There’s some positive news for those who have been holding off from buying a new gaming console, as well as folks who had trouble finding a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X since the systems arrived in late 2020. Not only are both consoles more readily available these days after Sony and Microsoft resolved some of their supply issues, they’re each available for $50 less than usual. That means the disk version of the PS5 has dropped from $500 to $450, which is the console’s first discount in the US outside of bundles that include a game.
When the PS5 debuted, we gave it a score of 87 in our review, but Sony has improved the experience since then by rolling out many new features. For instance, in a new beta version of the PS5 firmware that just went live, Sony added support for Dolby Atmos, increased the additional M.2 SSD storage capacity up to 8TB and introduced a welcome controller accessibility feature.
The PS5’s DualSense controller is an excellent bit of kit. It deepens the feeling of immersion thanks to features like adaptive triggers (which add tension to things like pulling back a bow’s drawstring) and haptic feedback, which can replicate sensations like falling rain or footsteps through vibration tech.
None of this would matter without great games and the PS5 now has many of them, including Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring and many more. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is right around the corner as well. The PlayStation Plus program now includes an extensive library of games you can access for a monthly or annual fee on the Extra and Premium tiers, while all but a few PlayStation 4 games work on the system as well.
As for the Series X, that’s compatible with hundreds of Xbox games going all the way back to Microsoft’s original 2001 console. Xbox Game Pass is a major selling point for the system, as the subscription offers access to all of Microsoft’s first-party games on the day of release (perhaps soon to include Activision Blizzard titles like the Call of Duty series), as well as a wide range of third-party games.
The Xbox Series X, which is also on sale for $50 off at $450, is the most powerful gaming console around (we initially gave it a review score of 87). It too has its fair share of quality console exclusives, from the Halo series and Microsoft Flight Simulator to Hi-Fi Rush and Forza Horizon 5. The hotly anticipated Starfield is on the horizon too, while of course a host of major third-party games are available on the system, such as the afore-mentioned Elden Ring.
In truth, both are arguably the best gaming consoles out there. It’s worth considering whether the PS5 or Xbox Series X’s exclusives are more compelling to you, how invested you are in the PlayStation or Xbox ecosystems already and if the lure of PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass is compelling enough to pull you in either direction. Perhaps you already have one console and were waiting for a deal on the other. Nonetheless, these are solid discounts on two consoles that have actually become more expensive in many markets over the last year.
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