PS5 has ‘insurmountable’ advantage over Xbox Series X, says analyst

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The PS5 may be less powerful than the Xbox Series X, but it could still come out on top, a new report claims

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An industry analyst has weighed in on the PS5 vs Xbox Series X performance debate, and while they favor Microsoft's console for outright power, they still think the PS5 is going to take the crown for Sony this generation.

An investor note written by DFC Intelligence, reported by Forbes, says this generation's more powerful console is the Xbox Series X. We've known this ever since the official specs of both consoles were revealed last week, with the Xbox Series X touting 12 teraflops of graphical power compared to the PS5's 10.3.

But the note goes on to say that this performance difference isn't enough to overcome Sony's existing market lead, which the company secured thanks to the PS4's high-quality exclusives and the poorly-received reveal and launch of the Xbox One.

While Microsoft may be able to close the gap with its superior hardware, the note still declares that "for the next few years, this [software, consumer recognition and global distribution] advantage will probably be insurmountable for Microsoft and Xbox Series X."

Also key to the Xbox Series X coaxing PS4 users over to its side will be the quality of the games made by its recent developer acquisitions. Microsoft added acclaimed studios Double Fine, Ninja Theory and Obsidian Entertainment as well as several others to its Xbox Game Studios network over the past two years, meaning that the Xbox Series X could offer some killer first-party titles at or shortly after launch.

The PS5 boasts a fast 825 SSD, 3D audio and graphics improvements like ray tracing, all of which will help games perform better than ever before. However, the Xbox has a higher-capacity 1TB SSD and its own ray tracing support, plus easily expandable storage and a refined controller that could tempt users over to its side. 

The success of the PS5 and Xbox Series X may ultimately come down to each console's price and launch lineup, which we should have a clearer idea of as the systems' Holiday 2020 release window gets closer. 

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.