PS5 VS Xbox Series X: Which Next-Gen Console Should You Buy?

It’s 2020, a MASSIVE year in the gaming world as Sony and Microsoft release their next-gen consoles 7 years after the debut of the previous PS4 and Xbox One. Today millions of people face the daunting question, which next-gen console is best for me? Today we will be reviewing the specs, performance, design, price and games available for each console. Get ready to read on and find out which console is best for you.

PS5 VS Xbox Series X: Who wins?

Price

First of all, we’ll talk about the price tag to expect for these two consoles, and they are very similar. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X are priced at $499 US Dollars. The PS5 also comes with a digital edition though, an all-digital version of the PS5 console with no disc drive, and comes in with the cost of $399 US Dollars. So from the outset, these two consoles have the exact same price tag, except Sony is selling a Digital Edition with no disc drive for a whole $100 US Dollars less. 

Specs

If we take a look at the specs there is little difference at all between the two next-gen consoles:

I will have to say though apart from the many similarities the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, in terms of both GPU and SSD. Another key point to look at is the storage space. The PS5 has 825 GB of storage, while the Xbox Series X includes one terabyte. Simply downloading all of the PS5 launch titles and other new games, my PS5’s storage space was already nearly full. 

Performance

After playing both PS5 and Xbox Series X for a week, there is not much notable difference between the two consoles. The specs also prove this, with both next-gen consoles offering similar performance. I tested and compared Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Dirt 5 on each of the consoles. One is a very large and open-world game while the other is a fast-paced, action-filled racing game. After a week of gameplay, I must say that the differences are very, very hard to tell between the two consoles. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla both ran the game at 4K at 60 frames per second, and there were no differences in animation or fluidity. Dirt 5 also offered very similar performance and again it is too close to call which gameplay had better performance. I will say one thing though, the PS5 load times were faster compared to Xbox Series X’s load times. The average load time for the PS5 on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was 52 seconds, while the Xbox Series X’s average load time was 59 seconds. The Xbox Series X does win in terms of ray-tracing though, offering more subtle, rich contrasts. 

Controller

One important aspect for console gamers are the controllers. The controller is the main object you will have in your hands and interacting with as you delve into your game or navigate the UI. Sony has been going on and on about the haptic feedback in the new DualSense controller, and it truly is amazing! The haptic feedback adds vibrations, from subtle and soft vibrations to strong and powerful shakes depending on the environment of a game you are in. A very fun game that uses this haptic feedback to its full potential is Astro’s Playroom. Whether you are swimming in the water or sand is blowing at you, the DualSense controller immerses you into the game, to make you truly feel a part of the game. Other than that, the controller is larger that the Dualshock controller, which was too small for my liking, and I love the two-tone colour design. On the other end of the spectrum, Microsoft has played it very safe with the Xbox Series X controller, staying with the same design, while adding a new share button in the middle of the controller. It wasn’t a bad choice for Xbox to stick with their previous controller’s design, as their controller was already heralded as one of the best controllers made. 

Design

The most notable design out of the two consoles was the PS5’s. Many people were talking about the size of the damn thing, and I must say, it is huge! But this doesn’t necessarily mean much to me, and probably you, because it will fit under most of your TVs. The two-tone colour of the PS5, sticking with the theme from the DualSense, looks amazing, and I am very happy with Sony’s choice to add a strikingly unique design. The Xbox Series X design is also beautiful and simple. It isn’t abnormally large like the PS5 and is just a simple, clean design to say the least. I love the matte black finish on the Xbox Series X.

Which should you buy?
In the end, these are two very similar consoles, offering nearly the same performance. The Xbox Series X does provide you with more storage space, while the PS5 has better loading times. I will say one thing though, the Sony’s PlayStation 5 definitely feels more next-gen. The strikingly different and unique design, the revamped DualSense controller with amazing haptic feedback, the redesigned UI which is made for 4K Tvs specifically, it all adds up to feel next-gen. While on the other hand, Xbox has definitely played it safe with their next-gen console. The controller has nearly the exact same design and the UI hasn’t changed at all from the Xbox One. So which next-gen console should you buy? It’s up to you to make the ultimate decision.

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Marco Gava

FOUNDER AND LEAD WRITER at Anything TECH

When he's not watching his soccer, or cheering on his team Juventus, Marco enjoys writing about technology.

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