We already know Microsoft has had plans in the all-digital realm, but Sony has largely kept its own ideas under wraps. Now we know there is a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition coming, it presents an interesting situation for the coming console generation. Specifically, it seems consumers will be able to choose between four consoles. Two full console machines (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X) and two digital editions (PlayStation 5 Digital Edition and whatever digital console Microsoft delivers). Just earlier this week, Microsoft was leading in terms of an all-digital console. The company’s Xbox One S All-Digital Edition was the only all-digital console. Now Microsoft is potentially facing the possibility of Sony having it’s next-gen digital console on the market before a digital Xbox Series X is released.
In fact, it remains uncertain whether Microsoft is working on an all-digital Series X. The idea of two consoles being launched this year was squashed by Microsoft. The company insisted Xbox Series X would launch alone. The company was developing an all-digital variant under the Xbox Lockhart codename. The trail went cold for a few months but we reported this week it seems Lockhart is still part of Microsoft’s plans. However, it certainly won’t launch this year.
PS5 Details
As for the wider details of the PlayStation 5, everything is pointing to a powerful console. Sure, the design will be decisive with its faux-sci-fi looks compared to the elegant lines of the Xbox Series X. However, the aesthetic of the PS5 suggests Sony is once again going all out to target gamers and not general users. It’s a tactic that worked with the PS4. Sony is once again bringing a 4K Blu-ray disc drive to hits flagship console. When it ships later this year, the PS5 will have an eight-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and a custom AMD RDNA 2-based GPU. That configuration will give the console 10.28 teraflops of power. Sony has yet to announce the price of either the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.
