The PS5 will be released on November 19, 2020. We should instead write the PS5, since the console will be available in several versions. In this little comparison, we will take stock of the machines offered by Sony and the differences that must be taken into account before the purchase.
The Playstation 5 will be released on November 19, 2020. If you've followed the news a little bit, you know that the console will be available in several versions. This will also be the case for the competing machine, the Xbox Series. But you may be a little lost through all its models. A console has to be simple, and offering variations can complicate things. You are hesitant to order the PS5 but you don't know which one to take? Thankfully, we're here to help.
How many PS5s will there be?
The PS5 will be available in two versions: the so-called "classic" PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition. Sony may choose to release Slim or Pro models in the future, but this is not expected to happen for several years. For example, the PS4 was released in 2013, while the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro were released in 2016. So you have time to see it coming.
PS5
Best prices
- €499.99
To see
Auchan - €499.99
To see
baker - €499.99
To see
Cdiscount - €499.99
To see
Fnac - €975.50
To see
Amazon
These prices were updated on 12/04/2021 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.
PS5 Digital Edition
Best prices
- €399.99
To see
Auchan - €399.99
To see
baker - €399.99
To see
Cdiscount - €899.00
To see
Fnac
These prices were updated on 12/04/2021 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.
What are the prices of consoles?
The classic PS5 will be sold at a price of 499 euros. The Digital Edition will be cheaper, since the recommended price is set at 399 euros.
As a reminder, the price of the PS4 was 399 euros when it was released in 2013 and that of the PS3 at 599 euros in 2007. In 2000, the PS2 was marketed at a price of 2990 francs, or 594 euros, taking inflation into account. The PS5 is therefore among the cheapest consoles in the brand.
Note that at Microsoft, the Xbox Series X is sold for 499 euros while the Xbox Series S will be marketed at a very attractive price of 299 euros. Microsoft also offers a 24-month payment system with a subscription for 33 euros per month for the Series X and 25 euros per month for the Series S, with the Game Pass. This is not the case with Sony.
What are the technical differences between consoles?
The "normal" PS5 has a blu-ray player, while the Digital Edition has no. This is the only technical difference between the two models. Indeed, their characteristics are similar and neither is more powerful than the other. They will both run the games in 4K/60FPS.
| PlayStation 5 | PlayStation 5 All-Digital Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | – Zen CPU 8 cores clocked at 3.5 GHz (variable frequency) – Engraved on SoC AMD Ryzen 3rd generation 7nm |
– Zen CPU 8 cores clocked at 3.5 GHz (variable frequency) – Engraved on SoC AMD Ryzen 3rd generation 7nm |
| GPU | – AMD RDNA 2 with a power of 10.28 TFLOPS with Ray Tracing – Engraved on SoC AMD Ryzen 3rd generation 7nm |
– AMD RDNA 2 with a power of 10.28 TFLOPS with Ray Tracing – Engraved on SoC AMD Ryzen 3rd generation 7nm |
| Architecture GPU | RDNA 2 optimized | RDNA 2 optimized |
| Memory / Interface | 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit | 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit |
| Memory bandwidth | 448GB/s | 448GB/s |
| Internal storage | SSD 825GB with special memory controllers | SSD 825GB with special memory controllers |
| Bandwidth storage | 5.5GB/s (Raw), 8-9GB/s (Compressed) | 5.5GB/s (Raw), 8-9GB/s (Compressed) |
| Removable storage | SSD NVMe location in CF Card format | SSD NVMe location in CF Card format |
| External storage support | Support for external hard drives via USB | Support for external hard drives via USB |
| Optical drive | 4K UHD Blu-ray | No |
It should be noted that at Microsoft, the philosophy is different. Indeed, the Xbox Series S at 300 euros is much less powerful than the Xbox Series X at 500 euros. For example, it will not read games in 4K, but in 1440p. An interesting investment that could pay off, many gamers not necessarily looking for graphic power.
With the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Microsoft offers two very different consoles
Will the library be different?
The games that will be released on the PS5 will be the same for both models. There will be no exclusive games to the classic PS5 or the PS5 Digital Edition. The only difference will actually be how to buy them. On the normal model, it will be possible to buy the games on disc or directly from the PS Store. On the Digital Edition version, it will only be on this PS Store, Sony's online store.
Demon's Soul, one of the ps5's launch games, will obviously be available for all models
Both consoles will also have the right to the PS4 catalogue via the PS Plus subscription. You can also run the old PS4 games you already own, on disc or in dematerialized.
Related: Final Fantasy 16, Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy, God of War Ragnarok, Demon's Souls: Sony releases the big guns for the release of the PS5!
What does this choice mean in the long term?
The game in dematerialized has now entered the mores of the video game. According to sell (union of software and leisure publishers), the sale of games in "demat" represents 57% of the market and this figure continues to increase. So it would be tempting to leave the physical gaming world behind and take the Digital Edition for less, but there are little things to consider:
The PS5 games will be expensive, since Sony has announced that it will sell them for 80 euros each. This is a lot, but understandable in view of the development costs and the number of people involved in AAA productions. It will then make sense to look to the occasion in some cases in order to get cheaper discs… impossible thing if you can't read them. With the Digital Edition, Sony will have control over all transactions and will be able to offer the rates it wants.
Similarly, your purchased games cannot be resold in the local specialty store. Once a title is purchased, it will have to be kept for life. Plus, it's stored on the cloud and we won't "actually" have it. If Sony decides to remove it overnight and block access, that will be its right. This has never happened on console (there have been rare cases on Steam), but it is an element to take into account.
PS5 games, canned or online, cost 80 euros
Finally, we must also mention the retrocompatibility of the PS4. With the Digital Edition, you won't be able to buy a physical game on PS4 and continue it on your new console. So you'll have to buy it back if you want to play it. A problem absent from the classic PS5, which she will be able to read the BLU-ray PS4. Note that all games purchased in dematerialized today will be able to work on the Digital Edition. This concern only concerns the box versions.
The Digital Edition might therefore seem more interesting if we take into account its price, and only its price. But on closer inspection, we see that sacrifices will have to be made to fully enjoy the experience. If you are ready to do them, this version is for you, otherwise, you will not hesitate to put 100 euros more to purchase.
PS5
Best prices
- €499.99
To see
Auchan - €499.99
To see
baker - €499.99
To see
Cdiscount - €499.99
To see
Fnac - €975.50
To see
Amazon
These prices were updated on 12/04/2021 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.
PS5 Digital Edition
Best prices
- €399.99
To see
Auchan - €399.99
To see
baker - €399.99
To see
Cdiscount - €899.00
To see
Fnac
These prices were updated on 12/04/2021 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.