When it comes to consoles, Xbox and PlayStation are by far the most competitive. This is no new development, as the companies have been trying to fight their way above each other for years, since the release of the Xbox in 2001, to be specific. After all this time, though many other consoles have fallen, the war between these two hasn’t changed much. The struggle to have the best software, hardware, and exclusive games has accumulated into two new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. But which is better?

The Specs
Well, let’s start off with the most obvious comparison of the two: the hardware. First and foremost, let’s talk about the CPU. CPU stands for central processing unit, and it’s basically the brain of the console (and all modern computers, for that matter). In regard to the CPU, Xbox takes the trophy with an eight-core, AMD “Zen 2” operating with up to 3.8GHz frequency. PlayStation 5 on the other hand, also has an eight-code AMD “Zen 2” CPU, but it’ll clock about 3.5 GHz frequency. Overall, not a major difference between the two, but Xbox takes a notable lead.

As for the GPU, or graphics processing unit (commonly called a graphics card), Xbox once again takes home the gold with an AMD GPU operating with 12 teraflops and 1.825 GHz frequency. The PS5 has an AMD Radeon GPU operating with 10.3 teraflops and up to 2.23 GHz frequency. So overall, Xbox is considered the better GPU, though this is less of an obvious win, as PlayStation 5 still operates with a higher frequency.

Both consoles have 16GB of RAM, both operate with up to 120fps, and both will support 4K and 8k televisions, so the last big difference in hardware comes down to the storage. The PlayStation has 825GB of storage, whereas the Xbox Series X has 1TB, which is 175GB more. Microsoft (in collaboration with Seagate) is offering a 1TB expansion SSD for $220. The PlayStation 5 is not currently supporting an external SSD expansion, but you can use an external hard drive to run older games. Both systems can use external hard drives, but not for the newest generation of games.

Controller

There’s a lot to the hardware, some of which is just too nitty gritty to go over, but overall Xbox Series X is a more powerful console than the PlayStation 5. But PlayStation has a trick up its sleeve, and it’s not a part of the console itself. The PS5 boasts an innovative controller with haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a built-in microphone. What this means, basically, is that you can feel certain individual things happening in your game, in your controller. It’s different from controller vibration, as it is more precise and feels unique in different in-game situations. Whether it’s the rumble of firing a heavy machine gun, the feeling of driving through mud, or the chaotic boom of an explosion, everything in the game can be conveyed to the player physically and in real time.

Much like the haptic feedback, the adaptive triggers are a tool utilized to convey information to the player. Depending on in-game situations, the triggers will feel different. They can be harder or easier to push, click halfway through, or glide smoothly as you push them. You can feel the tension of a bowstring in same games, or the feeling of pulling a gun trigger in others. In “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales”, you can feel the tension of the titular character’s webs as he swings through New York. Xbox’s new controller design opted more for minor tweaks and improvements rather than innovation. Sticking with their tried and true design, the only visible changes to the controller are that the d-pad is now a plate, and the controller now includes a “share” button, which, much like Playstation’s share button, helps the user easily capture and share gameplay. With that being said, PlayStation seems to have garnered much more attention than Xbox in the controller department. So while Xbox Series X wins from a console hardware standpoint, PlayStation 5 made some pretty impressive and eye-catching innovations with their controller.

The Design

The consoles themselves, as you’ve probably heard, have some pretty interesting designs. The PS5 is a 15.4 inch tall work of modern art, and the Xbox Series is 5.9 inches wide and 11.8 inches tall (an actual box). Xbox went with a sleek black design for their standard console, whereas PlayStation ditched their classic black design and went for a black and white system, though the white plates are removable and many suspect PlayStation will sell some in the future with new colors and designs. Some have likened the PS5 to a router and the Series X to a fridge, which isn’t too far fetched. But all that aside, let’s get to the good stuff: the games.

Exclusive and Launch Titles

PlayStation 5 has “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales”, “Demon’s Souls”, and “Bugsnax” right now, along with a new God of War, Horizon, Gran Turismo, and Ratchet and Clank on the way. Xbox Series X has “Halo Infinite”, “Sensua’s Saga: Hellblade II”, “Forza Motorsport 8”, “State of Decay 3”, “Fable”, and “Everwild” all in the works. This obviously isn’t a comprehensive list, just seven examples from both sides.

Most of Xbox’s games will be available on their Game Pass, allowing them to be purchased and played on PC as well, no Xbox required. PlayStation also has a similar service called PlayStation Now, allowing the streaming of hundreds of titles. PlayStation Now can also be used on PC, and though it has its fair share of weird and random games, it actually has a pretty good collection, along with some newer games too. PlayStation 5 will be compatible with most PS4 games (unless you buy the digital version of the PS5, which sacrifices the disk drive for a $100 discount), but no PS3, PS2, or PS disks will work as of now. Xbox Series X will support all Xbox one games, and select games from their older consoles.

Who Will Win?

There’s a lot to come on both sides of the console war, with new games to be announced, and PlayStation’s tease of a possible Game Pass of their own (despite having PlayStation Now, as it hasn’t seen the success that Game Pass has), not to mention the difficulty of finding either console right now, due to their high demand. Overall, there’s not going to be a clear winner for a while, as like every generation before them, the new consoles both have their pros and cons. Ultimately, it comes down to the individual to decide which console deserves his hard earned $500.