
Ever since Sony and Microsoft revealed the specs for their upcoming next-gen consoles, there's been a lot of chatter about what a massive difference SSD tech is going to make. Both systems come equipped with solid-state storage, and developers have been keen to stress what a seismic change this technology is going to bring with it, eliminating load times and allowing them to create massive, seamless worlds to immerse players in.
As you might expect, comparisons have been drawn between the SSDs in both the Xbox Series X and PS5, with Sony's fans pointing out that the drive in the new PlayStation offers a speed advantage over the one in Microsoft's upcoming console.
It's understood that while the Sony drive is indeed faster, the Series X drive is larger – but ultimately, it will make little difference anyway. Speaking to MS Poweruser, Scorn Game Director Ljubomir Peklar states that the CPU is the real story here:
Everyone is touting the SSD as the next big thing, and yes SSDs will help a lot with loading and moving assets, but the biggest culprit that is creating problems in the current generation is the CPU. That's where the biggest next-gen difference compared to current generation will come from. We didn't want to bring Scorn to current-gen consoles because we want our game to be played at 60 FPS.
Talking to the Express, Snowed in Studios' Jared MacDonald and Nigel Franks also commented on the SSD debate, agreeing that while the PS5 drive is quicker and the Series X one larger, the differences will ultimately mean little as the generation progresses.
MacDonald said:
As for which is superior, the Xbox SSD is larger but the speed of the PS5 SSD is much better. I think I will wait and see once the consoles are launched before making a final decision. Regardless of which one is superior, having SSDs means more time for gaming and less time loading/installing. It’s a great time to be a gamer.
Franks added:
As for which is better, yes, the Xbox SSD is larger, but with every console generation we get bigger, faster drives on the same hardware platform in years two, three and beyond. I’m a fan of the SSD in a console and it’s super-cool, but that also means we’ll have larger game worlds to load too. I think it’s going to matter less over time as game streaming gets more widely adopted.
Do you think SSD speed and size are going to matter all that much this generation? Let us know with a comment.
[source mspoweruser.com]
Comments 34
Here is my thought on the whole thing - how much visible data does a game possibly need to load in at one time?! Visible is the key word here. I mean, on PS5, developers can basically load bigger assets whether you need it or not, but to the naked eye, it all won't mean a hill of beans when you can't tell the difference.
The amount of visible data loaded in at one time will be instantaneous on both systems. I guess the PS5 will have an advantage if the developer wants to load in a bunch of 16K textures or something...but I feel that's a tad overkill.
The problem is mostly that - as we are seeing with the UE5 unveiling - if we don't see a Series X version of the same thing, people are going to assume that Series X can't handle it because the PS5 SSD is so much faster.
Time will tell though. I am looking forward to gaming on both! There is room in the world for both systems and I look forward to playing games that utilize each console's different strengths.
I can't wait until this article is posted on Push Square just to read the comments 😂
Seems like Sony fans are just upset that their favorite box may not have the power advantage that PS4 had out of the gate (which is no longer a factor since X1X is a thing). PS5 and Series X will have virtually the same libraries, save for some exclusives. Both consoles will have plenty of reasons to own them. There is no need to get so defensive about graphixxxx. There are more important things in life.
@Quaali it probably won't get posted on Push Square
as for my opinion well i don't have one, i will be doing what i do every gen and getting both anyway, that way i can play everything and at the end of the day that's what i want to do play games
why limit yourself to one plastic box over another if you don't have too hey
They both seem to be very capable systems and they will surely be home to many great games. I prefer Xbox because their work with accounts, gold subscription and gamepass. I also think they have the best controller. But PS4 had the best first party games and Switch is a great for many games becase you can play it both as a portable and connected to the tv. I'm looking forward to the next couple of years in gaming.
@Damo Nice to see you around these parts!
@jongred Howdy!
Exactly what I already thought all along. It isn't going to be of anything even remotely close to a decisive impact or difference, but as long as there is no proof yet, Sony supporters can still hold on to their last straw. Or no: straws, because they of course also have the superior sound thingy...
@GamingFan4Lyf Yeah, it was kind of a smart move of Sony, to partner with Epic, to make and show this demo, which automatically sent the internet, or at least the Sony-fan part of the internet, into a frenzy, but like you said, it's simply because there's no comparable material on Series X yet, but time will tell.
@Damo I wouldn't have pegged you for an Xbox supporter, to be honest, but glad I was mistaken. Always good to see a familiar name pop up in an article...
@ThanosReXXX I own all three consoles, but the reason you're seeing my face on here today is that Fraser (the main staffer on Pure Xbox) is on holiday today
@Damo Ah, I see. Probably a staycation, then, considering the worldwide restrictions and all...
@Quaali
I was thinking the same thing. But they won’t put up an article there with this information. That’s how that website operates.
And I’m glad this article finally brought up the fact that the PS5 SSD is small compared to the amount of space the XSX will have. Who settles on 825 gb?
All of this SSD talk is because Sony has the weaker console this time around, so these PS fanboys will desperately cling to any little thing they can. And since there are way more PS4s in the world than Xbox Ones there is a much louder voice on that side of the equation.
And since the PS5 SSD being faster (albeit smaller) is the ONE thing they got, it’s all we’ll hear about until the games come out & prove what this article says. It’ll be SSD this, SSD that, over and over. Because that’s all they got. 🙄 Sad, really.
@KelticDevil To be fair to Sony, according to Cerny, game sizes should shrink due to no longer requiring the need to duplicate assets for the sake of compensating for mechanic HDD seek locations (e.g. putting require assets "closer" on the strip so that the HDD doesn't have to seek for the asset that may exist somewhere else on the strop). Plus, PS5 will also have the ability to install games in smaller chunks (e.g. only installing single-player data or multi-player data where necessary) so that you don't have to install full games. Patches are supposedly smaller as well.
On the flip side, because of the faster I/O speed, developers may be less inclined to compress data leading to more bloat. So just because a developer can make smaller sized games doesn't mean they will (especially third-party developers).
Also, I doubt PS4 games will get any reduction in file size, so if you plan to play PS4 games (especially newer ones), expect that SSD to fill up quickly. I am so happy that Series X will support legacy titles installed on an external HDD. I have a 2TB loaded with games already.
@GamingFan4Lyf
I also have an external HD for my Xbox One, so like you said, that will very handy. I still play a lot of 360 games & with Xbox being different big on backwards compatibility, that will be huge.
I’m pretty sure expanded storage is going to be happening for both. Since I have no desire to go back to loading times even for backwards compatibility games. It’s going to be proprietary memory cards for the Xbox series X and an internal upgrade for the PS5.
1 TB is inadequate. 825GB is pretty feeble for NextGen. I don’t fully understand the maths involved but apparently Sony is SSD is the smallest size available with their technology and if they wanted to increase its size they would have to double it.
It's funny that Sony fanboys and PushSquare give so much importance to the SSD speed difference and at the same time don't give enough credit to Series X for having better CPU and GPU, which are objectively more important for development and rendering than a faster SSD.
@BlueOcean
I know, right? It’s ridiculous.
Like I said before, it’s because it’s all they got. And PS fanboys are very defensive right now because they don’t have the power, their services pale in comparison, & if Xbox can nail down the first party games (we’ll see).....then they have nothing.
They won’t have much of anything at PS5 launch except.....maybe.....Horizon 2? A Ratchet & Clank game?
Which don’t forget, there have been like 58 Ratchet & Clank games, but PS fanboys always say that all of us Xbox fans have are sequels to Halo, Gears, & Forza. But they will pump off to a R&C sequel or remaster like like it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
And maybe a remaster of Demon’s Souls? 🙄
Oh and a bunch of paid 3rd party exclusive junk. This is where they will be big on at launch. The 3rd party advertising & exclusive content deals. Mark my words.
And in the meantime, PS fanboys will keep yapping about “exclusives” or “SSD” from the rooftops. Oh and sales of the PS4. They love going on about that too. Lol. 😂🙄
@KelticDevil I think that we all know why PS4 was so successful in its early years without games. Even Sony was surprised. Horizon Zero Dawn 2 would be good for the console but the first one is coming to Windows, that is the worst thing that could happen for some people.
Games have ALWAYS relied on the CPU and GPU for running games, pushing graphics and processing all those assets, lighting effects etc etc. Whilst resolution may not matter with modern approaches to rendering, having a wider GPU with more cores/shaders will help with processing and applying all those effects, lighting, tracing rays etc.
If the GPU and CPU can't keep up with all that data and processing it, moving those assets into the right places and applying all the necessary effects, it won't matter. Of course it will help getting all that data into the game quickly to reduce/eliminate loading times and can help with game design - no need to build in transition sections to load in the next areas assets as they are immediately accessible - that's things like elevators, narrow valleys/paths between big open areas etc that are no longer needed and can improve the 'speed' of the game too - don't have to limit the speed of travelling across big open areas because you have to account for 'streaming' in assets. That Epic demo at the end where the character moves very fast - you won't get stutters or assets with low res textures/details because you got to them faster than they could load in higher quality versions...
SSD can help with things like that but CPU still needs to send the instructions to tell what assets are needed and tell the GPU where they need to be and the GPU still has to put them in, process all the lighting/shadow etc on those and render the frame in fractions of a second - 33.33ms for 30fps or 16.67ms for 60fps. Just to go from 1080p to 4k is a massive jump up in image size and to go from 30fps to 60fps halves the time the CPU and GPU has to process all the AI/Physics etc and render that much larger image...
I am sure Sony may have some advantages in some areas - but in general, the Series X is stronger in areas that generally have been used for metrics. The PS4 had roughly a similarly larger GPU at launch - more cores/shaders and that often led to more than just a 'resolution' difference with better performance as well despite a 'slower' CPU.
Of course time will tell but CPU & GPU have mattered more in general and its not like the Series X will be 'slow' with its SSD and Compression/decompression hardware and RAM too
Yeah, gamers have most definitely misunderstood what the SSD does. I honestly saw people argue that next gen games will be able to run at 60fps because of the SSD.
Perhaps they believe that SSD means SoC... or they just read too much PushSquare.
@BlueOcean
Wait until a lot more of Sony’s first party games come to PC. The Ponies heads are going to explode. 😂
@PretendWorking
I stopped reading your comment when you called the Game Awards “the one ceremony that matters the most”.
Anything after that had to be pointless drivel after that statement.
@PretendWorking What hatred? I got a PS4 before an Xbox One and what has your reply to do with the topic? I also got a Switch Lite in spite of having a Wii U. Thanks for caring about my mental health. I'm well considering the tragic circumstances. I'm more worried about you.
@KelticDevil Don't have a little bit of fun, the Ponies are here to haunt you.
@BlueOcean
I see that! Haha!
@PretendWorking
I disregard the show because it just as stupid & pointless as any other award show in other industries. It’s cringe & a waste of time.
If you and other Ponies want to watch the show and get all worked up over a crappy game like Death Stranding getting nominated for some worthless “Game Of The Year” award that it didn’t deserve &, ultimately, means nothing....have fun. You do you. 👍🏻
Sony's games aren't bad but they are massively overrated. Like Nintendo's Breath of the Wild, not a bad game but not even a good Zelda game: no good story, no good dungeons, no good soundtrack, only some lines with voice acting (weird), clunky inventory management and frame rate tanks on Wii U and still reviews say that it's the best Zelda game ever and even the best game ever. The Last of Us, great film, awful gameplay. Same for the Uncharted games. Microsoft's games are under ruthless scrutiny for some reason, probably because they came late to the console party and they always have to prove why they are here.
State of Decay 2 has improved quite much since launch and, in my opinion, Sea of Thieves (Anniversary Edition) is one of the best games of the generation and so are Forza Horizon 3 and 4 and Quantum Break. Ryse, Super Lucky's Tale and Sunset Overdrive are also very good (not all first-party, I know). I think that the recent Halo and Gears games are great but Microsoft has acquired many studios to make more and different games because, yes, they need more polished and diverse games next gen.
Nintendo's games are massively overrated indeed because they used to make the best games but, in my opinion, Breath of the Wild is the worst 3D Zelda game and Super Mario Odyssey is the worst 3D Mario game. Mario Kart 8 DX is a same-generation full-priced Wii U port and Nintendo gets away with it. Animal Crossing is bureaucracy, Viva Piñata is much better and more fun. One thing Nintendo is doing great now and, unfortunately, it is the marketing.
@PretendWorking
Gears 4 and 5 are not great games? Ok man. 😂 And you say I am “driven by pure hatred”?
And while I didn’t like Halo 5’s campaign, the multiplayer is fantastic. Do any of Sony’s games even have multiplayer at all?!! 🙄
@PretendWorking
My god.....you really love hearing yourself talk. 🙄 That last post was about 15 pages long & I almost fell asleep reading it.
It’s YOUR opinion that Halo & Gears Of War aren’t what they used to be. YOUR opinion. That doesn’t make it fact.
I agree that 343 hasn’t done an amazing job with Halo. I do think Halo 4 has one of the best campaigns in the series. And Halo 5 has great multiplayer. They have yet to combine the two & make that perfect Halo game. But the games are still great, in their own ways, depending on your tastes.
I completely disagree about Gears. The Coalition has done a great job with the franchise. Gears 4 and 5 were outstanding games with great campaigns AND great multiplayer.
You can make excuses for Sony’s studios all you want, but why don’t they have any good multiplayer games or even modes in their catalog? All of their exclusives are the same thing......single player, 3rd person action/adventure, one and done games. Their first party games are so overrated, it’s ridiculous. The Last Of Us is one of the most overrated games I have ever played.
Guerilla Games? Lol. Everyone acts like they are some elite studio after they release ONE great game in the last 10+ yrs. (Horizon: Zero Dawn). The Killzone series had four mainline games & two of them were crap. Who knows if what they make next will be great, based on their track record?
Insomniac? You ever play Fuse? That was garbage. And a good chunk of the 68 Ratchet & Clank games are trash. Santa Monica? And how many God Of War games are we up to now? 10? You want to talk about us Xbox fans getting sequels? 😂
Forza dominates Gran Turismo now. You lost your exclusive baseball game, The Show. Quantic Dream is 3rd party. Your exclusives are coming to PC, meaning they aren’t really even exclusives anymore, right? That’s what the Ponies told us Xbox fans. Oh and now you are about to have the less powerful machine on the market.
In the end, it’s a matter of opinion. You have yours, I have mine.
Meanwhile no one even owns a ps5 or an Xbox series x,but if the past predicts the future my bets are on the Xbox series x being the better console,and the ps5 won’t be faster and will also have more problems
@KelticDevil interesting,I installed the same size 825gb ssd hard drive into my ps4 pro because it was the only size available for under$400 and it is no faster than my 2tb sshd in my other ps4 pro,so in my opinion it has nothing to do with the hard drive,Sony says the ps5 is faster but it remains to be seen
@Ryall 825gb is an odd size but the ssd hard drive I put in my ps4 is 825gb Samsung hard drive,that cost about $250 it’s actually about 750gb of actual hard drive space,I have a hunch Sony is trying to save money
@Richnj I really wonder myself,I have a Samsung 825gb ssd hard drive in a ps4 pro and it isn’t any faster than the 2tb sshd in my other ps4 pro
@KelticDevil I think the only launch game for ps5 is Spider-Man miles morales and maybe demon souls
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...