PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Full Tech Specs Comparison Guide

In this full tech specs comparison, we're going to pit the PS5 vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S. As part of our PS5 guide, we want to answer the question: is the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S more powerful? Now that Sony has lifted the lid on PS5's tech specs, we can work out roughly how the two consoles stack up against each other. For more comparisons, you can also see our PS5 vs PS4: Full Tech Specs Comparison guide, and you can learn more about PS5's teraflops through the link.

PS5 vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: Full Tech Specs Comparison

Here are all the tech specs for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S in a handy table.

Component PS5 Xbox Series X Xbox Series S
CPU 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.5GHz (Variable Frequency) 8x Cores at 3.8 GHz (3.6 GHz w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU 8x Cores at 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU
GPU 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (Variable Frequency) 12 TFLOPS, 52 CUs at 1.825 GHz 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs at 1.565 GHz
GPU Architecture Custom RDNA 2 Custom RDNA 2 Custom RDNA 2
Die Size 360.45 mm²
Process 7nm Enhanced 7nm Enhanced
Memory 16GB GDDR6/256-bit 16 GB GDDR6 w/ 320b bus 10 GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth 448GB/s 10GB @ 560 GB/s, 6GB at 336 GB/s 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2 GB at 56GB/s
Internal Storage Custom 825GB SSD 1 TB Custom NVME SSD 512GB Custom NVME SSD
I/O Throughput 5.5GB/s (Raw), Typical 8-9GB/s (Compressed) 2.4 GB/s (Raw), 4.8 GB/s (Compressed)
Expandable Storage NVMe SSD Slot 1 TB Expansion Card (Matches Internal Storage Exactly) 1 TB Expansion Card (Matches Internal Storage Exactly)
External Storage USB HDD Support USB 3.2 External HDD Support
Optical Drive 4K UHD Blu-ray Drive 4K UHD Blu-ray Drive Digital Only
Dimensions 390mm x 104mm x 260mm* 301mm x 151mm x 151mm 275mm x 151mm x 63.5mm
Weight 4.5kg* 4.45kg 1.9 kg
Price

PS5 Digital Edition
(£349.99/$399.99/€399.99)
PS5
(£449.99/$499.99/€499.99)

£449.99/$499.99/€499.99 £249.99/$299.99/€299.99

* Dimensions and weight apply to standard PS5

PS5 vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: Which Is More Powerful?

On paper, it looks like Xbox Series X is technically the more impressive next-gen console. However, looking at all the facts and figures, PS5 and Xbox Series X will be extremely similar on a technical level. The Xbox Series S is less powerful. All three have high-speed SSDs, and you can learn more about why the PS5's storage solution is particularly impactful through the link: PS5 SSD: Why It's Better Than HDD. It's worth mentioning that the PS5 does have a little less storage space (See Also: PS5 SSD: How Much Storage Space Does It Have?) but it looks like Sony will offer more flexibility in terms of expandability. You can find more information on that, through here: Which SSD Drives Will Be Compatible with PS5?

In terms of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, both have eight-core processors running neck and neck, and both will make use of ray tracing (See Also: PS5 Ray Tracing: What Is It?). Both devices are also capable of playing 4K UHD Blu-ray movies (See Also: PS5 and 4K UHD Blu-rays: Can PlayStation 5 Play Them?), but it's worth remembering that the PS5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S don't support physical media. For more information: PS5 Digital Edition vs PS5: What's the Difference?

If we're to pick a winner based on the above, it would appear Microsoft has a marginal edge over Sony with the Xbox Series X, but it looks as though PS5's SSD is outrageously fast, significantly more so than even the Series X. It's a close run race, in other words. If you choose the PS5 or Xbox Series X, you can be sure it'll be substantially more powerful than the current-gen machines, as confirmed by the following comparison: PS5 vs PS4: Full Tech Specs Comparison.


Who do you think wins the PS5 vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S full tech specs comparison? Let us know in the comments section below, and be sure to refer to our PS5 guide for more information.