PS5 just beat the Xbox Series X in this 4K movie face-off

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PS5 is better than Xbox Series X for watching Blu-ray 4K movies — here's why

Where to buy PS5 and Xbox Series X
(Image credit: Shutterstock; Tom's Guide)

The PS5 has just beat the Xbox Series X when it comes to playing 4K Blu-ray discs.

If you're interested in what next-gen consoles can offer beyond their gaming prowess, this info could help inform your buying decision — particularly if you're a movie buff. 

A battery of tests was performed by HDTV Test on YouTube put the 4K Blu-ray players on both consoles through their paces. Host Vincent Teoh used two identical LG CX OLED TVs as the basis for his comparison, as well as several other of the best TVs available today.

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In color comparisons, the Xbox produced darker tones than the PS5, losing some subtle details. The Sony console rendered the 4K/24Hz test images Teoh used in 12-bit color rather than the Xbox's 10-bit, which explains the difference in quality. It's a little unusual to see this since the Xbox Series X does have 12-bit color options available in its settings, but wasn't using them during the tests.

These are only problems you'd notice if you were an enthusiast watching Blu-Rays regularly. As Teoh himself notes: "most viewers won't spot these small color deviations in real-world content." 

The Xbox also skipped frames from time to time in the test. Skipping chapters on a Blu-ray movie seemed to regularly cause the Series X to skip frames, while watching "true 24fps" movies also caused this to happen regularly due to the Xbox playing the movies at 23.96fps, a more common standard. Meanwhile, the PS5 can handle the true 24fps standard without a problem.

Chances are that what these tests show won't really impact your enjoyment of your new console — assuming you can get a hold of one. However, die-hard Sony fans will no doubt be pleased that they have an edge over the Xbox Series X.

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.