Millions of gamers across the world are currently asking the same question, which next-generation console should they buy? There are many complex reasons why a console can be right for one gamer versus another, including but not limited to, hardware specifications, price, exclusive games, online services and subscriptions, which machine their friends own, and more. The first two of these factors, in particular, pose an interesting question for gamers who aren't yet sure which PS5 will provide the most value.
Indeed, the reduced and apparently subsidized price of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition compared to the disc edition prompts an interesting question about the value of each, and which console Sony are actually hoping to sell more of. Is Sony pushing gamers towards a digital only machine, or is it hedging its bets by providing an option to compete with Xbox Series S?
Technical Specifications
By matching the price of the Xbox Series X with the disc-based PlayStation 5, Sony has looked to demonstrate value, but from a technical standpoint, the console still appears to offer slightly less than its competitor. Both consoles offer near identical Zen 2 based AMD CPUs with 8 cores, running at almost identical speeds, but despite both having RDNA 2 powered AMD graphics hardware, the Xbox Series X has a decent advantage with 52 GPU compute units versus 36 on PlayStation 5. It is worth mentioning that the latter's will run at a higher clock speed of 2.23 GHz compared to Xbox's 1.825 GHz, though. This results in approximately a 16.7% advantage in GPU performance for Xbox Series X and has led some gamers to question whether Sony should have priced the PlayStation 5 below the Xbox Series X.
Therefore, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is a very smart move to offer a 4K next gen console for $100 less than the Xbox Series X, and only $100 more than the 1440P targeted Xbox Series S. With the Digital Edition reportedly being subsidized by Sony and offering a price reduction far beyond the production cost of a 4K Blu-Ray drive, it does imply that the company is hoping to push gamers towards the digital only machine.
Beyond specifications
Of course, pure technical specifications are not the only factors that influence how well software performs on specific hardware. Previous console generations have seen many examples of technically more powerful hardware being out-performed by easier to use hardware with stronger developer support and tools. For example, the very powerful PlayStation 3 hardware often ended up with weaker versions of multi-format games simply because it was so difficult for developers to program.
So while the detailed specifications clearly give a slight advantage to Xbox Series X, Sony may yet be able to provide developers with support that helps them maximize performance. Although the near-identical CPU and graphics hardware of the machines may reduce the impact of such support. Either way, if PlayStation 5 can produce graphics and frame rates close to the Xbox Series X, then the Digital Edition will feel like a comparative bargain in performance terms.
Multi-console optimization
One additional area of complexity that may fall in Sony's favor is having a single specification for the next generation launch. Some developers have stated that the need for Xbox Series X games to work on the Xbox Series S and potentially on Xbox One may make it harder to fully take advantage of the higher specifications on offer. While the impact of this is unknown yet and Microsoft has been quick to dismiss it as an issue, there is still potential that PlayStation 5 exclusivity will allow for stronger optimization, enhancing the value of the lower cost Digital Edition even more.
Game prices
The big issues with digital only consoles have always been game pricing and losing the ability to resell games when finished with them. Many gamers have strongly resisted losing access to discs because they do not want to be restricted to a single marketplace with no competition or resale value. Particularly as console, digital downloads are rarely priced to account for the lower costs faced by the publisher to avoid angering retailers and are usually restricted in sales discounts offered over time.
If Sony really does want to encourage gamers to buy the Digital Edition of PlayStation 5, then the clearest sign will be offering digital download games at a reduced price compared to retail counterparts, especially given that PS5 game prices are expected to rise. Of course, with such long-standing opposition to having a single console marketplace, it may explain why Sony feels the need to subsidize the Digital Edition over the disc-based PlayStation 5.
Subscription options
Despite both of its new consoles having disc drives, the strongest move to make a digital only console viable has come from Microsoft with its Xbox Game Pass service, providing access to the latest games for a small monthly subscription. Microsoft has sensibly looked at Spotify and other players in music streaming, and realized that if it wants gamers to part with discs, it needs to provide real value to justify the change. If Sony does want the Digital Edition to become a real success without reducing game prices, it will almost certainly need to consider how it can update PS Now or change its mind on starting a comparable subscription service, particularly given the huge franchises that are now included with Xbox Game Pass.
Backwards compatibility
One significant issue with the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is losing the ability to play titles from the PlayStation 4. While the PS Now subscription service provides access to many PS2 and PS3 games, it only currently allows access to a changing selection of PlayStation 4 titles. This certainly makes the disc-based PlayStation 5 far more attractive to those with a big collection of current generation titles, despite the premium.
Third-parties
The desire of some third-party publishers to prevent used games sales has been a contentious issue for several console generations, helping to drive the push for digital downloads. It could be argued that part of Sony's success with PlayStation 4 was that it vocally avoided complicating disc ownership, while Microsoft was trying to please publishers by requiring online checks and limiting the resale of used games, at least before it quickly backtracked. Therefore, it is unlikely that third party pressure will be playing a role in the release of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.
Availability
While getting hold of any next generation console on pre-order is an incredibly difficult task, it does appear that the Digital Edition PlayStation 5 has far less stock available in stores. This implies that Sony expects the disc-based console to be the main focus of sales, at least initially. It is likely to be remaining cautious and will adjust numbers based on how successful sales are, including how big a competitor the Xbox Series S turns out to be.
Of course, the reality of the situation is that Sony likely doesn't mind which PlayStation 5 gamers buy, as long as they buy one over an Xbox console. Given how gamers and retailers have reacted to digital only consoles in the past, it makes sense for Sony to test the waters with its lower cost option. It does mean though, that in tech specification terms at least, gamers who want a disc-based PlayStation 5 will be forced to pay a bit of a premium.
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition release November 12.