Comparing the performance of a $500 PlayStation 5 and a $500 gaming PC || Building a Gaming PC on a Budget

PlayStation 5 vs. $500 Gaming PC: A Comprehensive Comparison

When it comes to gaming, the PlayStation 5 has been making waves in the industry. Priced at $500, it offers a compelling value proposition for gamers. But can a $500 gaming PC match the performance of the PS5? In this article, we will compare the two and see how they stack up.

Building a Gaming PC on a Budget

As someone who wants to make their money go far, I explored the option of building a gaming PC from scratch. However, I quickly realized that with a budget of only $500, I wouldn't get very far. Pre-built PCs were no different, as they were either overpriced or lacked the necessary specifications.

So, I turned to local classifieds and online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace to find a good deal. After contacting a few sellers and negotiating the price, I finally found a used pre-built PC that met my requirements. It was a CyberPowerPC with a 10th gen i5 processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660.

Comparing Game Performance

With the $500 gaming PC in hand, it was time to put it to the test. I selected several games that were common to both the PC and the PlayStation 5 for a fair comparison. Here's how they performed:

Spider-Man Miles Morales

On the PlayStation 5, Spider-Man Miles Morales offers three graphic modes: 4K 30fps with ray tracing, dynamic 4K 60fps without ray tracing, and 1440p 60fps with ray tracing. The PS5 handles the game well with a solid frame rate and optimized performance.

Comparing it to the $500 PC, ray tracing was out of the question. However, by setting the resolution to 4K and the graphics to the maximum settings, I was able to achieve an average of 33 FPS. While it falls short of the PS5's 30 FPS in 4K with ray tracing, it still delivers a decent performance.

The Last of Us Part One

The Last of Us Part One on the PS5 has two modes: resolution mode at native 4K and 30fps, and frame rate mode at 1440p and 60fps. This first-party Sony game runs smoothly on the console with no performance issues.

Unfortunately, my $500 PC couldn't run the game due to insufficient system and video memory. Although it met the minimum requirements, it was right at the edge. Upgrading the PC would be necessary to play this game.

Returnal

On the PS5, Returnal runs at native 1080p and reconstructs it to 1440p. The game maintains a solid 60 FPS with no performance issues. On the $500 PC, I adjusted the settings to match the PS5 and achieved an average frame rate of 30-40 FPS during normal gameplay, but it dipped below 30 FPS during battles.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor

Star Wars Jedi Survivor doesn't have perfect performance on the PS5. In resolution mode, it locks the frame rate to 30 FPS with dynamic 4K resolution. In performance mode, it targets 60 FPS with a resolution upscale to 1440p. However, the game suffers from blurriness and screen tearing.

Considering how poorly the game performs on the PS5, I had low expectations for the $500 PC. To even start the game, I had to lower the graphics to the lowest preset and set the resolution to 1080p. Surprisingly, it was able to achieve a frame rate close to 60 FPS, but the experience was short-lived as the game crashed.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy on the PS5 offers three modes: quality, balance, and performance. Quality mode runs at native 1800p and 30 FPS, balance mode offers dynamic 1800p and 60 FPS, and performance mode targets dynamic 1440p and 60 FPS. The PS5 delivers a solid performance with minor drops in rare cases.

On the $500 PC, I tried to match the PS5 settings by setting the resolution to native 1800p and using the high graphics preset. However, the budget PC struggled to run the game at around 10 FPS, significantly lower than the PS5's 30 FPS.

Fortnite

Fortnite on the PS5 has two modes: 4K 60fps and 1440p with 120 FPS. The game's frame rate is stable and close to the target values, with some fluctuations when dropping into the map.

On the $500 budget PC, running Fortnite at 4K with maximum settings resulted in inconsistent frame rates. However, by setting the resolution to 1080p and using the high graphics preset, the PC was able to maintain a frame rate close to 120 FPS, surpassing the PS5's performance in terms of frame rate.

Overall, when comparing a $500 PlayStation 5 to a $500 gaming PC, the PS5 comes out as the clear winner in terms of performance. This comparison highlights the value proposition of console gaming, especially for those who prefer a hassle-free gaming experience straight out of the box.