# PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Which Should You Buy in 2026? > PS5 or Xbox Series X? Most people should get the PS5 Digital Edition. Storage, price, box contents and owner complaints next to the Xbox Series X. Guide: https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/ · Updated 2026-10-17 · By TwelveTabs · Search it live: https://twelvetabs.com/?q=ps5%20vs%20xbox%20series%20x&guide=ps5-vs-xbox-series-x As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored. Prices and ratings change often: see the guide for today's. ## The top picks - **Most people: the lower-priced current console with a huge game library:** PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim, 825GB). Sony's slim, all-digital console: an ultra-high-speed SSD, ray tracing, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and no disc drive. Games come from the PlayStation Store. - **Game Pass fans, and anyone who wants the most storage and power on paper:** Xbox Series X Digital (1TB, Robot White). Microsoft's all-digital flagship: 12 teraflops, true 4K at up to 120 fps, a 1 TB SSD, Quick Resume, and play for four generations of Xbox games. Most people should get the **[PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1)**. It costs less than the Xbox on Amazon today, and the games you want are likely to come to it. Get the **[Xbox Series X Digital](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-2)** if you already use Xbox Game Pass, or you want the most storage and power on paper. Deciding between the two Xbox models? See our [Xbox Series X vs Series S](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/xbox-series-x-vs-series-s/) guide. Both consoles we compared have no disc drive. If you own discs, or want to buy used games, neither of these listings suits you. ## The short version - **Want the lower price and the biggest game library?** The [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1). - **Already pay for Game Pass or own a library of Xbox games?** The [Xbox Series X Digital](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-2). It plays games from four Xbox generations. - **Want the most storage?** The Xbox. It lists 1 TB, and you can add an expansion card. - **Want to play physical discs?** Neither of these. Both are digital-only. - **Want the newest features, such as the Pro?** The PS5 listing offers a PS5 Pro as a separate option. We did not read it. ## How to choose between them What Hi-Fi's comparison finds the two close. Its update notes that the games section now favors the PS5, because Xbox has been releasing previously exclusive games on the PlayStation. - **Power.** The Xbox lists 12 teraflops and true 4K at up to 120 fps. What Hi-Fi says the Xbox wins the spec sheet with a faster processor and graphics chip, while the PS5's storage is so fast that it boosts overall performance. - **Storage.** The [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1) lists 825 GB. The Xbox lists 1 TB and an expansion slot. - **Price.** The PS5 is the lower price on Amazon today. - **Games.** The PS5 plays PlayStation games from the PlayStation Store. The Xbox plays Xbox games from four generations, and Game Pass, sold separately, adds new games on day one. - **What's in the box.** The Xbox listing names the controller, HDMI cable, power cable and batteries. The PS5 listing does not say. ## Our picks in detail ### 1. PS5 Digital Edition: best for most people **Why it made the list** - It costs less than the Xbox on Amazon today. - A fast SSD that gives near-instant load times for installed games. - A slim case, with ray tracing, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and 3D audio. - A disc drive can be added later, sold separately. - Sold by Amazon. **Drawbacks** - No disc drive, so physical games do not work. - 825 GB of storage fills up quickly with large games. - A few owners mention overheating, and noise gets mixed reports. - One owner got a unit that had clearly been opened, and Amazon replaced it. **Skip it if** you want to play discs, or already have an Xbox library. ### 2. Xbox Series X Digital: best for Game Pass and storage **Why it made the list** - 1 TB of storage and an expansion card slot. - 12 teraflops and true 4K at up to 120 fps. - Plays games from four Xbox generations, and Quick Resume switches between them. - Game Pass (sold separately) adds new games on day one. - Sold by Amazon. **Drawbacks** - It costs noticeably more than the [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1). - Like the PS5, it cannot play your physical discs. - One owner wished a month of Game Pass came in the box, and one says large games fill the storage quickly. - One owner says their game progress from an old console did not download. **Skip it if** you want the lower price or the PlayStation library. ## What owners complain about - **On the [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1):** overheating and noise for a few owners, a no-disc design, and shipping damage or an opened box for one buyer. - **On the [Xbox Series X Digital](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-2):** a price owners accept for the power, storage that fills up quickly, and no Game Pass trial included. - **On both:** very little. Both listings were mostly positive, and the lower-star reviews we could read were few. ## What we left out, and why We read two listings and 16 reviews. - **Disc versions.** The PS5 Disc Edition showed no single new offer when we looked, and we did not open the Xbox disc listing. Check current Amazon pages if you want a disc drive. - **PS5 Pro.** Sold as a separate style on the PS5 listing. We did not read its page. - **Bundles.** Prices change fast, and bundles include games we did not compare. - **Used and renewed units.** Not new, so they are not a pick. - **Xbox Series S.** A cheaper, less powerful Xbox, a different question. ## Questions people ask ### Is PS5 or Xbox Series X better? For most people, the [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1), because it costs less and the games are likely to come to it. The Xbox Series X is the stronger machine on paper and a better fit if you use Game Pass. ### Does the Xbox Series X Digital play discs? No. Amazon's listing says it is an all-digital console and does not play physical discs. The [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1) has no disc drive either. ### Which console has more storage? The [Xbox Series X Digital](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-2) lists 1 TB and takes an expansion card. The [PS5 Digital Edition](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x/#pick-1) lists 825 GB. ### How did TwelveTabs choose between them? We read the Amazon listings for one PlayStation 5 and one Xbox Series X, the spec lists, Amazon's review summaries and the reviews we could see, plus What Hi-Fi's comparison. We put the facts side by side and checked each against its listing. For more console picks, see our [best TVs for PS5](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-tvs-for-ps5/) and [best PS5 headsets](https://twelvetabs.com/reviews/best-ps5-headsets/). ## How we researched On October 14, 2026 we read the Amazon listing pages for the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) and the Xbox Series X Digital. We read each page's bullets and specs, Amazon's review summaries and the reviews we could see. We also read What Hi-Fi's PS5 vs Xbox Series X comparison and checked Google's top results for this question. AI wrote this guide from that research. Neither listing gave weight or dimensions, and the PS5 listing did not say what is in the box. Few critical reviews were visible on either page, so complaints are milder than a bigger sample would show. We compared the two all-digital models because they are the ones sold new by Amazon today. What Hi-Fi's article quotes launch-era figures, so we use it for how the two consoles compare, not for prices. ### Sources - [What Hi-Fi: PS5 vs Xbox Series X](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x-power-features-pricing-and-controllers-compared)