PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X: Which Console Best Suits Your Needs In 2024?
PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X: Which Console Best Suits Your Needs In 2024?
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How the PlayStation 5 stacks up against a line of Xbox consoles that have continued to evolve is a matter that has been debated time and again across multiple forums and will be in the foreseeable future, given how polarizing opinions on both sides of the aisle can be when it comes to both of the platforms' current generation offerings.
This is in the background of the Xbox Games Showcase, which had particularly impressive announcements including, for the first time, a digital-only edition of the Xbox Series X, along with a 1TB Xbox Series S, and a special edition 2TB Xbox Series X.
Across the alley, Sony has pushed its newer iteration of the PlayStation 5 towards a slightly larger capacity 1TB digital and a disc edition, with a small price cut in tow that sees game bundles going for as low as $450 at multiple retailers.
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So how does the Sony PlayStation 5 stack against Microsoft's current-generation Xbox Series X in 2024? The answer depends heavily on what one wants as a gamer in 2024 and beyond based on some of the key factors below.
Current And Upcoming Titles
The primary thing that makes the Sony Playstation 5 a relatively unique platform is that it is one of the first (and in many cases, only) places to play a slew of first-party titles that double as console exclusives for a certain period of time. Franchises such as God of War, Ratchet and Clank, The Last of Us, and The Ghost of Tsushima all help Sony cement the PlayStation 5's position as the platform for playing exclusives, but at the end of the day, users face a far easier choice with Xbox when it comes to games. Afterall, GamePass is one of the most affordable subscription services around and shares its library with PC and mobile devices.
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Xbox's stranglehold on game libraries is likely only to improve, especially with Microsoft doubling down and acquiring a slew of publishers and game developers, two of the largest of which are Activision Blizzard and Bethesda. Microsoft does seem to be relatively lax about publishing games on the PlayStation 5 currently, and with the number of foreign and niche titles exclusively released on PS5, that console does technically have a slightly larger library, but this could change in the future and one could see more timed exclusivity, unique "For Xbox" content. However, Sony seems to be the only one holding firm to exclusivity, and while that certainly forces many players' hands when deciding which console to buy, most gamers who want a vast and varied game library would be best off with an Xbox Series X.
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Head-To-Head: Performance, Storage, And Expansion Options
The Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 share many similarities when it comes to internals. They both come with fast SSD drives and an AMD APU at their heart. A more detailed head-to-head comparison is available below:
While the Xbox Series X appears considerably more powerful on paper thanks to both a beefier CPU and a GPU under the hood, both consoles perform similarly in a variety of multi-platform games. The PS5's lower storage option at launch has been counterbalanced by Sony's willingness to allow users to add any 3rd party storage drive for games, whereas Xbox only allows media storage on anything but their own storage options, along with the fact that the new PS5 Slim comes with a terabyte of SSD storage, matching the Xbox Series X.
For its part, Microsoft is releasing a new high-capacity 2TB Xbox Series X in the coming days, as well as a cheaper all-digital version of the same in a 1TB trim to allow users to have more options apart from the considerably cheaper Xbox Series S lineup it also offers. Although GamePass makes it so that players can game through the cloud, the PS5 is the best option for those who prefer physical game copies or do not prefer cloud gaming.
SSD Options For The PlayStation 5 And Xbox Series X
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Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S 1TB
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is a proprietary add-on storage slot. It clips on the back of both current-generation consoles using a connector that resembles aCF Express card but supports PCI-E 4.0 Speeds for data transfer to the Xbox.
Storage capacity 512G/1TB/2TBHardware Interface ProprietaryCompatible Devices Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XBrand Seagate/XboxTransfer rate Not SpecifiedTBW N/AMTBF N/ADRAM Not SpecifiedWarranty 3 yearsController Phison E19T PCIe Gen 4 controller $150 at Amazon$158 at Newegg
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WD BLACK 1TB SN850X NVMe 4.0 Internal Gaming SSD With Heatsink
$97 $117 Save $20
The WD BLACK 1TB SN850X NVMe 4.0 Internal Gaming SSD With Heatsink is the de facto SSD players should be looking to get for their PlayStation 5. It checks all the right boxes for speed, the presence of a heatsink, and appealing pricing while delivering an experience that exceeds the minimum performance specifics that Sony has stated for the PS5 console.
Storage capacity 1TBHardware Interface PCI-E 4.0 (M2)Compatible Devices Consoles, PCBrand Western DigitalTransfer rate 7300 MB/S Read, 6350 MB/STBW 600 TBMTBF 1,750,000 HoursDRAM DDR4Warranty 5 Year LimitedController Proprietary $97 at Amazon$120 at Newegg
Sony's PlayStation 5: The Console To Beat This Generation
Sony's Flagship Console Offering
PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Edition
Play Has No Limits
The Sony PlayStation 5's slim console upgrade offers the same functionality as the launch unit but throws in increased storage (1TB), an additional front USB-C port, and a much more compact frame, making for an ideal console purchase for users still on the fence.
Priced $50 more than its digital edition, the disc edition already trades at a $50 discount over MSRP and comes with a Dualsense controller, an HDMI 2.1 cable, an AC power cable, and documentation as part of the package, making for a complete package for gamers looking to hook one up to a monitor or TV out of the box.
4K Capability Yes, Up To 120 HzPower Source AC AdapterBrand SonyStorage 1 TB Custom SSDCPU AMD Zen 2, 8-core / 16 threads, 3.5GHzBands Dual Band (2.4G/5G)Ports 2 x USB Type C (front), 2 x USB-A, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI (back)Dimensions 14.1 x 8.5 x 3.8 inchesWeight 7.1 lbsRAM 16GB GDDR6Screen Resolution 3840x2160Processing Power 10.28 TFLOPS (GPU) Pros
- Often offers exclusive titles
- Supports aftermarket NVMe SSD drives
- Comes with 1TB storage
Cons
- Gaming subscription not as good as GamePass
- The PS5 Slim does not come with a stand
$500 at Amazon$500 at Best Buy$500 at Newegg
The Sony PlayStation 5 is currently a favorite among users when it comes to current-gen consoles, backed by its excellent first-party titles on offer, including remastered titles from the PlayStation 4 era, new PS5 releases, and upcoming titles that make it a must-have for so many players across the board. The Slim iteration not only adds a second USB-C port to the console, but also bumps up its storage from 825GB to 1TB as a standard, putting it in line with the 1TB Xbox Series X on offer from Microsoft.
Users can, as mentioned previously, upgrade their SSDs on demand using a variety of compatible options at price points that are somewhat cheaper than the proprietary expansion cards used by the Xbox lineup. Sony's DualSense controller comes with wireless charging built-in as opposed to Xbox's offering that bundles AA batteries with its controllers and an optional Play and Charge kit to get similar functionality.
The Slim does do away with the vertical stand that the original launch design came with, but does manage to, much like its predecessor, stand upright without needing any support whatsoever, making it look like a purely aesthetic choice for most users.
While Sony has considerably bolstered its PlayStation Plus offerings with three different tiers, including Essential, Extra, and Premium, it is still seen as a less of a value thanks to how lucrative the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is with its day 1 launches and library of thousands of titles. This is further complimented by Microsoft's aggressive buying spree of multiple game publishers, which will provide a large and ongoing library of value-added offerings.
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Microsoft's Xbox Series X: A Powerful, Versatile Gaming System
Microsoft's Current-Gen Flagship Console
Microsoft Xbox Series X
Subtle Power For Everyone
$450 $500 Save $50
The Xbox Series X boasts the fastest CPU and GPU configuration currently available for a current-generation console while offering 1TB of fast SSD storage for users out of the box.
It comes with an Xbox Series S|X controller, a power cord, and documentation along with a trial for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box.
4K Capability Yes, Up to 120HzPower Source AC AdapterBrand MicrosoftProcessing Power 12.16 TFLOPS (GPU)Storage 1TB custom SSDCPU 8-Core Custom AMD Zen 2-based ChipBattery 2 x AA (LR6) Batteries (Included)Dimensions 301 mm 151 mm 151 mmWeight 9.7 lbsRAM 16GB GDDR6Screen Resolution 3840x2160Connectivity Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Xbox Wireless ProtocolBands Dual Band (2.4G/5G)Ports 3 x USB-A Ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1 Port, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x SSD Expansion, 1 x AC Power Pros
- Has the fastest console CPU and GPU combination
- Xbox GamePass Ultimate offers incredible value
- Extremely easy to use
Cons
- Heavily limits accessories to very few manufacturers
- Much bulkier than the PS5
$450 at Amazon$500 at Best Buy$539 at Newegg
The Microsoft Xbox Series X console is arguably the most powerful console this generation, thanks to its faster CPU and considerably larger GPU on offer in addition to it offering higher bandwidth when lower memory is in use. Cloud gaming through the current generation of Xbox consoles is fluid and reliable, although Xbox often trades blows with PS5 on certain benchmark tests, leaving them somewhat equal as far as performance goes.
The Series X offers plug-and-play SSD upgrades via its expansion cards that go into a dedicated port at the rear with an additional 3 USB-A ports to plug in a variety of accessories, including the optional controller play and charge kit as well as adapters for most wireless headsets. It also features a UI and ecosystem that is very well integrated with Xbox's Game Pass offerings, which also tend to offer better value-for-money than either of its two console-based competitors.
Users might not like the premium that comes with the annoying Microsoft its proprietary rules regarding accessory compatibility, which more often than not forces players to spend much more than other gamers on common accessories that can often be found for a fraction of the cost. Some players may not like how freely Xbox gives away their day 1 console exclusives, but that could very well change shortly driven by an aggressive push that was visible during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024 earlier this month.
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Conclusion: Great Options That Appeal To Different Fanbases
Both the Xbox Series X (and Series S) and the Sony PlayStation 5 (and Slim) offer considerable value to users due to their many features that cater to different needs. The Xbox offers tighter integration with its subscription offerings and allows users to buy once and play on both console and PC, making it a better multi-platform console. It is also a significantly cheaper purchase for gamers, especially if they like using Game Pass to access a superior gaming library.
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On the other hand, the Sony Playstation 5 offers users cheaper storage expansion, and a comparably affordable entry point with the digital edition clocking in at just $450 at the time of writing. Sony also offers what is enviably a much more robust list of first-party exclusives, which drive sales and user engagement. Additionally, the fluid visuals of the PS5 make it a particularly alluring console for most gamers looking to play narrative-heavy titles in 2024 and beyond.
Its PlayStation Plus subscription tiers are functional and do offer some value, but pale in comparison to Xbox's Game Pass Ultimate, which is an amalgamation of everything that Microsoft is currently offering.
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For users who want an excellent multi-platform console with an all-encompassing subscription, the Xbox Series X is the better choice, with much of the credit due to Microsoft's foresight when it comes to Game Pass. For users wanting to play Sony's narrative-driven experiences, without having to wait for a PC release later down the line, the PlayStation 5 offers a better option by far.
At the end of the day, however, it all comes down to the kind of games you are looking to play, and if one is seeking immersive, single-player games, or highly visual competitive titles, the Sony PlayStation 5 is a clear winner. However, those who are looking for a better multiplayer experience and a wider variety of games that look and perform incredibly, would be best served by the Xbox Series X, as they can play through a plethora of Xbox's console-exclusive titles and take full advantage of the Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
While other factors, such as available space, desired accessibility, and whether the console would be a secondary gaming setup can certainly turn the tide to either side, most people will find the Xbox to be the best console, while enthusiasts will enjoy the PS5 more. Despite all of the differences in play, at the end of the day, it really does come down to personal preference and, possibly more importantly, the platform that one's friends currently endorse.
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FAQ
Q: When Does The Xbox Series X 2TB Model Come Out?
The Xbox Series X's 2TB variant is expected to release during holiday season 2024.
Q: What SSD Upgrade Can I Get For The PS5?
The PS5 can be upgraded with additional storage using any off-the-shelf M2 NVMe SSD drives that conform to Sony's PCI-E 4.0 spec with a minimum read speed of 5,500 MB/s.