[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] Sony's PlayStation (PS) 5 Pro is touting top-end graphics performance among current-generation consoles, but Microsoft's Xbox Series X is also seen as staying competitive on price, game services and ease of use. An analysis said differences still exist beyond raw hardware performance, including game subscriptions, backward compatibility and Quick Resume.

On Nov. 8 (local time), IT outlet Engadget cited key areas where the Xbox Series X leads versus the PS5 Pro, including Game Pass, Quick Resume, broad backward compatibility, support for disc games and easier storage expansion.

The most visible difference is price. The all-digital Xbox Series X model starts at $750, while the PS5 Pro is selling for $900 after Sony raised prices this year. The PS5 Pro leads in graphics and processing performance, but the Xbox can still be a sufficiently competitive option when the price burden is considered, it said.

In ease of gameplay, Xbox's Smart Delivery is cited as a strength. The feature automatically provides an optimized version for the console being used when a game is purchased. It also supports performance-improvement updates such as ray tracing or unlocking frame-rate limits, and save data is automatically synchronized across generations.

On the PS5, by contrast, users must directly choose between PS4 and PS5 versions for some games. Transferring save data used on an older generation to a new console must also be done separately depending on the game.

For users who alternate among multiple games, Xbox's Quick Resume can also be useful. It uses an SSD to save the running state of several games in the background, letting users resume play from where they stopped without loading from the start. A feature is that it keeps the state of some games even after the console is fully powered off or power is cut.

The PS5 also offers a function to suspend and resume games, but it can keep only 1 game at a time. If the console is fully powered off, the prior running state disappears and the game must be loaded again.

There is also a difference in video and audio standards. The PS5 Pro supports advanced ray tracing and AI-based upscaling, but it does not support Dolby Vision in games and movies and uses HDR10. The Xbox Series X does not support Dolby Vision for Blu-ray playback, but it can use the feature in compatible games. Engadget assessed this as a differentiator for Xbox in terms of screen quality.

Game Pass, a game subscription service, is also a core strength for Xbox. Microsoft runs subscription products including the Ultimate tier, and it provides many of its own games from the day of release. Titles slated for release this year, including 'Forza Horizon 6', 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' and 'Gears of War: E-Day', are also included in the Game Pass lineup.

Using Xbox Play Anywhere, supported games can be continued on PCs and Windows 11-based handheld devices. Sony's PS Plus, by contrast, typically adds first-party games to its catalog after about 1 to 2 years rather than offering them in the subscription service from the day of release.

For users who play older games, the scope of backward compatibility also matters. The Xbox Series X supports most Xbox One games, hundreds of Xbox 360 games and some original Xbox titles. Some games also get FPS Boost, Auto HDR and resolution improvements.

The PS5 Pro can also run most PS4 games, but it cannot directly run physical PS3, PS2 or PS1 discs. PS3 games must be used via streaming. For users who want to keep playing games they bought or own from earlier consoles, Xbox's broad backward compatibility can be an advantage.

Support is also continuing for users who own physical game discs. Microsoft introduced a program that converts supported Xbox Series X and Xbox One game discs into digital licences. It is designed so that inserting the disc once to create a digital token allows the game to be run later without the disc.

The digital licence, however, is linked to the original disc rather than a Microsoft account. If the disc is sold or lent to someone else, the licence is cancelled. Even so, it is seen as laying the groundwork for continuing to use existing physical games even if the next-generation Xbox shifts to a discless environment.

Storage expansion works differently as well. The PS5 Pro has an advantage in having 2TB of base storage, which is twice that of the Xbox Series X. But adding capacity requires opening the console and installing a storage device in the internal M.2 SSD slot.

On the Xbox Series X, users can insert an official expansion card from Seagate or Western Digital into a rear slot. It was recognised for convenience because it requires no disassembly or complicated installation process, making it easier to expand storage.

In the end, the difference between the PS5 Pro and the Xbox Series X goes beyond a simple comparison of hardware performance. The PS5 Pro emphasizes graphics and processing power, while the Xbox Series X is seeking differentiation in the overall experience of buying and playing games, including Game Pass, backward compatibility, Quick Resume and support for physical discs.

The analysis said the PS5 Pro may be appealing to users who want top-tier graphics and performance, but the Xbox Series X remains an option worth considering for those who want to play various games through subscriptions or prioritise an existing game library and convenience.