PlayStation Plus: Everything you need to know
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Sony)
PlayStation Plus used to be a simple proposition: Pay a flat monthly fee to play PlayStation games online, and get a few complimentary games each month as a perk. Now, PlayStation Plus is a full-fledged subscription service, with a huge game library, cloud gaming features and a variety of pricing tiers.
The PlayStation Plus revamp went live in the United States on June 13, and Tom’s Guide has had a chance to evaluate the service for ourselves. Here’s what you can expect from PlayStation Plus in terms of pricing, performance, game selection and more.
(Image credit: Miguel Lagoa | Shutterstock)
Simply put, PlayStation Plus is Sony’s game subscription service, much like Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. By paying somewhere between $5 and $18 per month, you get access to a variety of games, features and perks on PS4 and PS5 consoles. At a minimum, you’ll get the ability to play multiplayer games online, as well as a few complimentary titles each month. If you shell out for the highest tier, you’ll be able to download and stream hundreds of games from the PS1 all the way through the PS5.
The revamped service is currently available in Asia and North America, with a European release coming on June 23.
Previously, Sony offered two separate online services. PlayStation Plus let players get online for multiplayer games, offered three complimentary titles per month and gave a handful of exclusive discounts and in-game perks. PlayStation Now, on the other hand, was a cloud gaming service that could stream hundreds of Sony titles (mostly PS3) to a PS4, PS5 or PC. The new PlayStation Plus tiers essentially combine these two programs.
(Image credit: Sony)
PlayStation Plus offers three different tiers, each with different benefits and prices. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $10 and $18 per month, or between $60 and $120 per year.
Briefly, here’s how the varying tiers break down:
PlayStation Plus Essential is basically the same as what PS Plus used to offer. Neither the functionality nor the price changed. That means you get online play, cloud saves, rotating downloadable games and additional PS Store discounts. It costs $10 per month, $25 per quarter or $60 per year.
PlayStation Plus Extra includes everything from the Essential tier, as well as “a catalog of up to 400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games,” according to Sony. (Tom’s Guide recorded 383 games on June 16, 2022.) Players can download and play both first- and third-party fare on a PS4 or PS5 console. It costs $15 per month, $40 per quarter or $100 per year.
PlayStation Plus Premium includes everything from the previous two tiers, in addition to hundreds of additional games from the PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP. (Tom’s Guide recorded 38 PS1/PS2/PSP games, and 308 PS3 games on June 16, 2022.
) Players can download or stream PS1, PS2 and PSP titles; PS3 titles are streaming-only. Players can stream games on a PS4, PS5 or PC. They’ll also be able to play “time-limited game trials” with 15 different games available at launch. It costs $18 per month, $50 per quarter or $120 per year.
Check out our full guide on PlayStation Plus Essential vs. Extra vs. Premium tiers for more information.
(Image credit: Sony)
Tom’s Guide perused the various games available across the three different PlayStation Plus tiers. At the time of writing (June 16, 2022), if you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Essential, you’ll have access to three games, which rotate monthly. If you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Premium, you’ll have access to about 750 different games from six different consoles. That’s a pretty significant difference.
Here’s what Tom’s Guide found across the various PS Plus categories:
- 383 PS4/PS5 games
- 38 PS1/PS2/PSP games
- 15 PS4/PS5 game trials, 2 hours per game
- 308 PS3 games (all streaming)
- 212 streaming games (non-PS3)
- 3 rotating monthly games
- 19 PlayStation Plus Collection games
It’s likely that these numbers will increase over time, although the exact game selections will rotate in and out, much like Netflix or Xbox Game Pass.
You can find a more thorough catalog on the official PlayStation Plus website. However, Tom’s Guide has selected a few highlights from each category here, to give you an idea of the library’s breadth and depth:
PS1 games
- Ape Escape
- Mr. Driller
- Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
- Resident Evil: Director’s Cut
- Wild Arms
PS2 games
- Hot Shots Tennis
- Jak and Daxter
- Kinetica
- Rogue Galaxy
- Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
PS3 games
- God of War: Ascension
- Infamous
- Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
- Red Dead Redemption
- Tokyo Jungle
PS4 games
- Bloodborne
- Doom (2016)
- Final Fantasy XV
- Hollow Knight
- Marvel’s Spider-Man
PS5 games
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Death Stranding Director’s Cut
- Demon’s Souls
- NBA 2K22
- Returnal
To find games to play, you can also browse among 20 different categories, including Action, RPG and Simulation.
There’s also an entire section dedicated to remasters, which should help players find games such as God of War II and Final Fantasy X, which have appeared throughout multiple console generations.
It’s difficult to generalize about a library of more than 700 games, but we can at least say that we appreciate the diverse selection. There are big first-party Sony hits; there are obscure third-party cult favorites; there are games you’ve probably played to death, and games you’ve probably never heard of. We also noticed that there are plenty of kids’ games, which is something that modern consoles apart from the Switch have struggled to prioritize.
While we can’t promise that PlayStation Plus will appeal to every single gamer on Earth, there really does seem to be something for everyone here — even if you discount titles you’ve played before.
(Image credit: Sony)
If you sign up for PlayStation Plus Premium (and if it’s available in your region), you’ll be able to stream hundreds of games to your PS4, PS5 or PC.
This feature is mostly in place to facilitate the PS3 library, since the PS3 used an unusual system architecture, and it would be almost impossible to play its games natively on the PS4 or PS5.
Still, Tom’s Guide counted more than 200 non-PS3 titles that are also available for streaming, which could make PlayStation Plus Premium a valuable investment for gamers who don’t want to be married to a single console, or a single TV. Players can stream a variety of games, from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, to Prey (2017).
The feature requires between 5 and 15 Mbps of broadband speed to work properly, although in our testing, a fast wireless connection seemed to do just as well as a wired one. Streaming non-PS3 games is admittedly a niche feature if you have a PS4 or PS5, since you can just download the game and get better performance anyway. It’s potentially a little more useful on the PC, although that comes with its own set of caveats.
(Image credit: PlayStation Studios)
We tested PlayStation Plus games on a PS5 (both downloaded and streaming) as well as a PC (streaming only).
There’s not much to discuss when it comes to downloading PS Plus games on a console. They work just like any other downloaded game — although it’s worth remembering that you’ll lose access to them if you cancel your subscription. You won’t, however, lose your save files, so you can simply choose to buy the game à la carte afterward. Likewise, your save files will still be there if you ever resubscribe.
Streaming games on the PS5 worked surprisingly well. I tested some PS3 games, spending the most time with Castlevania: Mirror of Fate HD, as well as some PS4 games, spending the most time with Infamous: Second Son.
The PS3 experience was nearly flawless, save for a long initial load time, and one moment of lag during a cutscene. The PS4 experience was similarly good, although I did notice a little more texture pop-in when I explored large environments. The resolution also took a little while to hit a full 1080p. Otherwise, though, the experience was nearly indistinguishable from a downloaded game.
Your results will depend on the strength of your broadband connection, but the 15 Mbps recommendation is not too stringent.
The performance on PC was likewise strong. I encountered no issues on the PS3 streams, and only a few moments of blurry resolutions or textures on the PS4 streams. However, streaming PS Plus games to PC is still something of a mixed bag.
(Image credit: Sony)
To play PS Plus games on a PC, you’ll have to download the PlayStation Plus PC app. The system requirements are modest, so you don’t need a gaming PC to use it by any means. On the other hand, there’s no way to download any of the games, or stream to a mobile device or a Web browser, features which Xbox Game Pass has offered for years.
Even taken on its own merits, though, the PS Plus PC app is not very good. It starts off on the wrong foot, when it asks you to sign in, solve a captcha puzzle and input your 2FA info — then automatically signs you out and makes you do it all over again. Once you get up and running, there’s no way to search for titles, and there’s no way to choose the categories you want to browse.
You can’t use a DualSense controller; you can’t use a DualShock 4 wirelessly, unless you have a specialized adapter, which Sony discontinued five years ago.
Once you get a game up and running, it works pretty well, depending on your Internet setup. But there are a lot of hoops to jump through first, and relatively few ways to play what you want.
(Image credit: Future)
PlayStation Plus has a lot going for it, with excellent performance and a library that’s sure to delight even the pickiest console gamer. On the other hand, it’s simply not available on as many platforms as Xbox Game Pass, and doesn’t work as well on PC.
Sony will undoubtedly continue to refine and expand PS Plus over the next few months, and Tom’s Guide will evaluate new features as they become available. In time, Sony’s subscription service could go from “good” to “indispensable.”
Sony will soon offer a loyalty program called PlayStation Stars.
Today’s best Sony PlayStation Plus deals
280 Amazon customer reviews
☆☆☆☆☆
$70
View Deal
Reduced Price
$28.
18
$22.69
View Deal
$64.99
View Deal
Show More Deals
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom’s Guide, overseeing the site’s coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.
Topics
Gaming
Xbox Game Pass vs.
Ultimate: What’s the difference?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Miguel Lagoa | Shutterstock)
Xbox Game Pass is one of the best deals in gaming. What’s more: With Microsoft poised to acquire Activision Blizzard, it could get even better in the next year or two. The service costs at least $10 per month, which is admittedly not cheap. But you’ll get what you pay for, with hundreds of downloadable games, including day-one releases from Microsoft studios.
Before you subscribe to Xbox Game Pass (or write it off forever), just be aware that it comes in three different flavors: Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The three tiers have more similarities than differences, and deciding which one you want is pretty simple. You just have to ask yourself three questions:
- Do I want to game on Xbox?
- Do I want to game on a gaming PC?
- Do I want to game on mobile devices and non-gaming PCs and play games online?
Once you know the answers, picking a tier is simple.
In this piece, we’ll break down the differences and recommend different tiers for individual use-cases.
Xbox Game Pass vs. PC Game Pass vs. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Before we dive into the specifics of each Xbox Game Pass subscription tier, please consult the handy chart below for a high-level overview of what each one offers:
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Row 0 — Cell 0 | Xbox Game Pass | PC Game Pass | Xbox Game Pass Ultimate |
| Price | $10/month | $10/month | $15/month |
| Games | 400+ | 400+ | 400+ |
| Platforms | Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | PC | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS, Web browser |
| Delivery Method | Download | Download | Download, Streaming |
| Xbox Live Gold Included? | No | N/A | Yes |
Xbox Game Pass for Console
(Image credit: Future)
To start, let’s talk about Xbox Game Pass (or Xbox Game Pass for Console), arguably the service’s most basic tier.
This is Xbox Game Pass as Microsoft initially pitched it back at E3 2017. You pay $10 per month, and in return, you gain access to a library of more than 400 Xbox games. These range from first-party Microsoft fare, such as Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, to indie darlings, such as Hollow Knight and Unpacking. You have to download these games to an Xbox One, Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X console before you play them.
There’s not much else to know here. If you choose to buy one of the Game Pass titles à la carte, you’ll get a 20% discount. These games don’t generally come with DLC, but you’ll get a 10% discount on any add-ons. As with any subscription service, games come and go from Xbox Game Pass frequently, so if you see a game you like, you’ll want to play it sooner rather than later. (Except for games from Microsoft studios; those are there for keeps.)
Similarly, once your subscription runs out, you’ll lose access to the Game Pass library. However, if you purchase a game à la carte, your save files will carry over, so there’s no risk of lost progress.
It should also be noted, to play games online, console Game Pass subscribers will also need a separate subscription to Xbox Live Gold . This feature not only gives access to online gaming, but affords players a handful of free games to keep. For example, 49 titles were given away in 2021, including games such as Little Nightmares, Injustice: Gods Among Us and Darksiders 3. Even if your Xbox Live Gold membership lapses, you get to keep your Games with Gold titles. Granted, many of these titles are also found in the Xbox Game Pass library. Pricing for Xbox Live Gold is as follows: $10 a month, $25 for 3 months and $60 for a full year. Generously, Xbox does not require a Live Gold membership for a handful of free-to-play games such as Fortnite, Roblox and Rocket League. The full list of free-to-play non-Xbox Live Gold games can be found here . Xbox Live Gold is included with the more expensive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier, however.
PC Game Pass
(Image credit: Microsoft)
PC Game Pass is essentially the same thing as Xbox Game Pass for Console, just on a different system.
As the name suggests, PC Game Pass lets you download and play games on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers. This can be a little tricker than using Game Pass on consoles, as not every game is guaranteed to run on your PC. You’ll still need to meet the minimum requirements — CPU, GPU, hard drive space, and so forth. But if you have a powerful machine, you’ll have access to more than 400 PC games for $10 per month.
The selection is somewhat different than Xbox Game Pass for Console, since the two libraries don’t have exact parity. Most of the Microsoft stuff is still on offer. You’ll also gain access to some beloved Microsoft PC titles, such as Age of Empires IV. There are plenty of indies, from Boyfriend Dungeon to Sable. The third-party lineup is different, but not as different as you might expect — you can still play games such as Octopath Traveler and the majority of the Yakuza series, for example.
The same discount rules apply — 20% off full games, and 10% off DLC. Just be aware that whatever game you buy, you’ll buy through the Microsoft Store rather than Steam or the Epic Games Store.
This might limit multiplayer compatibility on certain titles, so it’s worth doing a little research in advance.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
(Image credit: Xbox)
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is where Microsoft offers all of the service’s best bells and whistles. While it costs $15 per month rather than $10, Game Pass Ultimate is arguably worth the upsell if you want to game on as many platforms as possible. Not only that, it includes an Xbox Live Gold membership for online gaming and a handful of select titles to fully own.
First and foremost, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you full access to the libraries in both Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass. This means you can download and play games on both a gaming PC and a console. In most cases, save data carries over between them.
Here’s where things get interesting. In addition to letting you download games, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also lets you stream games. At present, Xbox Game Pass supports cloud gaming on Android, iOS, Web browsers and even Xbox consoles themselves.
Whether you play downloaded or streamed games, your save data carries over across platforms.
In other words: You could download a game on your Xbox, move over to your gaming PC when your spouse wants the TV, continue your session on your smartphone in bed, then sneak in a quick session on your work laptop the next day.
Xbox Cloud Gaming does have a few caveats. The service is still technically in beta, so connectivity is not perfect. The iOS functionality, in particular, doesn’t work that well, partially because Apple makes you use a browser rather than allowing a dedicated app. Not every game is available to stream, and those that are, are usually not optimized for small screens. Smartphones, in particular, can require additional hardware or convoluted setups, whether you plan to play with a controller or a mount, such as the Razer Kishi.
Generally speaking, though, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate feels like a glimpse into the future of gaming. You can play hundreds of games, on any platform you want, and carry over your progress with minimal frustration.
The only question is whether you want to spend $15 per month for the privilege. But if you were already paying $10 a month for Xbox Live Gold to gain access to online gameplay, the added $5 cost for Game Pass Ultimate might be a no-brainer for some.
Which Xbox Game Pass tier should I get?
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Remember those three questions you asked yourself earlier? If so, you should now have a pretty good idea of which Xbox Game Pass tier to get:
- Get Xbox Game Pass for Console if you want to download games to an Xbox console and don’t care about playing certain games online
- Get PC Game Pass if you want to download games to a gaming PC
- Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate if you want to download games to both an Xbox console and a gaming PC and/or if you want to stream games to Android, iOS, Web browsers and Xbox consoles. Also consider Ultimate if you plan on playing your games online
It’s also worth noting that there’s one circumstance under which you shouldn’t subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, and that’s if you prefer to own games outright.
Xbox Game Pass offers a ton of games, but they do come and go regularly, and sooner or later, a game that you love will leave the service while you’re in the middle of it. It’s a frustrating experience, and one that you’ll never encounter if you simply buy games one at a time.
Buying games outright can also be cheaper. At $15 per month, a year’s worth of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will run you a steep $180. That’s about three big-budget games, or somewhere between nine and 20 indies, to say nothing of mid-budget games that you can often find on sale. It’s worth surveying your gaming habits and doing a little math before you invest in any tier of Game Pass.
Otherwise, Xbox Game Pass is an impressive service that will likely get even better in the next year or two. Granted, it may also get more expensive — no subscription service stays at the same price forever. If that happens, we recommend running the math again, and determining whether you play enough games each month to justify the premium.
Today’s best Xbox Game Pass deals
PC
$4.99
/mth
View Deal
at Microsoft US
Ultimate
$14.99
/mth
View Deal
at Microsoft US
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom’s Guide, overseeing the site’s coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology.
After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.
Topics
Gaming
PlayStation 5 DualSense or Xbox Series X controller
The new generation of consoles launched two years ago, and comparisons between the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S have already flooded the Internet. Hardware characteristics, exclusives, backward compatibility and many other topics are actively discussed.
But in this article we will focus specifically on the controllers, and try to answer the question of which one to choose.
Xbox Series X Controller
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft followed a familiar design philosophy with the new controller. There are a number of minor changes, but in general, the controller is almost the same as the Xbox One, and at first glance they do not differ at all.
The first thing you’ll notice is the new «D-pad» that Xbox controllers have always had problems with.
The D-pad on the Series X controller is now concave, similar to the «d-pad» on the Xbox One Elite controller. This provides more accurate diagonal input, so the new controller will be more comfortable for platforming and fighting games.
In addition, the design of the triggers has been slightly redesigned — now they are more tactile and ergonomic. In general, ergonomics was clearly a key factor in the development of the new controller. With the new design, it’s less bulky and can easily be held by the average eight-year-old, so the controller should be more comfortable for a wider audience.
Many fans liked the Xbox One controller precisely because it was massive and heavy — in their opinion, it is more convenient if you hold it in your hands and play for a long time. But for some, it still seemed too big, so we hope that with the new Series X controller, Microsoft will be able to find the optimal ratio to please both parties.
You can also see a small but important change on the front of the controller — Microsoft has finally added a Share button that will allow the player to easily take screenshots or shoot gameplay videos without having to deal with the on-screen menus.
Finally, the new controller has a USB-C port on the back for wired connection and recharging if the user inserts batteries. By default, the new controller comes with regular AA batteries, just like its predecessor.
All in all, the Xbox Series X controller is an improved and enhanced version of the long-time and fan-favorite controller for Xbox One. Some have said outright that there are no major changes compared to the previous generation controller, but apparently, this time around, Microsoft has decided to stick to the “work it, don’t touch it” philosophy.
DualSense Controller for PlayStation 5
To the surprise of many (including us), Sony decided to rename the PlayStation controller. However, from a historical point of view, this was quite expected. The DualShock series of controllers traces its history back to the first PlayStation, and its name is associated with vibration. Now Sony is replacing traditional vibration with more precise haptic feedback, so it only made sense to give the new controller a new name that the market will appreciate.
So instead of DualShock 5 we got DualSense.
This haptic feedback is DualSense’s most significant step forward, as it has the potential to revolutionize the gaming experience with incredible precision. And this potential was happily picked up by game developers. Many of Sony’s past controller innovations ended up being gimmicks that only the company’s own studios occasionally experimented with, but this time it turned out differently due to the ease of integrating gamepad tactile effects into games. These options are supported even when connecting the DualSense to a PC, and on the PS5 they are used not only by Sony’s internal studios, but also by many third-party developers.
Notable features include adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone that allows players to chat even without a headset, and the replacement of the Share button with a Create button. It will allow the player to easily and quickly edit screenshots and game videos, and not just shoot them.
Finally, perhaps the most striking aspect of the DualSense is its design.
The two-tone black and white design is vastly different from anything we’ve seen with standard console controllers, and we can’t help but feel that the DualSense is very similar to the DualShock 4 alternatives. So, as you might expect, the reactions were mixed. Someone immediately fell in love with the new controller, someone hated it, but few remained indifferent to the changes.
The DualSense is noticeably bulkier than the DualShock 4, and Sony is also moving towards a more ergonomic design, making the controller’s overall shape strongly reminiscent of that of the Xbox controller. Who knows, maybe Sony decided to use a two-tone design just to make the DualSense more different from the new Xbox controller.
Controller Comparison
Now that we have briefly reviewed the features of both controllers, we can compare their advantages and disadvantages based on what we know at the moment.
Design and Ergonomics
Design has always been subjective, but Xbox and PlayStation controllers have never looked so much alike.
Of course, the DualSense’s two-tone design hides this a little, but when you look at the shape and size of the two controllers, they look very similar, so they should feel the same — they are both focused on greater lightness and ergonomics.
According to gamers, in the hands of gamepads are perfect, like a glove. In terms of comfort, none of them outperforms the opponent, so there is parity here.
In terms of color options, new options are now available for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, including all-black controllers, camo, blue, pink, and more.
D-Pad and Triggers
In terms of controls, there is not much to say about the analog sticks, buttons on the main panel and on the sides. This time, the most significant changes have been made to the triggers and the D-pad.
Both controllers will have adaptive triggers with haptic feedback.
The new Xbox controller has textured triggers for a better grip on the fingers. Like the Xbox One controller, there are vibration motors on triggers that work in some games, vibrating, for example, when firing weapons.
In turn, DualSense has more advanced feedback due to a cunning mechanism hidden inside the gamepad. With it, you can, for example, feel the tension of the bowstring, feel the resistance if your weapon jams, or select the firing mode of a double-barreled shotgun — lightly fire from one barrel or give a strong volley from both. Here’s what it looks like:
@charlespaimba @GalvaniRenan @webrothersteam que foda ! pic.twitter.com/OGMcdXdjM3
— Gabriel Farat (@GabrielFarat) November 13, 2020
And that’s not all: the combination of gamepad vibration, adaptive triggers, and built-in speaker deliver what gamers say is a whole new gaming experience. You will feel the surface on which the character walks, the material that he picks up, and so on. Sony is even preloading the PS5 with a free game, Astro’s Playroom, which brings all the features of the new controller to life.
As for the D-pad, we’ve already said that the Xbox One’s protruding, clickable cross-shaped D-pad didn’t perform as well in platformers and fighting games, and the DualShock 4’s D-pad was usually much more comfortable in such games.
The new concave D-pad on the Xbox Series X controller should help fix the above issue.
Gyroscope
The gyroscope is another noteworthy feature that was missing from the previous generation Xbox controller and Microsoft didn’t add it to the new controller.
This is somewhat disappointing, as the DualShock 4 had a gyroscope. DualSense also has it. This sensor allows you to control the camera more accurately, almost as good as a mouse, which is convenient for shooters.
Built-in microphone
The DualShock 4 had a built-in speaker, and now the DualSense has a full speaker and microphone set.
Of course, this speaker could hardly be called an important feature — only a few developers have used it in their games. However, with the advent of the microphone, DualSense makes it easier to communicate between players in multiplayer, because now everyone, even without a headset, will be able to use voice chat.
What’s more, the built-in microphone makes it easier to use voice control without having to plug in a headset or buy a PS Camera.
Unfortunately, the Xbox Series X controller does not have this functionality. Although this is not such a serious drawback, but with a microphone it would be more convenient.
Power
Like its predecessors, the DualSense uses a built-in battery, while the Xbox Series X controller runs on replaceable batteries — you can insert batteries or rechargeable batteries yourself.
It is obvious that the ability to replace the batteries of the controller by yourself is an undeniable advantage, since the quality of any batteries decreases over time. But if you want to install batteries in your Xbox Series X controller, you’ll incur additional costs as it only comes with regular AA batteries like the previous model.
In turn, the DualSense battery is very durable, and although it has to be charged from time to time, you can count on 6-8 hours of continuous play. Many gamers find a solution in buying an additional controller, which is used when the main one is charging.
Conclusion
Summing up, we can say that both controllers generally meet all the most important requirements. The Xbox Series X controller looks more familiar and is likely to be more ergonomic, but the DualSense has a couple of noteworthy additional features.
More or less significant advantages of the DualSense will certainly be better haptic feedback, a gyroscope and a built-in microphone, which will definitely be convenient for many. Everything else, such as the speaker, touchpad, and light bar, are non-essential features that will mostly be used by in-house studios, as is the case with the DualShock 4.
Either way, both controllers are sure to be very good, and we’re looking forward to testing each one in person.
In the meantime, we are waiting for your opinions. Did Microsoft make a mistake by ditching the gyroscope? Should Sony redesign or at least introduce more colors? Write in the comments!
Xbox Series X and Sony PlayStation 5: which console to choose
Articles
Many gamers do not stop arguing which game console is better.
The two top console manufacturers, Sony and Microsoft, go neck and neck, almost simultaneously introducing completely new consoles to fans. So, here are the technical specifications of the Xbox Series X and Sony PlayStation 5, which we compare for you.
Processor
Despite the different approaches to the hardware architecture, both gadgets are equipped with very similar processors with 8 cores and 16 threads. AMD Zen 2 family chipsets have some differences in frequency, but even experienced users are not able to notice such trifles. Moreover, the number of gigahertz will change based on the current load on the central processor, so measuring the actual frequencies is not an easy task.
Memory
The presentation of the Sony PlayStation 5 showed that the device will be equipped with an 825 GB SSD. Some sources also claim that a model with 2 TB of memory on board will be available to users. The memory bandwidth of Sony is around 5.5 gigabytes per second, which is quite a lot.
Direct competitor Xbox Series X has 1 terabyte of physical memory with a throughput of 2.4 gigabytes per second. Speaking of RAM, everything is identical here too. Both devices are equipped with 16 GB of RAM.
These indicators directly affect the download speed of games, but you should not rely only on bandwidth. Manufacturers claim that optimization will play the main role when downloading games, so Sony’s apparent advantage in this indicator is still only in words.
Graphics
As in the case of processors, both companies use the same architecture from the same AMD — RDNA 2. However, the Xbox Series X has more powerful specifications. The brainchild of Microsoft uses 52 blocks for computing with a clock speed of 1.825 GHz and a power of 12 teraflops. The prefix from Sony is equipped with 32 units with a frequency of 2.23 GHz. The output is a power of 10.28 teraflops.
The companies say that there will be additional gaming optimizations, which will ensure that gaming performance and power will not be directly dependent on technical indicators.
But for now, only one thing is clear — the producers of games for Xbox and Sony will need additional optimization for next-generation gadgets.
Compatibility
The presentation of the Xbox Series X showed that the new generation of the console will be fully compatible with all the gadgets of the previous lines. These are the Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One models. This is great news for all fans, and sadly, Sony console fans won’t be happy about it. At the output of PS 5 will only support games from the PlayStation 4 game console. The manufacturer has not announced anything about compatibility with the PlayStation 3, 2 and 1 consoles. At the same time, not all games on PS 4 will be supported by the 5th generation.
Additional features
In addition to the main technical specifications, console manufacturers also boasted other developments at the presentations. Interestingly, both companies claim almost the same additions. For example, when describing the cases, it was noted that they can occupy both a horizontal and a vertical position.
