PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X which console to buy 2024

The PlayStation 5 has the stronger exclusive lineup and faster loading. The Xbox Series X answers with Game Pass and deeper backwards compatibility. Pick by what you play: exclusives and load speed, or library breadth for a monthly fee.

PlayStation 5

8/10

Best for exclusives

✓Stronger first-party

✓15–20% faster SSD

–Slightly behind

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Xbox Series X

7/10

Best for multiplatform

–Fewer, but Game Pass

–Slightly slower

✓5–10% higher res/fps

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How they score

PlayStation 5Xbox Series X

Exclusives

8.7

6.3

Load times

8.9

6.1

Multiplatform

Game Pass

7.3

7.7

Controllers

7.2

7.9

PlayStation 5

+Exclusives (Stronger first-party)

+Load times (15–20% faster SSD)

×Multiplatform (Slightly behind)

×Game Pass (No equivalent)

×Controllers ($75, drift reports)

Xbox Series X

+Multiplatform (5–10% higher res/fps)

+Game Pass (400+ games, $7/mo)

+Controllers ($60)

×Exclusives (Fewer, but Game Pass)

×Load times (Slightly slower)

Full spec sheet

Spec	PlayStation 5	Xbox Series X
Exclusives	Stronger first-party	Fewer, but Game Pass
Load times	15–20% faster SSD	Slightly slower
Multiplatform	Slightly behind	5–10% higher res/fps
Game Pass	No equivalent	400+ games, ~$17/mo
Controllers	$84, drift reports	$75

Exclusives and speed

The PlayStation 5 has the stronger first-party lineup and loads 15–20% faster. The Xbox Series X runs multiplatform games at slightly higher resolution and frame rate.

Game Pass

The Xbox answers with Game Pass, 400+ games for about $17 a month, which the PS5 has no equal to. That shifts the math if you play widely rather than chasing exclusives.

Controllers

The Xbox pad costs $75 against $94 for the DualSense, which has had drift reports. Pick by what you play: exclusives and load speed, or library breadth for a monthly fee.