Sony’s PlayStation 5 has been promoting like scorching muffins because it was launched again in 2020. With a whopping 10 TFLOPs of uncooked compute, the PS5 is a gaming beast that has been producing some wonderful visuals in current-gen releases, each first-party and third-party alike.
There’s at all times been this notion a couple of console being a less expensive various than the PC in gaming circles, how precisely how large is that margin proper now? To reply this query, we are going to attempt to construct a PC that’s simply as highly effective because the PS5 in an effort to search out that out.
Observe: Costs talked about are as of the time of writing and will change.
Ryzen 5 5600X
Beginning issues off with the CPU, the PS5 comes with a CPU based mostly on the Zen 2 based mostly structure working on 8 cores and 16 threads at a variable frequency that may attain speeds as much as 3.5 GHz. The final era of consoles actually struggled with having sturdy single-threaded efficiency, however Sony has catered to these criticisms this time, offering builders with a extra well-rounded expertise with stable efficiency throughout all parameters.
AMD’s developments on this area additionally lengthen to the PC sector, and the Ryzen 5 5600X is the right instance of that. It has fewer cores with 6 bodily and 12 logical models, however the frequency is elevated as much as 3.7 GHz with a lift clock as much as 4.6 GHz. The Ryzen 5 5600X relies on the newer Zen 3 structure, so the cores are additionally extra environment friendly than Sony’s choices. With this selection, we will count on comparable efficiency, and overclocking additionally helps in making a extra future-proof chip. It retails for round $202 on Amazon.
RX 6650 XT
The GPU is the beating coronary heart of any gaming system, and the PS5 sports activities a terrific GPU that’s built-in with the CPU to render some actually beautiful outcomes. Constructed on the RDNA2 structure, the PS5’s graphics core has 36 compute models working at 2.23 GHz, totalling about 10 TFLOPs of uncooked compute. One of many largest developments during the last era of consoles is the addition of hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and upscaling options that makes rendering at greater output resolutions so much simpler.
For our system, we’re going with the RX 6650 XT, which options 32 compute models working at as much as 2.2 GHz, paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 reminiscence. Whereas it’s barely beneath the PS5 in a couple of areas, it nonetheless gives hardware-accelerated ray tracing and helps FidelityFX Tremendous Decision to assist increase efficiency. It retails for round $286 on Amazon.
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz CL16
The PS5 comes with 16 GB of GDDR6 RAM, and the sources are shared between the CPU and the GPU relying on the necessities of the video games. It’s not so much by fashionable requirements, however a mixture of {hardware} and software program optimizations makes for some stable efficiency in a wide selection of situations.
For our PC construct, we will likely be dedicating a complete 16 GB of DDR4 reminiscence to the system as a result of that type of optimization isn’t potential for this platform. Ryzen CPUs typically carry out so much higher when paired with high-speed RAM, so we’re going to go together with a 3200 MHz package, which must also assist our case – and going twin channel as a substitute of 1 must also be advantageous. As per Walmart, the Kingston Fury RAM package is priced at $42.
SSD: 1TB WD SN770
One of many largest upgrades that PS5 has supplied during the last era needs to be by way of storage. Swapping out the HDD in favour of a PCI-e 4.0 SSD has supplied an enormous bounce in load occasions, considerably lowering the friction in loading a sport whereas additionally opening new avenues for builders to simply use the SSD for the belongings as a substitute of storing the whole lot on the RAM.
To match the efficiency of the PS5 in addition to guarantee most compatibility with current-gen video games, we’re going to be making use of the WD SN770 which can be of the PCI e 4.0 variety that additionally offers comparable outcomes. We might low cost out just a little and go for a slower or decrease capability drive (you can nonetheless try this in case you are working on a good finances), however for the sake of authenticity, we won’t be making any compromises. Priced at simply $70 on Amazon, the SSD is nice worth for cash.
Thermaltake Good BX1 650W Bronze
Some of the vital features of a PC construct needs to be the ability provide. At all times be sure that the ability provide is bronze or gold rated, has sufficient juice to energy up your parts whereas having some watts to spare, and comes from a reputed model. The Thermaltake Good BX1 650W checks all these packing containers with out breaking the financial institution, which is why it finds itself on the checklist. Yow will discover the Thermaltake Good BX1 retailing for round $67 on Amazon.
NZXT H510
The NZXT H510 is a good selection for a case just because it’s compact, smooth and trendy – and most of all, fairly reasonably priced. You would at all times spring up for a better-looking or extra spacious case with higher lighting choices, however we prefer to want perform over kind – so that is going to be our selection for now. It comes for round $85 on Amazon.
ASUS TUF Gaming B550-Plus WiFi
The ASUS TUF Gaming B550-Plus WiFi goes to accommodate all of our parts. Very like the ability provide, it’s additionally vital to spend money on a motherboard from a good model that ensures compatibility with all of our components. It helps the AM4 slot and the Ryzen 5000 collection proper out of the field, incorporates a PCIe 4.0 slot for storage, and has 3 reminiscence channels, guaranteeing future proofing in case you need to add one other stick later down the road. The ASUS TUF is avaiable on Amazon for $149.
LG WH14NS40 Inner Blu-ray Drive
In case you’re constructing a PC that matches the PS5 in media assist, this drive will get the job performed. It performs Blu-ray discs, helps BDXL and M-DISC, and matches simply into any customary case just like the NZXT H510. This retails for 92 USD on Amazon. You possibly can clearly skip this in case you are choosing a digital solely library.
PlayStation 5 DualSense
For the controller, we’re going to go together with PlayStation 5 DualSense merely to duplicate the taking part in expertise on the PC. Along with being a stable controller in and of itself, the DualSense additionally options enhanced haptics, which assist elevate the participant expertise by a major margin. There are many nice video games that assist the DualSense and its haptics, and it’s clearly vital for the sake of authenticity. It comes for round $75 on Amazon, relying on the color choices.
OS: Home windows 11 Dwelling (64-bit)
Moreover, we’re additionally going to wish a replica of Home windows 11 64-bit for our system. It comes for $139, and having to take a position a lot in an working system goes to widen the hole between the worth of the PC and console by a major margin however we’ve got to do what we should.
Keyboard And Mouse: Redragon S107 Gaming Keyboard & Mouse
And naturally, we might additionally want a keyboard and mouse for our day-to-day operations and taking part in video games that aren’t fitted to a controller. The Redragon S10 Gaming Keyboard and Mouse combo helps construct an entire gaming aesthetic with its RGB lighting, and the standard of these particular person parts can be fairly respectable for the worth. All in all, it ought to serve its function fairly effectively for a measly worth of simply $34 on Amazon.
HDMI Cable: Monoprice 8K Licensed HDMI 2.1 Cable 3.
The PlayStation 5 additionally comes with an 8K supported HDMI 2.1 cable, so we must consider the price of its equal as effectively. For our functions, we will likely be going with the Monoprice 8K Licensed HDMI 2.1 cable which comes at round $10 on Amazon.
Conclusion
Circling again to the unique level made at first, constructing a PC by your self is at all times going to be much more costly than shopping for a console. Even producers like Sony and Microsoft promote the {hardware} at a loss, and switch income by subscription companies and software program gross sales. The overall value of this setup involves $1,159 for a digital solely library or $1,251 in order for you a Blu Ray participant as effectively. For context, the PS5 Slim Digital Version retails for 450 USD and the disc drive model prices 500 USD.
What many viewers would possibly discover curious is the truth that that is fairly a bit dearer than our construct from 2023, and there are a number of causes for this. We additionally included the precise pricings of Home windows 11, DualSense controller, Blu-Ray participant, and a greater keyboard mouse combo which might rapidly add up and spike our whole value.
It could undoubtedly outperform the PS5 in sure situations, however in lots of instances it will proceed to offer comparable efficiency as we transfer in the direction of the latter half of the era and builders begin to actually squeeze the compute of those consoles.
