PS5 or gaming PC, which is better? Linus Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips wanted to test which hardware performs better for the money. The result is not as clear-cut as expected in the end.
Sony’s PS5 was released on November 19, 2020, and many years have passed since then. Linus explained that he wanted to build a gaming PC that would cost no more than the PS5 but would be significantly better. He confidently titled his video “It’s Time to Destroy the Playstation 5.” Because the hardware has evolved, and it hasn’t remained at the level of the PS5.
For this reason, he wants to assemble a gaming PC that should not cost more than a PS5. He wants to find out where you ultimately get more for your money.
What hardware is in the gaming PC? Linus and his team opted for the following hardware:
- Processor: Ryzen 5 5600(X)
- Mainboard: Asrock B450 Pro4
- SSD: Samsung 970 Plus EVO 1 TB
- Case: CM Storm Trooper
- Power Supply: Seasonic X-650 Gold
- Graphics Card: Intel Arc A770 16 GB
- RAM: G.Skil Trident Z 16 GB
AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600X is a mid-range processor from the last AM4 generation and still relies on the “Zen 3” architecture. For the graphics card, Linus chose the Intel Arc A770 16 GB. This graphics card can compete with graphics cards like the RTX 4060 and RX 7600. Intel’s graphics cards still struggle with driver and software issues. Alternatives for the Intel GPU would have been the RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT, but they were “too boring” for Linus.
The best graphics cards that you can currently buy and what you need to know about them can be found in the following article on MeinMMO:
How much did the PC cost? The team invested 475 US dollars (about 436 euros). The team bought many components used to save money and stay under the price limit of the PS5. For comparison: Currently, you pay 549 euros or 449 euros (Digital Edition) for a PS5.
How does the test run? At the beginning, the gaming PC performs significantly worse than the PS5. In Doom: Eternal, it starts at only 20 to 30 FPS. Only when Linus adjusts settings in the BIOS and activates certain features does the PC perform as well as the PS5.
From a performance perspective, almost all games run equally well or sometimes slightly better on the gaming PC than on the console. In almost all games, both systems reach the same FPS count at 4K resolution. Depending on the game title, the image quality may look slightly better on the PC at times or on the console, as both systems scale the image to 4K and do not work with an actual native resolution.
A strong advantage for the PS5 is HDR: While HDR runs “out of the box” on the PS5, you first have to activate HDR on a PC if the GPU supports it. In this case, the Intel Arc 770 does not support it. “Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart” constantly crashes on the PC, which according to Linus might also be due to the Intel GPU.
His colleague David, who plays on the PS5 next to him while Linus struggles with the PC, adds that the console is significantly easier and more user-friendly to operate than the computer. This is also noticeable in features like HDR.
With “creativity,” the PC can beat the PS5
In the end, Linus explains: You can indeed build a PC that can compete with the PS5, “if you are creative enough.” Nonetheless, the PS5 clearly has strengths where the PC has no chance yet. Aside from the hardware choices you ultimately make.
Full credit to Sony and Microsoft for the fact that this generation of consoles, I would say, offers better value than a PC and that has lasted far longer than I expected. And it could take another year or even two before we can outdo them with a brand new machine, but I think it can be done today if you are willing to get a bit creative.
Linus Sebastian
The issue of “compatibility” is another point that Linus raises. Depending on what hardware you build, there can be problems or even crashes. For example, the Intel Arc A770 is only partially compatible with Ratchet and Clank and HDR is not supported at all. These are all issues that should not exist on the PS5 or an Xbox. With a graphics card from AMD or Nvidia, these problems might not have occurred.
What are the reactions? Under the video and also on reddit, some users explain that there is another point against Linus’s PC: None of the components have any warranty or manufacturer support because all parts were bought used. Some add that “the convenience of playing on current consoles [is] a better option for most people than a 500 dollar PC. It outweighs the time, effort, and risk needed to build a PC with used parts for $500.”
However, others reply that the gaming PC is much more flexible than a PS5: you can still upgrade the PC later and thus have better and faster hardware in the long run than the PS5 could ever offer. Moreover, the gaming PC offers features that you cannot get on the PS5.
More about gaming: Many gamers are considering whether to buy a gaming PC or a console instead. But what do PS5 and Xbox do better than a proper gaming PC? MeinMMO highlights the advantages of consoles:
6 things where PS5 and Xbox are simply better than a gaming PC
