensive at $220 per terabyte. Both consoles should have had more internal storage and better expansion options. Even worse is the Xbox Series S, which ships with 500 GB storage.
The PS5 and Xbox Controllers
These controllers are the best way to distinguish these consoles. The Xbox Series X/S controller has remained largely unchanged over previous generations. The Xbox Series X/S controller is the same as the Xbox 360 controller, but with a share button. The PS5 however, features a radical redesign (at minimum, for Sony), and a force feedback system.
The DualSense controllers from Sony offer more than a standard rumble. You can feel the resistance of the trigger buttons depending on what weapon you are using. For example, you might feel the difference between a handgun with a hair-trigger trigger and a larger rifle with a heavier pull.
The haptic feedback system provides a three-dimensional view of the source of feedback. DualSense controllers can vibrate across the controller instead of having two motors rumbling in your palm. It works great when it works. Assassin's creed: Valhalla is great on both consoles. However, with DualSense controllers, the trigger pull for each bow type is different. This allows you to feel the tension in big-bad-predator bows and the light, feathery touch of light bows. This gives you the feeling that these weapons are unique and makes them feel different in your hands. Although DualSense's new bells & whistles are rarely used in games, it is fun to have them.
Platform Subscriptions
Each console has multiple subscriptions. One subscription allows you to play online games and another allows you to access a library full of games. The Xbox Series X has Xbox Live Gold, Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold, while the PS5 has PlayStation Plus, and PlayStation Now.
Game Pass Ultimate is the best. You get online multiplayer access and a huge, up-to-date 100+ game catalogue that you can download to your console or PC. The Xbox app can be installed on your gaming laptop or desktop. You can download many games at once.
PlayStation Plus only offers a handful of "free" games each month. You must also be able to play online games. PS Now is a more similar to Xbox Game Pass, but it focuses on older PS4 and PS3 games. You can access a wide range of older PlayStation games online, including 800+.
All of these subscription plans can be confusing. It is so confusing. Nobody knows at this point.
Who is the real winner here?
Which console is the winner? Neither. It doesn't really matter how great your console is if no one can afford it. The PlayStation 5 console is better, and there are more available, so your friends will be more likely to own one or buy one. However, I don't consider it a winner.
DualSense is great but the internals of both consoles are almost identical. It's almost like Microsoft and Sony bought the same Honda Civic. But Sony installed a stylish after-market steering wheel. It's certainly cool, but does it make the car any more enjoyable? Are they both aggressively medium?
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