Note: whilst a Nintendo Switch no doubt appeals to those who would like to play with their flatmates at Mario Kart, I will not be considering the console in this debate.
Even though many of you will be taking a console you already own, some of you may be in the market for a new one. Given that money is usually a little tight for students, price will be a crucial factor in your decision. There are two types of PS5s: a standard console or a digital console (removes the disk drive). The RRP listed on Sony's website is £479.99 for the standard console and £389.99 for the digital edition. If you were to buy a second hand console from CEX, the standard console is £400 to £435 or the digital console is £350 or £360. There are currently two Xbox series at the minute, the 1 TB Series X with a RRP of £479.99 or the 512 GB Series S at a RRP of £249.99. Again if you looked at second hand consoles at CEX, the Series X goes for £370 to £405 second hand or the Series S goes for £200 to £230. Price wise, Xbox is a cheaper console to buy.
Full disclosure here, I own a Playstation 4 and feel a little biased towards the Playstation exclusives
Looking at the storage on each console, both PS5s are 825 GB, Xbox Series X has the highest amount of storage at a whopping 1 TB, whereas the Series S has the lowest at 512 GB. If you are willing to pay £479.99, the Xbox Series X is a wiser choice than a standard PS5. If you bought the Series S and found yourself struggling with the storage, you can always buy a Seagate game drive to expand your storage.
After you have spent hundreds of pounds on the basic console, you may be thinking about the Xbox GamePass or Playstation Plus memberships. These memberships allow you to play online but also get access to downloadable games, handy if you don't have physical storage in your room for game discs. But which is a better deal?
Last year, Playstation Plus received an overhaul, becoming a three tier membership with the lowest Essential plan giving the basic PS Plus benefits of monthly games, online multiplayer and discounts, costing £6.99 a month or £49.99 a year. The Plus tier includes the above and gives access to a catalogue of downloadable PS4 and PS5 games, costing £10.99 monthly or £83.99 annually. The highest Playstation tier also gives access to a catalogue of classic games from PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP, costing £13.49 monthly or £99.99 a year.
The Xbox Game Pass has three different versions: console, PC and Ultimate (includes both). Priced at £8.99 per month for the console pass or £12.99 per month for the ultimate pass, members get access to a catalogue of over 300 games.
After you have spent hundreds of pounds on the basic console, you may be thinking about the Xbox GamePass or Playstation Plus memberships
Part of the Xbox versus Playstation debate comes down to the exclusive games found on each console which ultimately comes down to personal preference. Do you prefer The Last of Us, Uncharted, Shadow of the Colossus and Spider-Man or would you rather play Halo and Forza Horizon? Many consider Playstation to have better and more iconic exclusives.
Full disclosure here, I own a Playstation 4 and feel a little biased towards the Playstation exclusives as The Last of Us is one of my all-time favourite games. It was to my shock that as I conducted my research into the different consoles that Xbox is better value for money both on the basic console and membership purchases. Is this debate settled? Probably not, but loyalties are fierce.
