PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S: Which one’s best for you?

The PS5 Digital and Xbox Series S are the cheaper counterparts of their beefy, more powerful older brothers. They’re two completely different consoles, but if you’re looking for a cost-effective next-gen console, the PS5 Digital versus the Xbox Series S counts.

Both are pure digital consoles, but that’s where the similarity ends. In this article, we’ll take a look at all of the unique aspects of both the PS5 Digital and Xbox Series S. It then weighs the pros and cons and helps you decide which console is best for you.

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PS5 Digital vs. Xbox Series S.

PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Price

If you’re looking to buy either the PS5 Digital or the Xbox Series S, you’ll likely want to save some cash. The cheapest option between the two is the Xbox Series S, priced at $ 299.99. If you want an even smarter purchase option, Microsoft offers the Xbox All Access plan. This will allow you to purchase a new Xbox Series S console and get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for 24 monthly payments of $ 24.99 plus tax. If you’re looking to upgrade to Xbox Series X, Microsoft offers a similar Xbox All Access plan for 24 monthly payments of $ 34.99 plus tax.

The PS5 Digital is slightly more expensive and costs $ 399.99. However, in terms of specs, you are getting a lot more money. Sony doesn’t currently have any monthly payment plans or bundles that will drive the console down.

Also read: Miss Xbox Series X pre-orders? Microsoft will have more on launch day

PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Design

The design of the PS5 digital and the design of the Xbox Series S couldn’t be more different. They’re both mostly white, but that’s pretty much the only similarity.

The digital PS5 is slimmer than the standard PS5 due to the lack of a drive. It has a more symmetrical design, with the black console nestled between two sleek white panels. You can place the PS5 Digital either horizontally or vertically. While the design of the PS5 and PS5 Digital has been quite controversial among fans, I like the more modern, sleeker form factor.

The Xbox Series S also looks minimalist but is more subtle because of its size. The Xbox Series S is the smallest console Microsoft has ever made. It’s roughly 60% smaller than its towering counterpart, the Xbox Series X. It has a black, circular fan grille on the front. However, if you place it horizontally instead of vertically, you will only see the white border.

PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Storage

In terms of storage capacity, the PS5 Digital is the winner. The PS5 Digital comes with a custom 825GB SSD. Sony has announced that there will be options to expand internal storage in the future. However, gamers have been told not to buy internal storage until they find out which internal SSDs are compatible with PS5 Digital’s high-end bandwidth requirements. Unfortunately, it can take a while for Sony to test various SSDs and certify certain ones for PS5 owners to purchase.

Connected: The first Xbox Series S expandable drive costs almost as much as the console

The Xbox Series S comes with a 512 GB SSD. Considering a lot of games these days can easily be 100GB or more, that’s not a lot of storage. However, unlike Sony, Microsoft has already confirmed that there is an internal 1 TB Seagate SSD that is compatible with the console. Even so, with 2 TB, 4 TB, and larger SSDs, it’s disappointing that Microsoft only offers a 1 TB option. Seagate’s 1TB SSD isn’t cheap either, costing over $ 200. That makes the $ 299.99 price point for the Series S nowhere near as attractive.

PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Specifications

Both the PS5 Digital and the Xbox Series S have an AMD CPU with eight cores. The CPU of the PS5 runs at a variable frequency of 3.5 GHz, while the CPU of the S series runs at a frequency of 3.6 GHz. This is the only spec where the Xbox Series S has a slight edge, but it is incredible light.

In the remainder of the specification battle, the PS5 Digital wins everything. Both consoles share the same GPU, but the PS5 has a whopping 10 TFLOPS of processing power compared to the S-Series’ 4 TFLOPS. The PS5 Digital also has 6 more GB of GDDR6 RAM. It’s understandable that the PS5 would win digitally as it is essentially the standard PS5 without a drive.

See also: PS4 vs PS5 – should I upgrade? Shall I wait?

If we look at the Xbox Series S, it has less powerful specs, but it’s also $ 200 cheaper than the Series X. Microsoft not only removed the drive to give gamers a cheaper option for digital media only. The company wanted to provide a budget option for gamers who wanted to spend less or didn’t need a super powerful next-gen console. For a budget device, the S Series specs are still pretty impressive.

PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Games

The games available for each console will be a determining factor for many gamers. At launch, the PS5 Digital can play the same titles as the standard PS5, with all the enhancements like 4K resolution, higher frame rates, ray tracing and more. Some of the biggest PS5 launch games right now include Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Ratchet & Clank, and (hopefully) Demon’s Souls. Most of the PS4 library is also backwards compatible with the digital PS5, but you’ll either need to own a digital copy or download it.

The Xbox Series S offers the same launch titles as the Series X, but with a lower resolution and lower level of performance. Halo Infinite has been postponed to 2021 so it’s no longer an Xbox launch title, but you can still look forward to Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and more. What’s special about the Series S as opposed to the PS5 Digital is that you can play Xbox One games as well as some Xbox 360 and OG Xbox games. Unfortunately, if an expanded version of a game is available for Series X, you won’t be able to experience it for Series S because it is not powerful enough. Regardless, there is a huge library of games to explore if you are new to Xbox consoles. If you choose to purchase a new console through an Xbox All Access plan, you will be able to stream all of the games available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Further reading: Upcoming PS5 games

Should I buy the PS5 Digital or Xbox Series S?

If you’re looking for a powerful next-gen console that loads games incredibly quickly and makes them look amazing, go for the PS5 Digital. It all has the same specs as the standard PS5 and should deliver the same level of performance. You may need to add more internal storage later, but 825GB is quite a decent amount of storage at first. However, if you’d rather own physical copies of games, the standard PS5 is a better investment in the long run.

If you want a next-gen console but really don’t want to spend that much, go for the Xbox Series S. This console lets you keep playing next-gen games and more without breaking the bank. Since there isn’t a lot of storage space, you may need to invest in an internal expansion. Depending on what games you play or how you play titles, you might not need additional storage space, making the S series an easy choice. If you choose the Xbox Series S, don’t forget to read the Xbox All Access plan. With Game Pass Ultimate, you won’t always be downloading games. You will stream them. You will still have the pleasure of experiencing new titles without taking up valuable space on your console.

Continue reading: All About Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: The Best Value While Playing?