PlayStation and Xbox have been in fierce competition for more than 20 years now. With the release of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, which is superior?

The PS5 and Xbox Series X released around the same time fall of 2020. Both sold out instantly, becoming one of the biggest console launches in history, with the PS5 selling over 13 million units and the Series X selling over 7 million.

The consoles were released amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The public originally expected the consoles would be delayed but they arrived on time amid the global crisis. This meant that consoles were not sold in stores. So, they could only be purchased online. The result: scalpers. Scalpers have used programs or bots to buy consoles online in bulk and sell to desperate customers unable to get one.

The design for each console represents two different philosophies. The Xbox Series X embodies the idea of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” with its simplistic  sleek black look. It resembles a refrigerator in many ways and has an alien green top that can look very cool.

Meanwhile, the PS5 comes in full force with a Tesla-esque look. It offers a giant sci-fi design with its white plates and shiny black center. Not to mention, the blue and white LED lights make the console come alive in the dark.

But looks don’t matter if the console can’t perform. The good news is that both machines perform very well with some of the most demanding games.

The PS5 uses an AMD Zen 2 CPU and a custom RDNA 2 graphics card. For those who may not understand, this is an immensely powerful machine, and it tops most 1200$+ gaming computers.

The Xbox Series X has the exact same CPU and a graphics card that is very similar, but slightly better in many ways. This means the Series X has the slight edge, but the difference is so minimal that it is hardly noticeable.

Arguably one of the most important aspects of a gaming console is the controller. After all, it is the device you will be using every time you play.

In my experience using both systems controllers, the Series X offers more comfort but the PS5 has way more features. The Series X controller is almost an exact copy of the Xbox One controller. Meanwhile, the PS5 controller offers advance vibrations, a sleek design, a touch pad, and adaptive triggers. This is the best controller to date, based on features. Where the PS5 controller falls short is in ergonomics. Playing with it for more than 3 hours is just not pleasant. Therefore, the Series X controller takes the edge for me as comfort outweighs features.

Hardware is nice, but games are the reason we play. Both consoles offer a wide variety of exclusive titles in many different genres. The PS5 offers Spiderman: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, Returnal, Astro’s Playroom, Ratchet & Clank, etc. These are all well-made video games that are worth the purchase. The Xbox Series X is severely lacking in games. Besides Forza Gears Tactics, Horizon 4, and Halo Infinite, there just isn’t much that you can play right now. The PS5 is the clear winner here.

In conclusion, both consoles are quite amazing. In my opinion the clear winner is the PlayStation 5. However, I could see the Series X receiving more games and turning things around. They are both off to a good start and it is exciting to think what will come next.