PS4 vs PS5: Which PlayStation console should you buy in 2022?

If ever you needed evidence that time is a flat circle, we’re quickly coming up on the two-year anniversary since the PlayStation 5’s release. Scary, we know. Surely by now PlayStation’s souped-up current-gen console is in a strong position, right? Well, it depends on your perspective, because working out whether not is the time to upgrade is a decision still informed by multiple factors. From stock availability, platform-exclusive games, to how much bang for your buck each console offers, the great PS4 vs PS5 debate might not be quite as clear cut as you think.

These links will allow you to see the current best deals and bundles available for each console.

• Best PS4 Deals
• Best Refurbished PS4 Deals
• Best PS5 Deals

In an effort to aid you in resolving the PS4 vs PS5 dilemma, we at Gaming Deals have broken down how both PlayStation consoles currently compare with one another. Is the PS4 a dying console no longer worth its weight, or does it still have merit and appeal within the 2020 landscape? Equally the PS5 has had more than enough time to segment its place in the video game market… Here’s everything you should consider about which PlayStation console you should buy.

Graphics – How do games look on PS4 and PS5?

It’s no secret that PS5 games will generally look much better than PS4 from a pure graphical perspective. Both PlayStation consoles might be based off the same AMD Radeon chips under the hood, but it’s the PS5’s GPU that is packed with 10.3 teraflops. This renders Sony’s current-gen console a whopping eight times more powerful than the PS4. Such an increase in graphical power gives developers a lot more freedom to generate higher-fidelity visuals on PS5 compared to PS4.

Since the onset of the PlayStation 4 Pro in 2016, it’s become common practice for certain games to offer two fidelity modes in order to squeeze as much power as possible out of home consoles: Performance and Graphics. The latter generally maxes out the resolution at the cost of a lower framerate, which for a lot of recent PS5 games equates to 4K at 30fps. Contrastingly, many PS5 games played in performance mode cap the resolution at 1800p (dynamic 4K) to benefit from a silky-smooth framerate of 60fps. PS4 games, by comparison, unless playing on a PS4 Pro model, will only offer 30fps and forgo offering two graphics modes.

In summary: PS5 games will generally look much better and offer more graphical options to players thanks to an improved GPU. The same game on PS4, however, will have some compromises relating to framerate and resolution.

Load times – How fast is PS5 compared to PS4?

One of the less glamorous improvements PS5 makes over PS4 is the significant reduction in loading times. Suddenly, with such a significant step up in speed, developers no longer have to implement tricks such as lifts and long walkways in-game when trying to disguise the need to load in one game world from another. PS5 exclusive title Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the best example of this, instantly transporting you from one location to another near instantaneously thanks to the PS5’s superior SSD. More and more, speed is becoming a determining factor as to whether a game comes to PlayStation 4 at all, and might result in more PS5 exclusive games.

But what about PS4 games? It’s a simple fact that PS4 games running on a PS5 via backwards compatibility load a lot faster than they do on the console they were originally designed for. Especially if a PS4 game has been patched to perform better on PS5, the results are staggering. Here are some examples using popular PS4 games for both start-up and loading screens:

God of War (2018) – PS4 start-up time: 34s, PS5 start-up time: 21s

The Last of Us Part II – PS4 start-up time: 33s, PS5 start-up time: 15s

Star Wars Battlefront II – PS4 start-up time: 1m 5s, PS5 start-up time: 33s

Elden Ring - PS4 load-screen time: 18s, PS5 load-screen time: 6.5s

Titles released – Which console has the best games?

PlayStation 4, by nature of being around for much longer, has the bigger games library. But then throwing that logic out of the window entirely is the fact that PS5 is fully compatible with 99% of the PS4’s game library. The same obviously can’t be said for PS4, which isn’t even compatible with the PlayStation 3’s library – at least natively. When you break down PS5 games to just the exclusives, however, (as in games you can only play on PS5 and nowhere else) it’s only a handful that might sway your decision to picking up a PS4 or PS5. Here’s the current list of true PS5 exclusive games:

• The Last of Us Part I
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Demon’s Souls
• Destruction All Stars
• Astro’s Playroom
• Returnal

Tech specs – What’s the difference?

If all you’re seeking to inform your decision on the PS4 vs PS5 issue is the technical specifications, pure and simple, then we are more than happy to oblige. From the amount of internal storage present in the base SKUs of each to the maximum video output resolution, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how both the PS4 and PS5 stack up with one another based solely on what each console is packing under the hood in terms of hardware.

Value for money – Is it worth upgrading to PS5?

Trying to decide whether or not the PS4 or PS5 warrants the best value for money is an entirely subjective question. However, what we will say is that we’ve reached the period in a new console’s lifecycle – in this case the PS5 – where support for its predecessor winds down. However, because of continued stock issues and supply restraint, Sony has in effect been forced to maintain PlayStation 4 units so it can at least have something to put on the shelf. However, these new PS4s are very hard to find and the refurbished route may be the way to go for a PS4.

In an unprecedented move in the home console market, in August 2022 Sony announced that the price of PlayStation 5 consoles in most territories would increase – again because of ongoing supply issues. With that said, the best time to futureproof yourself against other potential PS5 price increases is to invest now. The current-gen console might be a sizeable investment compared to the old-gen PS4, but it will continue to be supported for another five years minimum (consoles typically have a 7-year lifecycle) and the PS4 won’t receive much future support. That said, if you just want to experience a generous library of top first-party and multiplatform hits, the PS4 represents great value for newcomers, youngsters, and players who don’t crave the newest, latest and best.

PS4 vs PS5: A better perspective on which console is best for you

Choosing which console to pick up is not an easy decision, especially when technology changes so fast and the video game market is so volatile. That said, we hope to have offered some clarity about which console in the PS4 vs PS5 debate you should settle on. If you’re interested in picking up either a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 at the best possible price (as and when they become available) take a look at the deals below: