Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Vs PlayStation 5 Disc: Why There Is A $100 Price Difference?

Sony has finally revealed the pricing of its upcoming gaming consoles -- the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. Unlike its Xbox counterpart, the price difference between the two models isn't that huge and it is actually for a good reason.

The Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is the most affordable PS5 model, which retails for $399. Similarly, the PlayStation 5 will cost you $499, priced identical to the Xbox Series S.

Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Is Not An Xbox Series S Competitor

If you are thinking that the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is an Xbox Series S competitor, then you are wrong. Though both models skip an optical drive to cut the cost of manufacturing, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is a more powerful console with respect to CPU and GPU capabilities, when compared to the Xbox Series S.

Also, note that the only difference between the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition and the regular PlayStation 5 is the Blue-ray optical drive. In terms of gaming, both consoles will offer identical performance and should be able to support 4K gaming, for at least some titles.

Given most games require a huge file download even after accessing from an optical disc, it looks like the PS5 Digital Edition makes a lot of sense when compared to the PS5, where you can get two mainstream games for the price of $499 with the PS5 Digital Edition, whereas the price goes up to $599 if you choose the regular PS5.

Considering the price of the Xbox Series X, the PlayStation 5 is expected to cost Rs. 50,000, whereas the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition might retail for Rs. 45,000 in India.

One advantage that the regular PS5 has over the Digital Edition is that it can play 4K movies from Blueray drive. Similarly, one can stream 4K content on both models from platforms like Netflix and Prime Video.

This means, the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, and the Xbox Series X are all in the same league. Whereas, the Xbox One Series S is a slightly affordable model that is not as powerful as the other three.

PlayStation 5 Full Specifications

• CPU: 8-Core AMD Ryzen Zen 2 64-bit processor based on X86 architecture with up to 3.5GHz
• GPU: Custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2 graphics engine (32 CUs) with 2.23GHz capable of offering 10.3 Tflops of graphics performance
• Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6 448GB/s
• Storage: 825GB NVMe SSD with 5.5GB/s read bandwidth
• Sound/Audio: 3D AudioTech By Tempest
• Optical Drive: Ultra HD Blu-ray, up to 100GB/disc
• Max Video Output Resolution: Up to 8K

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Full Specifications

• CPU: 8-Core AMD Ryzen Zen 2 64-bit processor based on X86 architecture with up to 3.5GHz
• GPU: Custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2 graphics engine (32 CUs) with 2.23GHz capable of offering 10.3 Tflops of graphics performance
• Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6 448GB/s
• Storage: 825GB NVMe SSD with 5.5GB/s read bandwidth
• Sound/Audio: 3D AudioTech By Tempest
• Optical Drive: No
• Max Video Output Resolution: Up to 8K