SONY PS5 vs XBOX SERIES X

As the two next-generation consoles hit the shops, we help you decide which one to buy

The time has finally come. After the longest-lasting generation of consoles in the modern era of gaming, the new next-gen is finally here in the form of the Xbox Series X and Sony Playstation 5.

But this isn’t like any previous generation. before it. They have tended to usher in more of a revolution – particularly in terms of resolution. With the big leap to 4K and HDR taken care of by the mid-generation Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, you might expect 8K to be the big news here, particularly as each manufacturer suggested as much in its early marketing. However, as it turns out, 8K is not supported by either console.

Instead, the Xbox Series X and PS5 represent the frame rate and ray tracing revolution. Games are still in 4K, but they run faster, feel more responsive and look significantly better – though to some, that will sound like much fuss over nothing. The case against buying a new console only strengthens with the revelation that you don’t need to buy one of them in order to play the latest games. With two exceptions, every game that you can play on a next-gen machine will also play on its predecessor.

That, though, doesn’t tell the whole story. Both of these next-gen consoles take gaming to new, previously inaccessible levels – albeit one more convincingly than the other. There is also the small matter of which machine is the best streamer and 4K Blu-ray player to decide, so let battle commence.