Standing tall and proud at the podium of the greatest are two of the most powerful consoles of the 21st century – the Xbox Series X vs the PS5 Pro. Offering scintillatingly immersive 4K and even 8K gaming with superior ray tracing, these gaming behemoths are designed to take advantage of larger, high-resolution screens.
This article is a head-to-head of these console champions – PS5 Pro v. Xbox Series X. We will cover all the important considerations every console gamer should be aware of – cost, aesthetics, value, and, of course, performance. By the end, you will be able to make a thoroughly informed decision on whether to go for Sony’s pedigree or Microsoft’s beast.
PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X: Price and Value Offering
This aspect of our comparison is made simple by the fact that the Sony console is prominently more expensive than Microsoft’s console, presenting two vividly distinct choices.
PS5 Pro Price:
- The PS5 Pro has a price tag many consider outrageous. It costs $699.99 in the US, a good $200 more expensive than the Xbox Series X.
- It has not been officially launched in India. This means that the already high price is further inflated due to import duties and seller markups. You can expect to pay around ₹85-90k.
- You will also have to pay extra for a vertical stand, optical drive, and a second controller – further padding the bill.
PS5 Pro Value Offering:
- Sony’s console represents the very best that gaming consoles have to offer in terms of technology and performance, but with a jaw-dropping price tag.
- The PlayStation ecosystem features some of the best exclusive offerings – God of War, Spider-Man, The Last of Us, Final Fantasy, etc.
- However, warranty issues are a concern in India due to its aforementioned unofficial status.
Xbox Series X Price:
- Microsoft’s latest console can be bought for ₹54,990 on xbox.com and it costs $499.99 in the US.
- Unlike the PS5 Pro, it was launched in India officially, so there are no complications there.
- It comes natively with a disc drive, but buying a second controller and a storage expansion card can drive up the cost by a bit.
Xbox Series X Value Offering:
- The Xbox Series X is clearly the more affordable of the two.
- It offers a fairly similar gaming experience to the PS5 Pro and you can rest assured that it is a highly capable gaming machine.
If you cannot compromise on having the very best gaming console and money is not an issue, then the choice is clear – the PS5 Pro. However, if you are a mere mortal with budgetary concerns and are looking for a solid performer, the Xbox Series X is the one for you.
Check out this review of the Xbox Series X on YouTube.
PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X: Design & Aesthetics
Choosing between the two in terms of design hould also be a rather straightforward process. Both these consoles sport very different looks and vibes.
The PS5 Pro is significantly taller but slimmer and sports a futuristic look that is edgy and aggressive. If you are interested in giving your PS5 Pro a customized look, then there are plenty of official and third-party options to choose from.
Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X is chunky and functional looking. Chunky because it’s wider, but functional looking since it’s shorter. It’s also much less distracting. Customization fanatics will be pleased with the wide variety of options to choose from – there are official console wraps, third-party vinyl skins, custom controllers, decals, stickers, etc.
So, in terms of aesthetics, if you prefer a sleek and curvy look, the PS5 Pro is the way to go. If you prefer simplicity and a more structured and unobtrusive vibe, then the Xbox Series X will better suit your tastes.
You might want to check out this review of the PS5 Pro on YouTube.
Xbox Series X vs PS5 Pro: Specifications & Performance
This is clearly the meat and potatoes of this comparison – the underlying hardware and the real-world performance delivered.
Straight off the bat, these two consoles share a fair amount of common specifications, i.e., custom AMD Zen 2 CPU architecture, 16 GB DDR6 memory, NVMe SSDs, HDMI 2.1, ray tracing support, etc.
However, the PS5 Pro’s GPU is significantly more powerful, with a higher count of compute units and teraflops – 60 compute units and a peak of 18.05 TFLOPS. Its proprietary AI-driven upscaling technology called PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Upscaling) works in conjunction with its hardware to deliver astounding 4K quality at 120 FPS.
In terms of out-of-the-box storage, the PS5 Pro comes with a 2TB SSD, while the Xbox Series X comes with a 1TB SSD bundled. Sony’s console needs the extra storage space since you won’t have the option to use discs.
It’s not all losses for the Xbox Series X and it does win the race when it comes to CPU clock speed. It has a higher fixed maximum frequency of 3.8 GHz (or 3.6 GHz when simultaneous multithreading is used). The PS5 Pro, on the other hand, has a variable maximum frequency of 3.5 GHz.
The Xbox Series X also has a higher HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which can give it an edge over the Sony console for high refresh rates.
Ultimately, the PS5 Pro is the console for you if you want the very best in terms of performance and graphics quality. The Xbox, meanwhile, offers a very comparable and competitive option at a much lower price.
Xbox Series X vs PS5 Pro: The Final Ruling
The PS5 Pro has many enticing attributes on offer – gaming performance and visual quality that has no equal and an ecosystem of top-notch games. The growing roster of PS5 Pro Enhanced titles that squeeze out the very best from this console is another important consideration. If you want an apex gaming experience, then the PS5 Pro is the only choice for you.
The Xbox Series X is no slouch either when it comes to delivering top-quality gaming experiences. It can comfortably handle 4k gaming and also boasts an impressive list of games. It offers a really good value-for-money proposition and is definitely an elite performer as well. If you want a high-end gaming experience that does not cost the world, then the Xbox Series X is the way to go.
You can find below the ultimate comparison table for the PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X:
| Feature | PS5 Pro | Xbox Series X |
| Release Date | November 2024 (Not officially available in India) | November 2020 (Officially launched in India) |
| Price | $699.99 (₹85-90K in India due to markups) | $499.99 (₹54,990 in India) |
| CPU | Custom AMD Zen 2, 8-core, up to 3.5 GHz | Custom AMD Zen 2, 8-core, 3.8 GHz (3.6 GHz with SMT) |
| GPU | Custom AMD RDNA 3, AI-powered PSSR upscaling, 60 compute units, 18.05 TFLOPS | Custom AMD RDNA 2, 12 TFLOPS, 52 compute units at 1.825 GHz |
| RAM | 16 GB GDDR6 for gaming + 2 GB DDR5 for OS task | 16GB GDDR6 (10 GB at 560 GB/s, 6 GB at 336 GB/s) |
| Internal Storage | 2 TB NVMe SSD | 1 TB NVMe SSD |
| Expandable Storage | NVMe M.2 SSD slot | 1 TB Storage Expansion Cards & USB 3.1 external HDD |
| Optical Drive | Optional 4K Blu-ray disc drive (sold separately) | 4K UHD Blu-ray drive included |
| Performance Target | Up to 8K resolution, 4K gaming at higher frame rates, enhanced ray tracing | True 4K gaming, up to 120 FPS, supports 8K HDR |
| Backward Compatibility | Supports PS4 games with Game Boost | Backward compatible with four generations of Xbox games |
| Design | Taller, slimmer, futuristic aesthetic | Chunky, minimalistic, structured look |
| Customization | Official and third-party faceplates available | Console wraps, vinyl skins, decals, stickers |
| Dimensions | 390 mm x 104 mm x 260 mm (15.4 in x 4.1 in x 10.2 in) | 15.1 cm x 15.1 cm x 30.1 cm (5.94 in x 5.94 in x 11.85 in) |
| Weight | 4.5 kg (9.9 lbs) | 4.4 kg (9.8 lbs) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 7, VRR support | HDMI 2.1, 3x USB 3.1, Ethernet, Xbox Wireless radio |
| Audio | Tempest 3D AudioTech | Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby TrueHD with Atmos, 7.1 L-PCM |
| Exclusive Games | God of War, Spider-Man, The Last of Us, Final Fantasy | Halo, Forza, Gears of War, Starfield |
| Overall Verdict | Best choice for ultimate performance and visuals | Better value-for-money alternative with competitive performance |
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