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Sony vs Microsoft? Series S or Digital Edition? Tell us which next-gen console you’re going to buy

It took some time but Sony has finally set its pricing stall out and we can now crack on with a next-gen game of top trumps to determine the best.

From the powerhouse Xbox Series X to the superfast PS5, this generation could be the most diverse yet so there’s a truckload rack your noggin over.

Sony seemed to get to the party a little late but we’re glad to finally know all the key details of the PS5. In the UK, we’ll be getting the regular PlayStation 5 for £449.99 while the Digital Edition comes in at the odd price of £359.99. On the Microsoft side of things, Xbox Series X will cost £449.99 and the Series S comes in at £249.99

If you are looking for the most powerful console of this generation then it does look like Xbox Series X is for you, with 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.8GHz (3.6Hz with SMT). While PS5 offers the slightly less impressive 8x Zen 2 Core at 3.5GHz (variable frequency, with SMT). However, if you are the type of person who thought that less sentence was gobbledygook, real-world performance of the two flagship consoles looks set to be pretty similar – with a slight edge expected for the Series X.

So, if performance is similar, how should you decide which one to buy? Games, of course.

On the Sony side of things, it’s all about its exclusives – and be sure to vote here to tell us what PS5 exclusives you are most excited about. We already know Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be available for PS5 at launch as well as Horizon Forbidden West coming later. On top of that, we have the remarkable-looking Demon Souls remake and the sequel to 2018’s God of War.

Over on the Microsoft side of things, Phil Spencer is shaking things up. Game Pass has been a rip-roaring success for Xbox One and xCloud has long looked like the future of Microsoft’s console offering, with Xbox Series X and Series S, both are taking centre stage. Games Pass Ultimate gives you access to a huge library of games for a monthly fee and cloud streaming is now set to be added.

It’s the prominence of this strategy that makes the cheaper, discless Xbox Series S such an intriguing proposition. The console may offer less horsepower than Sony’s consoles and the Series X, but the price point is so low – especially when combined with the equally cheap access to the library of Game Pass games.

It’s this combo that makes Xbox Series S such an interesting proposition too – or, as Twitter likes to call it, the Game Pass machine. Series S looks set to particularly sweep up come Christmas time as a cracking way for parents to gift their children an easy way into next-gen without an exorbitant price.

However, Xbox hasn’t completely trounced Sony when it comes to value for money – enter PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. While it is £100 more than the Series S, the Digital Edition looks best when compared to the pricier models. The regular PS5 and Xbox Series X offer the flagship next-gen experience but the PS5 Digital Edition gives you exactly that too – with the same internal specs as the disc-sporting PS5 – but for almost £100 less.

All of these points will likely factor into your decision when it comes time to pick a console and maybe two if those attractive prices have made it possible for you to dip your toe in both sides of the console war. Whatever your thought process, we want to know what your decision is going to be – vote below.

 

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