On paper, Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox Series X is definitely the most powerful console ever produced, but real-world performance has turned out to be something quite different. Recent reviews have highlighted the fact that numerous games (e.g., Devil May Cry 5 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla) actually perform better on Sony’s PlayStation 5, which is amusing, being that it has a slower CPU (3.5 GHz vs. 3.8 GHz) and GPU (10.28 TFLOPS vs. 12.15 TFLOPS).
Digital Foundry discovered that Devil May Cry 5’s high frame rate mode runs far better on the PS5, with performance gaps as wide as 40 FPS. The Xbox Series X version of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is also said to suffer from lots of screen tearing and dips below 60 FPS, unlike Sony’s version. We’re also hearing that DIRT 5 has better texture filtering and higher resolution on PS5, while Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s 120 FPS mode runs worse on Xbox.
Following an article from The Verge questioning why the “world’s most powerful console” is being outperformed by the PS5, Microsoft has supplied a statement to save face, noting that it’s working hard with developers to ensure that the Xbox Series X versions reach parity with Sony’s editions.
“We are aware of performance issues in a handful of optimized titles on Xbox Series X|S and are actively working with our partners to identify and resolve the issues to ensure an optimal experience,” a Microsoft spokesperson said.
“As we begin a new console generation, our partners are just now scratching the surface of what next-gen consoles can do and minor bug fixes are expected as they learn how to take full advantage of our new platform. We are eager to continue working with developers to further explore the capability of Xbox Series X|S in the future.”
This is an embarrassing situation for Microsoft, as the brute force of the Xbox Series X has always been its biggest selling point. The company has even claimed that its next-gen console has a better, fuller implementation of AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture.