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Since the launch of the so-called “next-generation” consoles, Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, many gamers have noticed that certain games run better on Sony's console, despite the fact that Xbox Series X, on paper, is the most powerful console. Digital Foundry's technical specialists have investigated this phenomenon and discovered a few reasons.
In his recent analysisDigital Foundry highlights that although the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, cross-platform games often perform just as well or better on PS5. They have consulted several AAA game developers, and the common response is that “PlayStation GPU compiler is more efficient than Microsoft's» – This means that the software backend that developers use to optimize hardware performance is more effective on PS5.
Key factors for gaming performance on PS5 and Xbox Series X
Digital Foundry also notes that The architecture of the Xbox Series X is more aligned with that of a PCwhich makes cross-development easier. This sometimes allows the Xbox Series X to outperform the PlayStation 5 depending on the game and developer. Additionally, the PS5’s GPU, while having fewer compute units (36 vs. the Xbox’s 52), operates at a higher speed. This feature allows certain game engines to run better on Sony’s platform.
Based on our conversations, the combination of a more efficient GPU compiler, low-level APIs, and higher clock speeds allows the PlayStation 5 to match or even surpass the results of the Xbox Series X in some scenarios. That said, there’s of course value in the approach Microsoft has taken – by standardising on DirectX 12 and the DXR ray tracing API, there’s commonality with PC development that obviously helps game creators. And of course, Xbox still has more compute performance, so game engines that take advantage of that will see advantages.
Xbox Series X|S is the console with the smallest drop in sales in the UK, with PlayStation being the most affected
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In short, the combination of a More efficient GPU compiler, low-level APIs and higher clock speeds allows PS5 to match or surpass Xbox Series X in some scenarios. However, Microsoft’s standardization on DirectX 12 and the DXR ray tracing API benefits cross-platform development and shows that the battle between the two consoles is fairly balanced.