PlayStation, or Xbox? The eternal battle of two gaming worlds, to which there is no single right answer. Both consoles do the same thing at the core, but differ in games, services and philosophy. Let us compare them so you know which suits you.

Two worlds

PlayStation by Sony and Xbox by Microsoft are two top consoles of the current generation. In performance they are very similar, so the decision is not about numbers, but about what you want to play on them and what services you will use.

Games and exclusives

This is the most important difference. PlayStation traditionally relies on strong exclusive games you cannot play anywhere else, like God of War, Spider-Man and The Last of Us. Xbox has fewer exclusives, but plays its card differently, through a subscription.

Subscription and value

  • Xbox Game Pass is Xbox’s biggest advantage. For a monthly fee you get access to a huge library of games, including new releases on the day they come out.
  • PlayStation Plus offers a similar service, but its library tends to be smaller. We write more about subscriptions in the article on streaming and gaming platforms.

Performance and versions

Both consoles have a more powerful and a cheaper version. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are powerful models for 4K gaming, while the PS5 Digital and Xbox Series S are cheaper. Note that the cheaper versions tend to be without a disc drive, and the Series S is also weaker in performance.

Controller and ecosystem

  • The PlayStation DualSense is a refined controller with impressive haptics and adaptive triggers that give games a better feel.
  • The Xbox controller is comfortable and works great on a computer too, plus Xbox has better backward compatibility with older games.

Online and cross-play

Online gaming on both consoles is paid as part of a subscription. Some games support cross-play, so you play with friends regardless of which console they have.

What for whom

  • Exclusive story games and the best feel from the controller: PlayStation.
  • Lots of games for a flat fee, gaming on PC too and a lower price (Series S): Xbox.

If your console fails, overheats or needs cleaning, we will help with console servicing. Get in touch, we will also advise on the choice.

This article is part of our Gaming overview.