PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S may be a comparison you’re faced with if you’re thinking of adding a digital-only console to your setup. Both seem pretty similar on paper, so there’s a lot of research to do if you’re a first-time buyer, but they both have some important differences to consider to make sure you’re making the best purchase for your setup.
We’ve broken down both consoles to make your final decision easier. The core of the PS5 Digital Editions compared to the Xbox Series S is that both consoles are completely disc-free, making their retail values cheaper than their disc-based counterparts.
This is one of the main reasons that players consider a digital version of a disc-based, which feeds into the final decision and makes the process more difficult. However, this is not the only thing to consider when weighing the pros and cons.
The show also played a big part in the final debate. The PS5 Digital Edition is essentially a re-hash of the PS5 without a disc drive, while the Xbox Series S is designed to be a smaller and smaller version of Microsoft’s flagship console, the Xbox Series X.
PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S: price and release date
By removing the 4K Blu-Ray drive, Sony has knocked $100 off the price of the PS5 Digital Edition, compared to the standard PS5. It’s available now depending on your territory and originally retailed for $399 / £359 / $AU599.95. However, Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is the cheapest current-gen console at $299 / £249 / AU $499. It was released alongside Microsoft’s flagship console, the Xbox Series X, on November 10, 2020.
However, there has been an increase in the price of the PS5 with Sony citing rising inflation worldwide. While US pricing is unchanged, the PS5 Digital Edition now costs £389.99 / €449.99 / $AU649.95. Fortunately, the Xbox will not follow the PlayStation with a price increase, which puts them in a more competitive position with the PS5. But Xbox hasn’t ruled out a future price increase, so we’ll keep it updated if anything changes.
As it stands, the Xbox Series S has a $100/£130 price advantage over the PS5 Digital Edition, then, but that doesn’t mean it’s a clear win for Microsoft. Not unless price is your most important factor.
PS5 Digital Edition vs. Xbox Series S: specs
The PS5 Digital Edition is identical to the standard PS5, except without a 4K Blu-Ray drive. Removing it gives the console a more symmetrical shape, but aside from the appearance, you won’t see any performance differences between Sony’s two PS5 consoles. Check out the technical details below:
- CPU: Eight cores up to 3.5GHz (variable frequency) custom AMD Ryzen Zen 2
- GPU: 10.3 teraflops, variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz
- RAM: 16GB GDDR6
- Frame rate: Up to 120fps
- resolutions: Up to 8K
- Optical: No disk drive
- Storage: 825GB NVMe SSD
If you’re happy to ditch physical media and prefer to buy your games digitally, then the PS5 Digital Edition makes sense. There are some caveats to consider, however.
Physical games are often cheaper than their digital counterparts and are more susceptible to heavy discounts. If you don’t like a game, you can sell or sell them and get some of your investment back. There is also something comforting about owning a disc as opposed to digital copies, there is a greater sense of ownership, but this is not an issue for some.
With digital titles often costing full price, if not more, this means that the $100 you initially saved could quickly disappear once you’ve bought a few $70 / £69.99 PS5 games. So, unless you wait for a sale, you have no choice but to pay full price at the PlayStation Store.
The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is fundamentally different from the Xbox Series X, and in turn, the PS5 Digital Edition. Microsoft’s cheaper console focuses on a 1440p resolution instead of 4K, and has a less powerful GPU. However, thanks to the development of the hardware in these last few years, the system should prove to be more capable, although not as much as the PS5 Digital Edition for raw specs.
Check out the Xbox Series S specs below:
- CPU: Eight-core 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT) custom AMD 7nm
- GPU: 4 teraflops at 1.550GHz
- RAM: 10GB GDDR6
- Frame rate: Up to 120 fps
- Resolution: 1440p with 4K upscaling
- Optical: No disk drive
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
Microsoft’s strategy of targeting the high and low end of the market is an interesting one. It’s worth noting that the company has tipped the Xbox Series S to outsell its more expensive sibling.
Although it is easy to dismiss the Xbox Series S as the weakest console and therefore, the lowest choice of the bunch, it still provides a new gen experience. It supports all the important technological advances that the PS5 and Xbox Series X boast: that includes ray tracing, very fast loading times, and 120fps capabilities. However, the more modest target resolution means it can achieve these goals at about half the price of the Series X.
It also means that Microsoft has managed to create the smallest, and arguably the most aesthetically pleasing console to date. The Xbox Series S is significantly smaller than the Xbox Series X, and pales in comparison to the massive PS5. So, if you want something more discreet and more suitable for your home entertainment setup, the Xbox Series S may appeal.
One thing to note, however, is that the Xbox Series S only comes with a 512GB SSD. That means it’s easy to fill up space, but Microsoft confirmed that the game files should be 30% smaller than the Xbox Series X because they don’t use 4K textures, which could seriously increase the sizes. on the file. There is also an expandable storage solution with a Seagate Expansion Cardwhich comes in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB options, but it’s expensive.
PS5 Digital Edition vs. Xbox Series S: games
Games are subjective – and that’s why competition and diversity are so important. Fortunately, there is a flood of good-looking games for both consoles, but the approach of Sony and Microsoft is different again.
With an excellent library of exclusive PS4 games, Sony supports its internal studios to deliver compelling titles as well. Alongside the back catalogue, the PS5 launch is bolstered by Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, all exclusive to the console. Recently, we have seen The Last of Us Part 1, Gran Turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War Ragnarok.
Microsoft, on the other hand, has upgraded many last-gen exclusives for the new generation, and we’ve already seen games like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5. However, the appeal of the Xbox Series revolves around Microsoft’s phenomenal Xbox Game Pass service, which includes hundreds. of games that can be downloaded and played à la carte.
If you were hoping to get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at a cheaper price, we have good news. While it is currently being tested in the Republic of Ireland and Colombia, Microsoft is looking to launch an Xbox Game Pass family plan, which allows you and four players to jump in for a monthly cost of €21.99 – which comes in at around $21.99 / £19.99 / AU$32.99
It also includes backward compatibility for four generations of Xbox games. You’ll find full compatibility for Xbox One games, along with select games for Xbox 360 and the original Xbox. Better yet, all that promises to look and play better than ever. That said, Sony recently expanded PS Plus with new tiers, giving those who subscribe to Extra or Premium access to a wider catalog of games. Although you don’t get a day exclusive from Sony like Microsoft does, there aren’t many of them right now.
Both systems are accompanied by various set exclusives and third-party titles, of course, as previously seen in Yakuza: Like a Dragon on Xbox and Godfall on PS5. The choice then ultimately comes down to which games you find attractive, or which ecosystem you invest in.
PS5 Digital Edition vs. Xbox Series S: verdict
The decision of which digital console to buy ultimately comes down to personal preference. Both do away with the disc drive, so physical media is a no-go, and the Xbox Series S is aimed at opening up the market to make new-gen gaming more affordable.
The $100 / £130 saving on the PS5 Digital Edition is appealing at first glance, but you could end up spending more in the long run. All worth keeping that in mind if you’re firmly sticking to Sony machines.
Either way, both consoles promise to deliver a better experience than their predecessors. So far, we’ve seen clear demand for similar disc-less systems, even more so than the Xbox Series S.
PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S – Frequently Asked Questions
PS5 Digital Edition not strong enough?
The PS5 Digital Edition is not much less than the standard PS5. In fact, the only difference between the two consoles is the disc drive. In terms of power, the two consoles are similar despite the cheaper price tag for the digital edition. If you want to have physical versions of games, or collector’s editions, then having a disc drive has its advantages. But if you don’t mind and spend a lot of time downloading your media, it’s worth considering the digital edition without sacrificing performance.
Does the Xbox Series S have the same storage as the Xbox Series X?
Compared to the Xbox Series X’s 1TB internal SSD, the Xbox Series S 512GB SSD falls slightly short. But there is always a chance to expand your storage with another SSD to make sure you have enough space to store your titles. In addition, since the Xbox Series S is a simple version of the Series X, unlike the digital edition of the PS5, which is an identical copy of its flagship console, storage is one of the few sacrifices made to keep up with the cheaper price tag.
How many games can PS5 Digital Edition play?
Because the digital edition of the PS5 has the same 667GB of internal storage as the standard PS5, so there’s more than enough space to fit a decent number of PS5 titles before you need to consider another storage device, such as another internal SSD or an external hard drive.