PS5 and Xbox Series X/S Reviews Are Out, So What Are You Getting?
COMMUNITY QUESTION | Now that the dust has settled and reviews are out, are you picking up a new console?
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It's finally time for the changing of generations. Next week, Microsoft and Sony both launch their next-gen consoles.
For PlayStation 5, it's the same box, one with a disc drive and one without. In Xbox's corner, there's the beefy Xbox Series X and the slimmer, less souped-up Series S. Each has their own range of games too, from exclusives and new next-gen games to a host of backward compatible games from previous consoles.
Reviews Editor Mike Williams wrote up our look at the PlayStation 5, saying it's a great foundation for Sony to build on its success coming off the PS4 generation. Editor-in-Chief Kat Bailey, meanwhile, picked apart the Xbox Series X, finding it to be a solid rebound from a rocky generation for Microsoft.
Both have their ups and downs, and thanks to the ongoing effects of COVID-19, the launch hasn't seemed exactly like what either party would've hoped for. The next-gen consoles are still launching though, and we want to know: now that you've heard about both, what console(s) are you picking up?
Mike Williams, Reviews Editor
Both. Even if I wasn't reviewing the PlayStation 5, I would've had one. I had the pre-order ready for both, even if I was mentally struggling about which one I was actually going to pay for. If I were really weighing the options, I might've leaned towards the Xbox Series X, just because the benefits for current-gen games are substantial, and I could've picked up Miles on PS4 Pro. In reality, I tend to play more on PlayStation platforms, but Microsoft's focus on back compat and Xbox Game Pass is enticing from a full service point-of-view.
Eric Van Allen, News Editor
For right now, I'm sticking with just my PlayStation 5 pre-order. I picked it up knowing I'd want to play Miles Morales on a beefier console, and since I never bought into a PS4 Pro, this will be a nice boost for my existing PlayStation library. My gaming PC and Switch have me mostly covered, otherwise.
I can't deny the allure of an Xbox Series X, though. My PC can handle everything coming out, but having a nice separate box, discrete for my big television screen rather than my monitor, is tempting. I might not buy in right away, or I might even wait to see if there's another mid-generation upgrade. I'd be surprised if I make it to the end of this generation without buying another console though.
Mathew Olson, Reporter
Nothing I've seen about the new Xboxes makes it seem like I'm missing out on anything there that my PC can't do okay with for at least a while. If it wasn't for Sony's exclusives and the DualSense, I could almost say the same about the PS5. After reading Mike's reviews of the console itself and of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, I'm feeling a bit better about the PS5 pre-order I impulsively placed at 3 a.m., but I do think there's a strong chance it'll mainly serve as my new Apex Legends machine for the first few months.
Nadia Oxford, Staff Writer
I don't doubt I'll end up with both, but my first pick is the white-and-black behemoth called the PlayStation 5. It's nothing against the Xbox itself; I had a great generation with my Xbox 360 until it Red Ringed (as all Xbox 360's must). I just feel closer to the PlayStation brand. The original PlayStation remains one of my all-time favorite consoles, and when I skipped out on the PlayStation 2, I quickly realized I'd made a big mistake. Yeah, I took a miss on the PlayStation 3 to be honest, but I really enjoyed the PlayStation 4 generation. Will Sony keep up that momentum through the PlayStation 5 generation? Probably not! But I just want to be first in line to see where things go with this beast.