Update: Elden Ring is best on PS5 full stop.
It seems like almost the entire gaming world is currently infatuated with Elden Ring. For good reason, the latest tough-as-nails action RPG from developer FromSoftware is as engaging as it is difficult. However, if you’ve yet to jump in, you might want to consider playing on PS5 as Sony’s flagship console has a major advantage over the Xbox Series X.
If you're playing on PC, check out our Elden Ring PC issues guide and what you can do about the problems.
During IGN’s testing, the publication found that on PS5 the average loading speed was around 7 seconds, while on Xbox Series X it could take as long as 20 seconds before players were dropped back into action.
I spent my weekend diving into Elden Ring on Xbox Series X and can confirm that I experienced around 19 seconds of loading to boot the game from the main menu, and average loading speeds of 12 seconds to get back into the fray after a death.
Loading speeds of roughly 20 seconds might not sound like a particularly big deal, especially when on PS4 and Xbox One loading times could exceed a full minute in some large open world games, however Elden Ring is a game where death is a constant. Unlike say Dying Light 2 Stay Human, where you could conceivably go lengthy stretches without seeing a single loading screen, in Elden Ring you’ll die frequently, and upon each death you'll be greeted with another period of loading.
Each death being paired with 20 seconds of loading feels like an extra punishment on Xbox Series X. This loading discrepancy becomes a real pain when you’re attempting to beat a challenging boss and dying at a regular clip. It’s also a factor when fast travelling across the map, which is something you’ll also do regularly in Elden Ring.
This difference in loading speeds really showcases the power of the PS5’s custom SSD. The PS5 may come with less native storage space than the Xbox Series X (825GB vs 1TB), but the drive in Sony’s console can manage speeds of 5.5GB per second which is double that of Microsoft's flagship Xbox which clocks in at around 2.4GB per second.
