PlayStation (created by Sony) is releasing the PS5, and Xbox (created by Microsoft) is releasing the Series X. Which one is better? Should gamers buy one now, wait to buy one, or forget about the new consoles? Each person’s answer will be different depending on the product, price, quality, new games, and overall popularity. This article will educate the reader on each of the new products to guide the reader and help them make their decision.

For this next generation of consoles, Microsoft and Sony have two increasingly different ideologies: Microsoft is moving towards PC gaming and PC games and Sony is focusing on games and sticking with a console.

For Microsoft, this next line of Xboxes is focused on games as a service, specifically Game Pass, and a monthly subscription will grant you access not just to Microsoft first-party games but also over 100 legacy titles. Game Pass Ultimate extends access to PC games, which leads to the question: Why would you need an Xbox if you have Game Pass and a PC?

The next generation of Xbox will be without the Xbox. Consumers will still need to use their PC’s and pay for the Game Pass subscription. The actual Xbox is already not required and soon people will be able to play on their phones with the paid subscriptions. Discs will be unusable.

On the other hand, over the last six months, Sony has doubled down on the notion that PlayStation is a generational console, meaning if you want to play the new games, you need to purchase a new machine and that is still seen to this day.

Sony’s exception is that Spider-Man and Horizon Forbidden West are both getting PS4 releases in addition to their PS5 releases, which means you can play these specific new games still on the old console even though the new console came out. Sony calls this a move in a way to support the PS4 community as they transition to the next generation when they are ready.

Playstation Plus, the comrade of Xbox Game Pass, was created in response to Microsoft. While it does not have Game Pass perks like day one releases, Playstation Plus has a long list of impressive games and fun exclusives that are better than Xbox, and Playstation has better software overall. Exclusives are games that can only be played on a Playstation and not on an Xbox or PC.

Value is a whole different story. At $299, it is tough to argue that the Xbox Series S is the better deal. Now the Xbox Series S is not going to get consumers 4k graphics, but the console is close to 4k video and it will also get you into that next-generation Xbox Ecosystem, where you can enjoy all the perks of Game Pass and beyond for the same price of a Nintendo switch.

But now for just $100 more, a digital PS5 seems like a reasonable upgrade that does not require much of a compromise in hardware unless you want a Blu-ray drive. If you want to compare the specs of the PS5 to the Xbox Series X, you’ll find the pros and cons on either side of that chart.

If the consumer is buying a console specifically for the amount of horsepower, they are doing it the wrong way. Specs are one important part of the console but testers are still in the works of comparing the speed of the consoles. Both consoles can do multi-platform games (meaning people can play together online on the same game playing on different brands of console).

But side by side, there’s not a whole lot to argue about. Sometimes console exclusives look better than multi-platform games too. Both consoles can get the games to 4k and up to 120 Hz and support ray-tracing technology whether or not you have the display for that stuff is on you.

If the buyer does not want to pay full price for an Xbox, Microsoft also has a plan that allows consumers to own an Xbox annually. Microsoft’s Xbox All-access plan is a way to essentially finance owning a Series S or a Series X. There is a starting cost but consumers can own a brand new Xbox for a monthly or yearly subscription.

HXbox is more economical, seemingly better value, and is all about Game Pass and the ecosystem. Also, the console will allow the player to play games from as early as Xbox 360. Playstation 5: Slightly more of an initial investment but consumers can still play the same games on Xbox with the Playstation exclusives that are far superior to the Xbox exclusives.

People don’t get a console solely on its performance but also for the games. The new PS5 allows for PS4 games too to be played on the new console.

There could be other reasons why consumers pick one console over the other; maybe consumers decide based on what their friends buy, even though the rise of cross-platform (meaning people on Xbox can play with people on PS5) makes this less of a deal-breaker. With new technology coming out for PCs this and next year, consoles will not be able to compare in power to the PCs. This is where Xbox wins with Game Pass.

For consumers deciding, they should just wait. PCs are good in performance and soon they will have the PS5 exclusives. Since most consumers have not had enough time to test the performance of the two new consoles, it is best to wait and see the outcome on that too since that could change the consumer’s opinion on which to buy.