Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) vs Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 16 GB | 10 GB |
| VR support | true | false |
| Max resolution | 8K | 4K |
Between the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) and Xbox Series S 1TB, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) comes out ahead in ram / vr support, while the Xbox Series S 1TB wins on several specs. Overall, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) scores 72.7 and the Xbox Series S 1TB scores 66.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) edges ahead on the Mars Score (72.7 vs 66.6), but the 6.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are ram, vr support, max resolution. The single most decisive one: RAM — 60.00% more. 16 GB vs 10 GB.
The Xbox Series S 1TB similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable storage, max refresh, ray tracing, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB?
Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) leads the current Mars Score by 6.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare ram, max resolution against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) if…
Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) has the measurable edge on ram gb, has vr support, max resolution.
Choose Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB if…
Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) wins
- ▲RAM — 60.00% more. 16 GB vs 10 GB.
- ▲Has VR support.
- ▲Max resolution: 8K (vs 4K).
Why Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Zen 2 8-core | AMD Zen 2 8-core |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 (10.3 TFLOPS) | AMD RDNA 2 (4 TFLOPS) |
| RAMⓘ | 16 GBlead | 10 GB |
| Max resolution | 8Klead | 4K |
| Max refreshⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Ray tracing | true | true |
| VRRⓘ | true | true |
Storage
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Storageⓘ | 1024 GB | 1024 GB |
| Storage typeⓘ | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Expandable storageⓘ | true | true |
Design & I/O
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Disc drive | false | false |
| HDMIⓘ | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| USB ports | 4lead | 3 |
| Weight | 2.6 kg | 1.93 kglead |
| VR support | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Does PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or Xbox Series S 1TB have a disc drive?+
Neither has a disc drive.
Which supports higher refresh rates, PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or Xbox Series S 1TB?+
Xbox Series S 1TB supports up to 120Hz vs 120Hz.