By now, you’ve probably heard about PlayStation’s surprising announcement at their live event on June 11. We learned that this generation of PlayStation players will be getting an option between a traditional disc version and an entirely digital version. If you’re wondering what the highlights are in the debate of PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition and which one suits your gaming style, we’ve got you covered.
What are the major differences between the Standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition?
The specs for the Standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition are the same. No matter which console version you choose, you’ll get the same incredibly fast SSD, the same quality graphics, and more. There are about three main differences between the two consoles.
Disc drive
The first and most significant difference between the Standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition is that the former comes with a disc drive and the latter does not.
The digital version of the PS5 is 100% digital, meaning it won’t be compatible at all with games that come on a disc. In order to play games on the PS5 Digital Edition, you’ll have to download the games online and store them directly on your console.
Also read: Sony PlayStation 5: Everything you need to know (Update: India launch)
Design
The design of the two consoles differs, of course, because of the disc drive or lack thereof.
The disc version of the PS5 will have a slight bulge at the bottom where the hardware for the disc drive sits. Because the digital version lacks a disc drive, its design is a lot slimmer and more symmetrical.
Price
Although we don’t officially know the price of either version of the new PS5 console, the speculation right now is that the digital version will be cheaper than the disc version.
The specs between both versions are the same. Since the only thing the digital version lacks is the hardware components that are in the disc version, it should cost less to make, and therefore cost less to consumers.
Check out: Here’s what we know about PlayStation 5 pricing and pre-order bundles
Which PS5 console should I buy?
We should hopefully only be a few short weeks or less away from being able to pre-order PS5 consoles. Which means there are only a few short weeks or less to make a decision on which console is the best option for you and your gaming style.
No matter how much you look at the debate between the Standard PS5 vs the PS5 Digital Edition, both options are fantastic. Take a look at why each console would be a good option, and then decide from there which one suits you best.
Should I buy the Standard PS5?
If you love to collect disc copies of your favorite games, you’re probably going to want the Standard PS5. Not to mention, if you mainly purchased disc versions of PS4 games, and you’re not planning to keep your PS4 console, you’ll want the disc version of the PS5. Otherwise, you’ll lose out on all the money you spent on those games because the discs won’t be compatible with the PS5 Digital Edition.
If you also want the ability to watch Ultra HD Blu-ray discs without having to buy a separate Blu-ray disc player, the disc version of the PS5 has you covered. I have a huge collection of Blu-rays and DVDs; this, plus my obsession with getting physical copies of games, is why I’m going to buy the disc version of the PS5.
Plus, if you don’t have the best internet connection, you might consider getting the Standard PS5. After all, downloading beefy games might be horribly long if you have a shoddy connection.
The Standard PS5 is most likely going to cost a little bit more, but if you’re like me and you’re not ready to get rid of your physical collections just yet, the extra money is worth it.
Should I buy the PS5 Digital Edition?
You should probably buy the PS5 Digital Edition if you know you’re going to solely buy digital copies of games. It’s probably going to be the cheaper of the two consoles by about $50-100, so if you plan on only buying digital copies of your games, why not go with the cheaper option?
If you own a PS4 and you bought digital copies of games on that console, Sony has confirmed that you will be able to transfer those digital copies to the PS5 Digital Edition.
Depending on how much you game, or rather how many games you download, you might fill up that 825GB SSD in no time. You’ll need to add an extra SSD that’s been certified by Sony. I’m not sure what the pricing would look like on this, but the extra storage could put the total price of this console at or above the Standard version. That is, of course, if you end up needing the extra storage.
If you have great internet speeds and you only purchase digital games, the PS5 Digital Edition is a great option for you. Plus, you’ll have the bonus of a more symmetrical and pleasing design to show off.
Want to know more about the PS5? Check out:
