Don’t judge a book by its cover. One of the most classical of phrases, yet one that will always be relevant in life. Even to this day, people look past the idea of what’s within compared to what they see. I feel this exact scenario is happening right now with the statistical charts via the competition between the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Almost every statistical chart, one will come across, shows a close comparison between both the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and at first glance, the Xbox Series X does look like it’s in the lead holding a higher GPU (Graphics processing unit) and a higher SSD (Solid-state drive/ “Storage”). Though these statistics may be true, what isn’t true is the fact that these statistics make the PS5 utterly weak in comparison. What is about to be realized by many is that the PS5, deep down, is holding many advantages ranging from a higher data transfer speed, a new complex and unique controller, and even a wide variety of highly recognizable first-party titles releasing at launch. In other words, the PS5 still has more than enough reasons to be considered as the higher successor in the upcoming console launch war of November 2020!

To begin, let’s start with one of the PS5s biggest advantages within the realm of the internal arguments between the two consoles. One of the biggest arguments people will bring forth when saying that the Xbox series X is more powerful than the PS5 is that the Xbox Series X contains a custom SSD that holds up to 1 TB of storage compared to the PS5 which only contains an SSD that holds 825GB. Looking at these numbers may make the Xbox Series X look like the successor over the PS5, in power, but that can only be the farthest from the truth. 1 TB (Terabyte) has the ability to hold up to 1000 GB (Gigabytes), so even though, yes, the Xbox Series X holds roughly 175 more GBs than the PS5, the PS5 has the upper hand when it comes to loading said GBs into action. The PS5 can transfer data at a speed of 5.5GBs per second, which is almost “double the speed” at which the Xbox Series X can transfer data, that being only 2.4 GBs per second. So, when considering which of the two consoles has better storage capabilities just ask yourself, “Do I want a system that can barely hold ⅕ more storage than another or do I want to sacrifice a little bit of storage space and open up twice the amount of loading time to access my storage with more ease?” For most, the answer might be much more clear when put into these words. 

Now, looking past some of the internal informative talk, let’s discuss a topic that is just as important, the controllers. In the world to date, there have been brilliant controllers, weird controllers, and terribly awful controllers but what category do the new “DualSense” controllers (PS5 controllers) alongside the new Xbox Wireless controllers fall in, and which offers the better experience? Of course, seeing that both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are a couple of weeks away from launch and also noting that companies are trying to sponsor their products, all that we really see is a lot of positive information. So, in terms of deciding which controller is better, and what category they fall in, I feel it’s best left to decide in a time of hands-on experience rather than being told what you will experience. Though, one argument that can easily be properly discussed in a time before any hands-on experience, is both controllers’ external design, which is currently a pretty hefty topic at the moment. Between the two controllers, many people feel that Microsoft is making a smarter move with the Xbox Wireless controller by only improving an already “stapled” design within their marketing, while Playstation (Sony)  on the other hand, made a rather “disgusting” choice to change their already “perfect” controller into a weird-looking monstrosity. Of course, that was an exaggerated example but the new DualSense has been getting a lot of flack and backlash because of that very reason when really, it shouldn’t be. The new design for the Dualsense, I feel, complements the PS5 in many ways and shows a jump between generations, unlike the Xbox Wireless controller which feels like we are still in the past.

Imagine, the outstanding company, Nintendo’s evolution in controllers. They have never stayed on the same track for a controller’s design and features. They always implement creative/amazing ideas and execute them in the best of ways. Now, I’m not saying that Sony is being as brave as Nintendo has always been, but I do feel they are “slightly” trying to shine a new color on Playstation as a whole, which I feel shows a lot for Playstation and not Microsoft.      

Having stated a few of the reasons why I feel the PS5 is a better investment, at launch, rather than the Xbox Series X let’s bring up the real “game-changer” being, each console’s lineup of games to release on launch day. Many consoles often have slow releases and in a time of Covid-19, now is no exception, which is why both the PS5’s and Xbox Series X’s lineup of 1st party titles is huge among this period of history we are in. Currently, Playstation’s line up of 1st party titles at launch is outstandingly more distinctive than Microsoft’s 1st party line up. The PS5, at launch, is going to have Sackboy: A Big Adventure (a spin-off game based around the hit series Little Big Planet), Demon Souls (which led into the highly popular series Dark Souls), and probably the biggest “attention grabber” being the remake of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales! The Xbox Series X, at launch, is going to acquire Forza Horizon 4 (a racing game), Gears 5 (a third-person shooter), Gears Tactics (a turned based tactics game), Grounded (a survival game), and probably the most interesting release only being Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Comparing both of the line ups, the 1st party list for the PS5 is almost “jaw-dropping” in comparison to the Xbox Series X’s line up. I feel that Playstation promoting so many well-known IPs gives it an enormous advantage against their opponent in the console war.

Deciding whether to invest in a PS5 or an Xbox Series X will mostly always be based solely on one’s love for the consoles supporting company. The situation is much like the ongoing debate of iPhone vs. Android. For myself, Playstation has and is still the side I stick with, not just because of my love for the company but because I feel they give legitimate reasons to support them. Yes, I do have some nostalgic love for the company but regarding many of the reasons I’ve supported in this article, I feel I have strong evidence to support why I feel Playstation is often better than Microsoft in console wars. I have always felt that Playstation has held their heads high, while Microsoft tries to make a little extra spending money by creating consoles when they already have the beloved computers they produce. 

The information provided above is just a little example of the whole debate between both the PS5 and Xbox series X and there is still a lot more information comparing the two consoles. 

I feel that much information about the PS5 is outshined by the Xbox Series X’s statistics, though once heavy research is conducted, it still becomes clear how Playstation’s PS5 will win November 2020’s console war.