After months of waiting and speculation, gamers now can witness a showdown between the next generation gaming consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
Both companies are coming out with two new consoles each; Sony is coming out with the PlayStation 5 on November 12, along with a digital edition without the disc drive. Microsoft is coming out with the Xbox Series X on November 10, and is also launching a cheaper version, the Xbox Series S. Many are wondering which console is right for them – here are the details regarding each console.
Prices
The PlayStation 5 will cost $499.99, while the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition will cost $399.99. Pre-orders from select retailers have been accepting since September 17. The Xbox Series X will launch for $499, and the more affordable Xbox Series S will cost $299. Pre-orders will open on September 22.
Key Tech Specs
The new Xbox comes with a slight advantage, as its processor – or CPU – runs at 3.8GHz, while the PS5’s CPU runs at 3.5GHz. Based on the numbers, the processors won’t lead to a massive difference in their gaming performance.
The graphics processor – or GPU – has 36 compute units for the PS5, and runs at 2.23GHz while offering 10.28 teraflops. For the Xbox, the GPU has 52 compute units and offers 12 teraflops while running at a locked 1,825GHz. Microsoft seems to have an advantage regarding graphics on paper, but Sony’s GPU architecture might translate into better a graphics performance.
The Xbox has an upper hand on internal storage with one terabyte. The PS5 only has 825 gigabytes. But both console companies have cloud gaming solutions, PlayStation Now and Project xCloud, so gamers who use the cloud will not be focused on storage. Sony has another advantage; the PS5 will push through data at 5.5 GB per second, while the Xbox Series X works at 2.4GB per second. The difference leads to faster load times for the PS5, which is an important aspect for many gamers.
Both the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 support 4k and 8k resolution gaming, and have 16 gigabytes of memory. Although the average household doesn’t own a compatible device for 8k resolution gaming, Sony and Microsoft made these decisions for future gaming, too.
“When we designed the Xbox Series X… we designed it with the next seven to 10 years in mind,” said Jason Ronald, the director of program management for the Xbox Series X. “So we’ve absolutely designed the system to be able to do 8K.”
All of these specs on paper seems amazing, but don’t mean a whole lot until the actual performance of the consoles can be judged.
Games Expected
There are many exclusive and cross-generation games that are expected on both console’s game list.
Some confirmed releases for the Xbox Series X are Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Viking-themed Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Vampire: the Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Dirt 5, and The Medium. Gamers can also look forward to all existing Xbox platforms games being compatible with Xbox Series X. So games from the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One will most likely work on the newest Xbox console.
The PlayStation 5 also has numerous new game releases: some include , Horizon: Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Gran Turismo 7. Final Fantasy 16, and God of War 2: Ragnarok. The PS5 will also come with Astro’s Playroom, which is pre-installed on every console, and will likely have Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Madden 21 and NBA 2K21. The console will be backwards compatible with PS4 games, but Sony has not confirmed if the console will support games from the PS3 and PS2 generation.
Many more games will be confirmed in the future for both consoles.
