PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which console is better for you?

The PlayStation 5 is here if you are lucky enough to find it in stock somewhere. If you are considering picking up the PS5 the next chance you get, there’s a choice to be made. Do you get the traditional disc version or the entirely digital version? In this post, we take a look at the differences between the two to help you figure out which console comes out on top in the PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition battle.

PS5 vs PS5 Digital: What are the major differences?

While the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X have some significant hardware differences, the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition specs are the same. No matter which PS5 console you choose, you’ll get the same speedy SSD, the same quality graphics, the same amount of storage, and more. There are really only three major 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. If you’re into collecting physical movies or have a huge physical PS4 game collection, you definitely need the disc version of the PS5.

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.

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 slimmer and more symmetrical—everything else, such as USB ports and height, are identical.

Price

The standard PS5 price is $499, while the digital version is just $399. 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 costs less to make and therefore costs less to consumers.

PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which should I buy?

No matter how much you look at the debate between the Standard PS5 vs the PS5 Digital Edition, both options are fantastic if you can get your hands on one. Let’s look at why each console would be a good option and then decide which one suits you best.

Should I buy the Standard PS5?

If you love collecting disc copies of your favorite games, you’ll probably 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, all those games may as well become coffee coasters because the discs won’t be compatible with the PS5 Digital Edition.

Another advantage of the disc drive is that you can play physical copies of DVDs, Blu-ray, and even 4K UHD movies on your console. So, if you have a big movie collection, the PS5 can double as your main player. I have a huge collection of Blu-rays and DVDs; this, plus my obsession with getting physical copies of games, is why I decided to buy the disc version of the PS5. I also wasn’t willing to buy a separate 4K disc player, but because the PS5 doubles as one, I have started purchasing 4K copies of my favorite films to watch on my OLED TV.

Plus, if you don’t have the best internet connection, that’s another good reason to consider getting the Standard PS5. After all, downloading beefy games might be horribly long if you have a poor internet connection. Downloading a game directly from the disc doesn’t require an internet connection, but installing any subsequent updates to the game will.

The Standard PS5 will cost a little bit more, but I find the autonomy to shop around for the best deals on games and the ability to utilize my physical movie collection is worth the extra $100.

Should I buy the PS5 Digital Edition?

If you are someone who only ever buys digital copies of games, then you should probably purchase the PS5 Digital Edition. It’s the cheaper of the two consoles, after all, and the PlayStation store does have regular sales and discounts on games.

Still, this does limit your options to Sony’s asking price. Sometimes sites like Amazon or electronic stores like GameStop and BestBuy offer better deals on physical games, which you will miss out on with the PS5 Digital Edition. But missing out on that is compromised by saving an initial $100, so it depends on how much shopping around you really do.

If you own a PS4 and bought digital copies of games on that console, Sony has confirmed that you can transfer those digital copies to the PS5 Digital Edition. We have a guide on transferring PS4 saved data to the PS5 if you need help.

Depending on how much you game, or rather how many games you download, you might fill up that 667GB of usable SSD in no time. To add more internal storage for PS5 games, you’ll need to add an extra SSD certified by Sony. At this point, Sony has made the supported software publicly available, and you can follow the instructions on its website to learn how to install it. For PS4 games, you can use an external HD or SSD for storage. See our recommendations for the best hard drives & solid-state drives you can buy for the PlayStation 5

If you have great internet speeds and are content with only purchasing digital games from the PlayStation Store, the PS5 Digital Edition is a great option. Plus, you’ll have the bonus of a slightly more symmetrical and pleasing design to show off.

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