Sony made a splash at the turn of the year with its announcements concerning the PS5. The PlayStation 5 is finally going on sale in India, which is a big deal for fans of the Sony console. The PS5 promises next-generation gaming with cool stuff such as ray tracing and 120 fps gaming. However, that’s also the case with the Xbox Series X and the cheaper Series S, the latter being already on sale since November 2020.
We reviewed the Xbox Series X at BGR India and this Microsoft console made a solid case for itself. It was, and still is, fast, and brings some luxuries to console gamers that are considered a luxury for PC gamers. While Sony is yet to ship review samples of the PS5 in India, global reviews have pitched it as a solid option too for gamers, despite the PS5 being theoretically inferior to the Series X. Hence, if you are going console shopping in early 2021, there some serious decision-making stuff you have to deal with.
Before we discuss the pros and cons of both the consoles, here’s a quick rundown on the PS5 prices. The Sony PS5 Digital Edition will cost Rs 39,900 whereas the standard model with its disc drive will cost Rs 49,990. You can pre-order the PS5 starting January 12 in India at major “Amazon, Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital, Games The Shop, Shop at Sony Center, Vijay Sales, and select authorised retail partners,” as confirmed by Sony.
We give you five reasons as to why you could consider waiting for the PS5 and five more to skip the wait and grab an Xbox.
5 reason to wait for the Sony PS5
-The Playstation universe has a revered collection of game titles for decades now. On the PS5, titles such as Spiderman: Miles Morale, Demon’s Souls, Godfall, Astro’s Playroom, and more are exclusive to the PS5, most of which have garnered some fair attention. Moreover, there’s backwards compatibility with older PS4 games too, which means existing PS4 players can continue playing their games on the new system.
-The PS5 DualSense controller has got everyone’s attention with its superior haptics. Throughout the world, the PS5 controller has impressed players and critics alike with great haptics in Astro’s Playroom. Additionally, there’s an integrated microphone that is a big help for players who love multiplayer modes.
-Sony offers a wide-range of PS5 accessories for players. The standard model offers the disc drive, which is a great deal for Blu-ray owners. You can attach a VR headset, get Sony’s PS5-dedicated headset, and more. Compared to the PS5, the Xbox accessory list is spartan.
-The default output from the PS5 supports 4K TVs but it can also support 8K gaming over its 2.1 HDMI port. Moreover, the PS UI now makes for easy guides to certain games for players. The Activities feature lets players jump into select game modes directly while the Control Center allows quick access to frequently used system features, game content, and activities without leaving your gameplay.
-Most importantly, both the PS5 models don’t distinguish in terms of basic specifications. The PS5 standard and Digital Edition have the same custom AMD processor, same fast 1TB SSD storage, and same performance credentials. You only lose out on the disc drive with the Digital Edition. The Xbox Series S in comparison is highly underpowered compared to the standard Series X.
5 reasons to skip the wait and get an Xbox
Xbox Series X controller
-Availability for the Series S is better when compared to the PS5. In fact, as you read, the Xbox Series S is available for purchase on Amazon and Flipkart at Rs 34,990. Sadly, the Series X has limited availability in India for now but Microsoft keeps selling it frequently in limited batches.
-The Xbox Game Pass is one major reason to consider the Xbox consoles. At a lowly price of Rs 489 per month, you get access to most of the latest as well as popular game titles. Microsoft keeps on updating the games frequently, which means there’s something new to play every month. If there’s a brand-new title from Microsoft, it will find its way to the Game Pass subscriptions on launch day. The Rs 799 Game Pass Ultimate plan also gives you access to EA Play titles as well as Gold multiplayer benefits.
-The Series X and Series S bring Quick Resume into the play. With Quick Resume, you can pick up a game from where you left it last, without the need for saving the progress. During our review period, we found the Quick Resume feature a big plus point for gamers who dislike long loading times. Smart Delivery automatically chooses what version of a particular game works best for you Xbox model, thereby preventing wastage of storage.
-Both the Series S and Series X come with native storage expansion slot. You can buy an external Seagate 1TB storage card and simply slot it in these consoles to gain more storage space. Sadly, Microsoft hasn’t released the prices for these expansion cards yet for Indian players. You can attach external SSD storage via the USB-A ports but you will lose out on Quick Resume and fast loading times.
-Lastly, it is all about the pricing. The Xbox Series S is the cheapest next-gen console you can buy at Rs 34,990. This is almost Rs 5,000 cheaper than the Sony PS5 Digital Edition. You do lose out on some performance and storage capacity with Series S but if you are after a solid deal for a gaming console, there’s nothing beating the Series S at the moment.
