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The PS5 Digital and Xbox Series S are the cheaper, digital-only counterparts of their robust and powerful older siblings. They’re two wildly different consoles, but if you’re looking for a cost-effective next-gen console, it’ll come down to the PS5 Digital versus the Xbox Series S.
Both are digital-only consoles, but that’s where the similarity stops. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the unique aspects of the PS5 Digital and Xbox Series S. Then we’ll weigh the pros and cons and help you decide which console works best for you.
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PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S
Price of PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S
If you are considering buying the PS5 Digital or the Xbox Series S, you probably want to save some money. The cheapest option between the two is the Xbox Series S, priced at $ 299.99. For an even smarter purchase option, Microsoft offers the Xbox All Access plan. With it, you can buy 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 want 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 a bit more expensive, priced at $ 399.99 (US), but you get a lot more for your buck in terms of specs. Sony currently has no monthly payment plans or packages that lower the price of the console.
Read also: Xbox Series X pre-orders lost? Microsoft will have more on launch day
PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S design
The design of the digital PS5 and the design of the Xbox Series S couldn’t be more different. They are both primarily white, but that’s pretty much the only similarity.
The digital PS5 is thinner than the standard PS5, due to the lack of a disc drive. It has a more symmetrical design, with the black console sandwiched between two elegant white panels. You can choose to place the PS5 Digital horizontally or vertically. Although the design of the PS5 and PS5 Digital has been quite controversial among fans, I quite like the more modern and sleek form factor.
The Xbox Series S also has a minimalist appearance, but is more subtle due to its size. The Xbox Series S is the smallest console Microsoft has ever made. It’s about 60% smaller than its towering counterpart, the Xbox Series X. It has a black circular fan grill on the front, but if you choose to place it horizontally rather than vertically, you’ll only see the white trim.
PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S storage
In terms of storage, 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 the internal storage in the future. However, gamers have been told not to buy internal storage until they hear which internal SSDs are compatible with PS5 Digital’s high-end bandwidth demands. Unfortunately, it could be a while before Sony can test various SSDs and certify a few specific ones for PS5 owners to purchase.
Related: The first Xbox Series S expandable unit will cost almost as much as the console
The Xbox Series S comes with a 512GB SSD. Considering that many games today are easily 100GB or more, this isn’t a lot of storage space. However, unlike Sony, Microsoft has already confirmed that there is an internal 1TB Seagate SSD that will be compatible with its console. However, with 2TB, 4TB and larger SSDs, it is disappointing that Microsoft only offers a 1TB option. Seagate’s 1TB SSD is not cheap either, retailing at over $ 200. This makes the S Series’ $ 299.99 price tag not that attractive.
PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S Specifications
Both the PS5 Digital and the Xbox Series S have an AMD eight-core CPU. The PS5 CPU operates at a variable frequency of 3.5 GHz, while the S Series CPU operates at a frequency of 3.6 GHz. This is the only specification in which the Xbox Series S has a slight advantage, but it is incredibly mild.
In the rest of the spec battle, the PS5 Digital wins it all. Both consoles have the same GPU, but the PS5 has a whopping 10 TFLOPS of processing power compared to the 4 TFLOPS of the S Series. The PS5 Digital also has 6 GB more of GDDR6 RAM. However, it is understandable that the PS5 Digital wins because it is essentially the standard PS5 minus a disc drive.
See also: PS4 vs PS5 – Should I upgrade? Should I wait?
If we take a look at the Xbox Series S, it has less powerful specs, but it’s also $ 200 cheaper than the Series X. Microsoft didn’t just remove the disc drive to provide a more affordable digital option for gamers. The company wanted to offer a budget option for gamers who want to spend less or don’t need a super-powerful next-gen console. For a budget device, the specifications of the S Series are still quite impressive.
PS5 Digital vs Xbox Series S games
The games available for each console will be a deciding factor for many gamers. At launch, the PS5 Digital will be able to play the same titles as the standard PS5, with all the enhancements such as 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 will also be backward compatible with the digital PS5, but you will need to have or download a digital copy.
The Xbox Series S will offer the same launch titles as the Series X, but at a lower resolution and lower level of performance. Halo Infinite was 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. The nice thing about the S Series compared to the PS5 Digital is that you can play Xbox One games in addition to some Xbox 360 and OG Xbox games. Unfortunately, if there is an upgraded version of a game available for Series X, you will not be able to experience it on 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 decide to buy a new console through an Xbox All Access plan, you can stream any available game with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Other readings: Upcoming PS5 games
Should I buy the PS5 Digital or the Xbox Series S?
If you want a powerful next-gen console that loads games blazingly fast and makes them look amazing, go for the PS5 Digital. It has all the same specs as the standard PS5 and should offer the same performance. You may have to increase the internal storage further later, but 825GB is a pretty decent amount of storage to begin with. However, if you prefer to have physical copies of the games, the standard PS5 is a better long-term investment.
If you want to own a next-gen console, but don’t really want to spend that much, go for the Xbox Series S. You can still play next-gen games and more on this console without breaking the bank. There’s not a lot of storage space, so you may need to invest in internal expansion. But depending on the games you play or how you play, you may not need that extra storage, which makes the S Series an easy pick. If you decide on the Xbox Series S, don’t forget to check out the Xbox All Access plan. With Game Pass Ultimate, you won’t always download games; it will be transmitting them. You will still enjoy experiencing new titles without taking up valuable storage space on your console.
Read next: All About Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – Best Value In Games?
