After years of selling out, the PlayStation 5 is now dependably available. If you’re considering getting one, you must decide whether to acquire the conventional disc-capable edition or the digital-only release. This piece will look at the PS5 Sony vs PS5 Digital Edition dual feature by feature.
PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: What’s The Difference?
According to an interview with Sony Playstation CEO Jim Ryan, the PS5 Digital Edition and the disc model are nearly “identical.” However, several significant variations between the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition should be noted, particularly in design and the presence or absence of a disc drive.
Both Sony PS5 console and PS5 Digital Edition models include an eight-core AMD Zen 2-based CPU clocked at 3.5GHz, a special AMD RDNA 2 GPU with 10.28 teraflops, and 36 compute units clocked at 2.23GHz, 16GB of RAM, and a unique 825GB SSD.
The PS5 pair also has interesting next-generation features like fast load times, 8K graphical capabilities, and enhanced 3D audio. While these console twins share many similarities, there are some key differences.
PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: Specifications
Sony’s official PS5 Sony specifications include variances for both models when specified. The two PS5 models are equal in performance, which is a considerable difference compared to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, which are much more expensive.
The main difference is that the more expensive Sony PS5 console will include an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive; otherwise, they employ the same proprietary chipset and 825GB SSD.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen Zen 2, x86-64, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz
- AMD RadeonTM RDNA 2-based graphics engine with Ray Tracing Acceleration and configurable frequency up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS).
- GDDR6 16GB/448GB/s Bandwidth System Memory
- Optical drive (only in the base unit): Ultra HD Blu-ray (66G/100G). ten CAVBD-ROMs (25G/50G) CAVBD-R/RE (8x25G/50G) ~8xCAVDVD ~3.2xCLV
- SSD: 825GB, 5.5GB/s Raw Read Bandwidth
- PS5 Game disc: Ultra HD Blu-ray with a capacity of up to 100GB per disc
- HDMI OUT port, 4K 120Hz TV compatibility, 8K TV support, VRR (defined by HDMI ver.2.1)
- Tempest 3D AudioTech audio
- PS5 Dimensions: 390mm x 104mm x 260mm (width x height x depth) (excluding greatest projection, excluding Base)
- PS5 Digital Edition: 390mm x 92mm x 260mm (width x height x depth) (excluding biggest projection and Base)
- Weight: 4.5kg for the PS5, 3.9kg for the PS5 Digital Edition
- PS5: 350W; PS5 Digital Edition: 340W.
- USB Type-A port (Hi-Speed USB) for input/output USB Type-A (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps) port x2, USB Type-C (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps) port
- Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, and Bluetooth 5.1 are all supported.
As previously stated, the solid-state drive bundled with both consoles offers 825GB of storage with a raw 5.5GB/s throughput (up to 9GB/s of compressed data). However, you only get 667.2GB of usable storage, so space is limited. The weight and size of the PS5 and its Digital Edition are somewhat different, but otherwise, they are similar.
The PS5 is powered by AMD’s third-generation Ryzen chipset, which has eight cores with the company’s new Zen 2 architecture and Navi graphics. The GPU has 36 compute units that run at 2.23GHz and offer 10.28TFLOPs, while the PS5 has 16GB of GDDR6 RAM with a bandwidth of 448GB/s.
The console can ray tracing advanced lighting formerly reserved for the most incredible graphics cards on PC. As a result, expect dazzling reflections in your favorite games, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
The Tempest Engine, which transforms sound sources into hundreds to generate realistic audio, is also a vital component of the PS5’s offering, regardless of which edition of the console you own. A headset will provide better sound for this, though a software upgrade also enabled 3D audio over TV speakers.
The Sony PS5 console can support up to 8K resolution (until a software upgrade is released), which many gamers will not require on their 1080p TVs. It’s unclear whether all games will run natively in 8K, as we expect that the least graphically heavy titles will. Currently, the only game that supports 8K output (The Touryst) is limited to 4K output.
However, it does mean that the console is future-proof if you purchase a better TV in the future. Furthermore, the PlayStation PS5 supports 120Hz refresh rates, which allows you to enjoy smoother games with higher frame rates if you have an HDMI 2.1-compliant TV. PS5 now supports 1440p resolution thanks to a post-launch firmware update.
Most games won’t use all of these features immediately; for example, Spider-Man: Miles Morales has a 60fps performance option that reduces visual effects to achieve a higher frame rate than the PS4’s standard 30fps. Both consoles incorporate a single wireless DualSense controller with adjustable triggers and haptic feedback to improve the realism of your games.
Both systems can also play the greatest PS4 games (though any physical copies you own will not operate on the PS5 Digital Edition), and you can purchase an external HDD for more storage for these older titles. As a result, you can save SSD space for PS5 software.
You cannot play PS5 Sony games from external hard drives, but you can upgrade the internal SSD storage on the PS5 or put them on an external disc. If you’re wondering whether PS5 SSD read and write speeds matter, there are a few factors to consider.
1. The Blu-ray 4K player
The most evident distinction? The PS5 Digital Edition does not include a disc. Any game you want on the Digital Edition must be obtained via internet-connected channels such as the PlayStation Store. Your disc-less system will become a digital download hub because you cannot use physical media copies on the PS5 Digital Edition.
The PS5-compatible physical copies, on the other hand, will be happily devoured by the disc-equipped system. The optical drive is also a Blu-ray player with 4K video capability. The PS5 disc console expands the range of home entertainment available to you and your family and friends, including DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
2. PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: Design And Size
The PS5 has undoubtedly been the talk of the town since its debut, owing to its intimidating size and futuristic appearance. Although both models are pretty similar, the conventional PS5 version is somewhat more comprehensive to accommodate the disc drive, giving it an asymmetrical shape towards the base, and the disc-less model is slimmer and more symmetrical.
The standard PlayStation PS5 weighs 9.9 lbs or 4.5 kg and measures approximately 15.4″ x 4.1″ x 10.2″ or 390 mm x 104 mm x 260 mm, while the Digital Edition measures about 15.4″ x 3.6″ x 10.2″ or 390 mm x 92 mm x 260 mm and weighs 8.6 lbs or 3.9 kg. However, because of improvements to the cooling system and other internal components, more subsequent PS5 models are lighter than the original launch model. You can use the provided stand to position dual PS5 devices vertically or horizontally.
3. PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: Price
The regular PS5, which consumes Blu-ray discs for breakfast, will set you back $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$749.95 at launch. The PS5 digital edition price(with similar specs save for the absence of the disc drive) is $399.99 / £359.99 / AU$599.95.
However, similar to the Oculus Quest 2, Sony has raised the price of the PS5, blaming it on worldwide inflation. While there have been no price hikes in the United States, this has impacted prices in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and others. The standard PS5 costs £479.99 / €549.99 / AU$799.95 in those markets, while the digital edition costs £389.99 / €449.99 / $649.95. Unsurprisingly, others claim this is the worst time to buy a PS5.
Both console versions are accessible worldwide, with the PS5 arriving on November 12 in certain territories and November 19 elsewhere. Going all-digital saves you $100 / £90. However, there are a few extra considerations to consider.
For starters, you’ll miss out on the console’s ability to double as a 4K Blu-ray disc player, a pleasant extra for home theatre enthusiasts. When standalone 4K Blu-ray players cost several hundred dollars/pounds, that’s nothing to scoff at.
Second, disc drive users can swap, borrow, and trade physical disc-based games with friends and exchange retailers. That might add up to significant second-hand savings over a console’s life.
So, what you save now with the digital console’s upfront fee may cost you in the long run because you’ll be paying whatever prices Sony and game publishers decide to set on PSN. That’s before you consider the genuine satisfaction of owning physical objects.
4. PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: Games
This is the easiest part. Aside from the fact that one can play games from discs and the other only from the console’s internal storage system, the PlayStation PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition play the same PS5 games. With equal internal specs, you can enjoy 4K gaming at rapid refresh rates on the PS5 and its digital-only version, so don’t expect any gameplay differences.
Sony has planned some terrific exclusive titles for both machines. You may presently play blockbuster hits like The Last of Us Part 1, Gran Turismo 7, God of War: Ragnarok, the Demon’s Souls reboot, and more. That’s before you factor in third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Resident Evil 8: Village.
Where things become murkier is with backward compatibility. Yes, the digital edition of the system will play PS4 titles, but it will not play your existing disc-based library. Instead, you’ll have to repurchase them digitally.
Sony has softened the blow significantly with its PlayStation Plus Collection bonus for PS Plus subscribers. This collection grants PS5 Sony customers access to free downloads of 19 outstanding PS4 games, including God of War, Uncharted 4, and Bloodborne. It’s a fantastic perk and an instant Sony PS5 console library for newcomers to the console family.
However, it doesn’t address the hundreds of PS4 titles available on disc for PS5 Digital Edition users. The redesigned PS Plus service now contains a library of downloadable titles for consumers who subscribe to the PS Plus Extra or Premium levels, saving money in the long run. That’s before you include the monthly PS Plus free games, a fantastic perk for all tiers.
Not every PS4 game is compatible with PS5, albeit the list of incompatible PS4 games is surprisingly short. Most people won’t have a problem unless they want to play Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One or Shadwen again. On a more positive side, you may now browse hidden trophies for the games you want to play.
PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition: Review
Sony PlayStation 5
Processor: AMD Zen 2, 8-core
GPU: AMD RDNA 2 “Oberon”
RAM: 16 GB GDDR6
SSD: 825GB
Disc drive: 4K Blu-ray
The PlayStation ps5 continues to wow with its innovative controller, lightning-fast load times, and exclusive games. It includes a 4K Blu-ray drive, which provides home-cinema benefits, and you can save money by trading disc-based games with friends and at exchange stores.
For
- The most powerful console ever created
- It also functions as a 4K Blu-ray player.
- Excellent controller haptics
- Beautiful and quick user interface
Against
- It takes up a lot of space
- greater cost
- A Blu-ray player is not required
PS5 Digital Edition
GPU: AMD RDNA 2 “Oberon”
RAM: 16 GB GDDR6
SSD: 825GB
Disc drive: None
Regarding internal specifications and performance, the less expensive PS5 Digital Edition is similar to the standard PS5. It is, however, fully disc-less: you can only purchase games for it digitally, and you will miss out on the joys of 4K Blu-ray watching. Still, it’s a good option for serious gamers who can’t afford the top-tier PS5.
For
- less expensive than the PS5
- as potent as the PS5
- 4K/120fps action
- SSD with lightning-fast performance
Against
- Bulky size
- Only digital games are permitted.
Where Can I Buy A PS5?
Tired of missing out? Here’s where you can get a restocked PS5…
Email invitations are being sent out regularly. Visit Amazon’s PS5 or PS5 listings to sign up for an email invitation to the next PS5 drop.
Walmart Plus members have first access to PS5 Sony releases. Please remember that the corporation offers a free 15-day trial of Walmart Plus. However, it does not include PS5 restocks. They are usually only available to paying members, so click the “Start paid membership” option.
Members of Best Buy’s TotalTech subscription ($449.99 per year) have priority access to PS5 restocks.
If you’re in the UK or US, they usually have plenty of PS5 stock, including many great packages. To purchase a PS5, you must log in with a PSN account.
Final Thought
FAQs
Which is superior: the regular PS5 or the PS5 Digital Edition?
Suppose you have a library of physical PS4 games, want to search for the best bargains on PS5 titles, have a physical collection of DVD and Blu-ray movies, and don’t want to utilize a separate player. In that case, the primary PS5 is the preferable option. The Digital Edition, however, is preferable if you’re satisfied with buying games entirely through the PlayStation Store.
What is the primary distinction between the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition?
The most significant distinction between the PS5 Sony and the PS5 Digital Edition is the latter’s lack of a Blu-ray disc drive. If you don’t need to play physical CDs, the Digital Edition may be a better option because it’s $100 less expensive.
Is the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition available?
Yes, the PS5 Digital Edition will be released on November 12, 2020, via multiple shops and the official PlayStation website.
Is it worthwhile to get the PS5 Digital Edition?
Whether or not the Digital Edition is worthwhile depends on your unique preferences. It’s the best option if you solely want to get games from the PlayStation Store and don’t have a library of physical movies or PS4 games.
Can downloadable games be purchased on the PS5?
You can download games from the PlayStation Store on any PS5 Sony, regardless of whether it has a disc drive.
