PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Which Is the Better Christmas Gift This Year?

The time for giving is upon us, and as Christmas draws near, people are already planning the gifts they need to buy for their loved ones. If the person you plan on giving a gift to is a fan of video games but doesn’t have a console, it would probably be the best gift possible. But you don’t know which console to go for and which one is ideal for you? Worry not, as we’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of the qualities and the shortcomings of each console. This will help you determine the age-old PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X question and which one is the best Christmas gift for a newcomer with your specific requirements.

PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X – Which Console Performs Better

In terms of raw performance, the Xbox Series X edges this overall. But even though on paper the difference is appreciable — practically speaking — it is almost imperceptible. Both the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are part of the same console generation, and so, offer very similar performance for the most part. 

There are caveats to this, as there are some games that are better optimized for PlayStation, while others perform better on Xbox. So, pulling the trigger on either due to raw power is a bit of a coin toss. 

Both current generation consoles come with SSDs, which simply means that their storage technology is equally snappy, which also carries over to games. How quickly a title loads really depends on how the developers made the game. While on one side, a game like Starfield has loading screens littered all across the game on Xbox Series X. Meanwhile, over on PlayStation 5, Spider-Man 2 loads so quickly that you’d be hard-pressed to find a loading screen in the entire game.

But where the Xbox Series X takes the trophy and runs with it, is with its Quick Resume feature. This allows you to open any game and pick up where you left off instantly. You can switch between games, and each game will be cached in the storage, saving you a lot of menu navigation time in the long run. While the PlayStation 5 is technically equally fast and will quickly boot up any game, the system software does not support multi-title Quick Resume.

PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X – Which Console Has Better Games

Although the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are trading blows in each category, this is the one comparison where team Sony is leagues beyond Microsoft. Arguably the most important discussion when buying a console is the games you actually spend your time playing. Sony has a plethora of first-party studios that have made countless masterpieces that are exclusive to the PlayStation 5.

These exclusive games include the Spider-Man series by Insomniac Games, the jaw-dropping God of War from Sony Santa Monica, and the unparalleled Last of Us series developed by Naughty Dog, just to name a few. Sony has amassed a long list of phenomenal IP that aren’t available on any other console. 

While Microsoft also has its own exclusives, not all of them have hit the same heights as Sony’s counterparts. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Microsoft doesn’t have any worthwhile exclusives of its own, quite the contrary, in fact.

Games like the neverending Starfield, genre-defining Halo series, and the photorealistic Forza series of games are available on Microsoft’s system. And with the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it is only a matter of time before this list grows. Potentially, one day in the future Microsoft may rival the long list of PlayStation exclusives. But right now, there’s only one clear winner: PlayStation 5.

As a cherry on top, the PlayStation 5 controller, the Dualsense, comes with special haptic and audio features that are the best in the industry. It allows for more immersion when playing games and can even offer an extra layer of sensory input. But these features are limited to first-party games mostly, with a few being implemented by third-party video game developers as well.

Sony & Microsoft – PlayStation Plus Compared To Xbox Game Pass

Both companies offer extensive online subscriptions. Although they’re not necessary to use the console, they’re required if you plan on playing any games online. PS Plus and Game Pass cost the same, and come with different tiers that offer different services.

The pricing ends up being around the same, with Xbox Game Pass being more expensive when it comes to the best tier, and PlayStation Plus being most costly on the lowest tier. But where Xbox Game Pass shines is with its expansive catalog of games. Even though PlayStation Plus also has its own list of games, they pale in comparison to the burgeoning offering of Game Pass. Additionally, if you have a gaming PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will also offer a bunch of free games to play there as well. 

Either subscription will work well when it comes to cross-play between consoles and PCs, but it mostly comes down to the developers of each individual game.

Which Console Offers The Best Value For Money?

Both consoles cost about the same. But the PlayStation 5 has gotten a redesigned model which is a great option. Most importantly, this redesign has brought down the price of the original model. And combined with Christmas sales and Black Friday offers, you could get a killer deal on either console. The underpowered Xbox Series S could also make the deal a lot sweeter, but if you don’t want to sacrifice horsepower, the diskless version of the PlayStation 5 is a solid contender.

But in terms of games, if you subscribe to the correct tier, you will have access to amazing titles on either system. The Xbox Game Pass is one of the best value offerings in the entire gaming industry, and PlayStation Plus is rocking the cream of the crop when it comes to the quality of games available.

Conclusion – PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X: The Best Christmas Gift

As you can tell, a lot of the differences between Team Xbox and Team PlayStation can come down to personal preference and subjectivity. And as a matter of fact, neither the PlayStation 5 nor the Xbox Series X will be a letdown as a Christmas gift.

But keeping everything in mind, if you have a PC, and you want a bigger video game catalog, the Xbox Series X is a no-brainer. But if you have narrative-driven experiences in mind that involve masterfully crafted storytelling, the PlayStation 5 certainly does not disappoint.