Microsoft Xbox Series S 512GB vs Sony PlayStation 5 (slim, with disc drive)
Get the PS5. Unless you'll play almost everything through Game Pass on a smaller TV: then the Series S.
Microsoft Xbox Series S 512GB
A small, quiet console for Game Pass that plays mostly at 1080p, with no disc drive and only 512GB. Microsoft's price rises have taken away its value.
Sony PlayStation 5 (slim, with disc drive)
The console most people should buy: the biggest games, a disc drive for cheaper and second-hand games, and smaller than the first PS5.
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The PS5 plays games in sharper 4K, has a disc drive for cheaper and second-hand games, and twice the storage. The Series S is smaller and cheaper, but mostly runs at 1080p and every game is a download.
- —You'll play mostly through Game Pass.
- —It's for a bedroom or a smaller TV.
- —You have a 4K TV.
- —You buy games on disc or second-hand.
- —You want Sony's own games.
What verified owners report
Only reviews from checked buyers count, and every 1–3 star review is read by us. How we do this
Owners love how fast, small and quiet it is, and it's a popular present. The main complaints are the small storage and units that crashed or stopped working.
- ✓A hit as a present
- ✓Fast loading
- ✓Easy to set up and use
- −Crashed, overheated or stopped working
- −Storage fills up after a few games
Owners are delighted: the graphics, the smaller size and how much of a step up it is from a PS4. Complaints are rare, and most low ratings say nothing.
- ✓Great graphics
- ✓A hit as a present
- ✓A real step up from the PS4
None came up often enough to list.
Key differences
Pros and cons
- +Small and quiet
- +Fast loading
- +Plays every new Xbox game with Game Pass
- −No disc drive: every game is a download.
- −512GB fills after a handful of big games, and the official expansion cards are expensive.
- −Most games run at 1080p, so they look softer on a big 4K TV.
- −Some owners had consoles that crashed or stopped working.
- +The biggest games, including Sony's own
- +Disc drive for cheaper and second-hand games
- +1TB storage, smaller than the first PS5
- −The stand for standing it upright costs extra.
- −1TB fills up quickly with big games.
- −Coming from a PS4, some games feel like only a modest step up.
- −The disc drive can be taken off, but the digital edition can't play discs until you buy one.
- Is the Xbox Series S worth it?
- Is the PS5 worth it?
- PS5 vs PS5 Pro
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- Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X
- Best games consoles
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Push Square (PS5 Pro reviews), manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the Xbox Series S: 1,981 verified buyer ratings at Currys and Target (US), read October 2026.
Owner reports for the PS5: 984 verified buyer ratings at Currys, read October 2026.