PS5 Disc vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which PlayStation 5 should you buy?
DexertoUnable to decide between PS5 Disc vs PS5 Digital Edition? We’ve compared the two consoles from Sony to help you pick the best console for your requirements.
The PlayStation 5 is among the best consoles ever released by Sony. Not only the PS5 consoles are extremely powerful and capable, but they’ve also been selling like hotcakes, and demand slowed down at all.
The console was introduced with two SKUs–digital only and disc version. The digital-only version is ideal for digital natives who don’t mind downloading a digital copy of games, and the disc version is perfect for people who prefer buying the optical drives of games or have a ton of compact discs of PS4 games.
Since the introduction of the updated PS5 Slim with a detachable disc drive, the PS5 continues raking in significant numbers.
So which PS5 is perfect for you? We compare the consoles and find out.
Where to buy the PS5 Disc and Digital Editions
They might not be in stock as of right now, so be sure to bookmark the link and regularly return to potentially get your hands on Sony’s latest home console.
What is PS5 Slim and what makes it unique?
The PS5 Slim is the mid-life update to the PS5 series. It comes in a few versions and is shorter than the original PS5. However, games run precisely the same on both consoles. In terms of storage, while the original PS5 shipped with 825GB of onboard storage, the new version has a full terabyte of onboard storage.
That said, modularity is the biggest differentiator between the two generations of PS5s. The new one has a detachable disc drive that sells for $79, and can be attached to the PS5 Slim if you suddenly have a hunger to collect physical discs.
PS5 Disc Vs PS5 Digital Edition: Price
SonyThe Playstation 5 Disc Edition retails for $499, however, the Digital Edition comes in slightly cheaper at $399. This makes for a pretty attractive option for those who don’t wish to tie themselves to the shackles of physical media.
But, it ultimately depends on what you might be using the console for. If you want to trade in your older games in-store or watch Blu-Rays on your PS5, then the Disc model might the more suitable for you, though it is slightly more expensive.
But, for those of you looking to pinch some pennies, then you might want to go for the $100 cheaper Disc model since that’s an undeniably good saving. With PlayStation Plus, you might also be able to get the best PlayStation 5 games for no extra fee, if you are subscribed to a premium tier of the service, which manages to mitigate a lot of the issues with having no disc drive.
Winner: PS5 Digital Edition
PS5 Disc VS PS5 Digital Edition: Specifications
| PS5 Disc Edition | PS5 Digital Edition | |
| CPU | 8-core Zen 2 CPU, running at 3.5 GHz | 8-core Zen 2 CPU, running at 3.5 GHz |
| GPU | RDNA 2-based GPU, 36 compute units, running at 2.3 GHz | RDNA 2-based GPU, 36 compute units, running at 2.3 GHz |
| Memory | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bandwidth | 448 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| Storage | 825GB NVMe SSD (With additional PCIe 4.0 NVMe slot) | 825GB NVMe SSD (With additional PCIe 4.0 NVMe slot) |
| Optical Drive | 4K UHD Blu-Ray drive | No disc drive |
Both models of the Playstation 5 have equal specifications, so you’re not going to be getting better performance out of one, or the other. Many disc-based PlayStation 5 games require you to install them on its relatively meager 825GB NVMe Storage.
However, both options also offer an expandable PCIe 4.0 NVMe slot. We recommend that you pick one up, especially if you intend to pick up the PS5 Digital Edition, since games are ballooning in size, and you don’t want to have to fumble around installing and deleting games from the system. Luckily, we’ve got a handy list of the best PS5 SSDs.
But, let’s make no bones about the fact that the Digital Edition is categorically disadvantaged here, and you will be getting less functionality from your system without a disc drive, especially if you wanted to watch high-quality 4K Blu-Rays and the latest movies with the highest possible quality.
Winner: PS5 Disc Edition
PS5 Disc Vs PS5 Digital Edition: Design
The PlayStation 5 has an interesting design, to say the least, but the two different models do differ slightly in form factor, thanks to the removal of the disc drive on the Digital Edition model. On the Disc Edition, you’ll have to gaze at a relatively ugly-looking bump towards the bottom of the console, which isn’t something that we’re particularly huge fans of.
When it comes to how it all looks on a shelf, the PS5 Digital Edition looks much cleaner, with its uninterrupted, sweeping curves.
Winner: PS5 Digital Edition
Who should buy the PS5 Digital Edition?
If you are looking to get yourself a PS5 Digital Edition console, you will have to accept a few realities, which is the fact that you might not be able to pick up a game from a store, or something that happens to have a good discount on it. Instead, you are beholden to the whims of the PlayStation Store which Sony runs.
If you have poor internet, you might also want to steer clear of the PS5 Digital Edition, since you will have to download every game you purchase, and with games like Warzone ballooning in size, you might want to consider if your internet connection is up to the task.
Who should buy the PS5 Disc Edition?
If you love collecting physical games or want to swap or trade them in, then the PS5 Disc Edition is the way to go for you. It also doubles as a 4K Blu-Ray player, so you can finally watch Lord of The Rings in beautiful 4K. It has none of the downsides of the Disc Edition, and packs just as mighty a punch, too. So there are no downsides to picking this one up, for just $100 extra, you get a lot of bang for your buck.
PS5 Disc Vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which one is better?
SonyRegardless of how you look at it, paying $100 extra to get physical games, a Blu-Ray player, and not solely being tied down to the whims of Sony’s online store, or PlayStation Plus, which is almost essential if you were to get yourself the digital model.
Sure, the Disc Edition looks a little bit worse, but we can forgive that since you just get so much more functionality than the Disc model. Though, you might be able to buy the PS5 Disc Edition a little bit easier, since we’ve observed that the Disc Edition sells out a little bit faster, due to its enhanced features afforded by the disc drive.
But, if you don’t care about any of that stuff, then picking up a PS5 Digital Edition should see you through, and it’s equally as powerful as its slightly more expensive counterpart.
Winner: PS5 Disc Edition
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