PS5 Standard VS Digital Edition. Buy PS5 with a disc drive or save money?

If you’re planning on buying a PS5, here’s everything you need to know about the PS5 Standard VS Digital Edition. We will answer all your queries and help you make an informed decision on which version of PS5 to buy. 

The PlayStation 5 Standard and Digital Edition differ mainly in the availability of a disc drive. The disc drive is available in the Standard Edition. Due to this, the PS5 Standard Edition is about $100 more expensive than the Digital Edition. The addition of the disc drive also makes the PS5 Standard Edition asymmetric in aesthetics. 

But do the benefits of having a disc drive in PS5 outweigh the Digital only Edition? We will discuss all the points in favor of both the consoles and the major differences between the two consoles, it will help you decide which one to buy. We will also take a look at the technical specs of both PS5 consoles. Let’s find out in detail below.

How many types of PS5 are there?

Currently, there are two types of PS5 available – one being the Standard Version and another being the Digital Only Version. Both these versions come with similar features but differ only slightly in their hardware specs, such as the availability of 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc drive in the Standard Edition.

Are PS5 Digital Specs different from the PS5 Standard Edition?

We have compiled all the technical specifications for both the PS5 Digital Edition and the PS5 Standard Edition. We have also highlighted the differences for your ease. You can check the details below:

As you can see from the above table, there is not much difference between the two consoles regarding technical specifications. The PS5 standard edition has a disc drive in it to play physical copies of games which also adds a little bit of weight to it in comparison to the Digital Edition.

Is there a power difference between PS5 Standard and PS5 Digital Edition?

Technically, the power usage mentioned for the PS5 digital edition is 340W, while that of the PS5 standard edition is 350W. This doesn’t mean that the PS5 Digital Edition is less capable in any way than the standard edition. The more power input required for the PS5 Standard Edition is because it also has to power the disc drive. Other than this, both the editions are identical. 

PS5 Standard VS Digital Edition: Major points to consider before purchasing.

PS5 Digital Edition

• Lower price than the PS5 Standard Edition: The PS5 Digital Edition costs about $100 less than the PS5 Standard Edition due to the lack of a disc drive. So if you are aiming for a less initial investment in a gaming console, you can buy the PS5 Digital Edition. You can read more about this at How Much Does The PlayStation 5 Cost? In this article, we have discussed other points also, including whether buying PS5 at a cheaper price point and saving $100 upfront with a lack of disc drive makes sense in the long run or not. Read on to find out.
• Symmetrical Design. The PS5 Digital Edition also sports a symmetrical design as it doesn’t carry extra weight or a bump that comes with PS5 Standard Edition. So if you care about the aesthetics part too much, you can go with PS5 Digital Edition.
• No disc spin noise. As the PS5 Digital Edition doesn’t come with a disc slot, you will automatically experience a much quieter PS5 experience. If the noise of the disc is an issue for you or you prefer a comparatively quieter PS5, then the all-digital PS5 might be for you.
• A high-speed internet connection is required to download games quickly. The all-digital version of PS5 relies heavily on your internet connection speed to download the digital version of games. So keep in mind before purchasing the PS5 Digital Edition that you have access to a high-speed internet connection to download and install games quickly from PSN. You might also require extra space to accommodate all your favorite games at once. Good news is the PS5 is compatible with an external SSD as well. We recommend investing in an external SSD so that you never run out of space on PS5 Digital Edition.
• No need to worry about game discs getting damaged. It comes without a disc drive. So you don’t have to worry about losing a disc or getting scratched up. If you don’t like stacking physical discs and are worried that the discs might get damaged in the future, you can have peace of mind by taking the digital route. You can also read more at our following article: Pros And Cons Of PS5 Digital Edition.

PS5 Standard Edition

• It has a physical disc drive: The obvious and significant advantage of PS5 Standard Edition is the availability of a disc drive that allows you to run physical disc-based games. Suppose you buy most games in disc format and would like to decorate your shelf with physical copies of your favorite games. Then you definitely should take a look at the Standard Edition of PS5. 
• Trade or share Games: You can also trade or share your game discs with your friends and family, thereby cutting the cost of games to some extent. Sharing physical copies of your games with your friends is as simple as just handing out the disc. Although PS5 comes with a gameshare feature with which you can share digital copies of your games too, keep in mind that for this feature to work, you would have to log in to the other PS5 with your PSN account but every PlayStation user is not comfortable doing this.
• It can play physical disc-based movies: If you have your favorite movies in disc formats such as DVD or Blu-Ray Discs, then the PS5 standard edition will be able to play them without any issues. Therefore, if you want to use your PS5 as an entertainment hub with your TV and binge-watch the library of movie titles, then PS5 Standard Edition is the way to go.
• It can play PS4 physical disc-based games: If you have an extensive collection of PS4 games in disc format, then the PS5 Standard Edition is a no-brainer. You can enjoy your favorite PS4 games via PS5’s backward compatibility feature. This can be a crucial point when deciding on buying a PS5, as you can take advantage of the PS5 backward compatibility feature to keep on playing your favorite PS4 titles.
• Slow internet connection doesn’t hamper game installation: If you have a slow internet connection, it can take a while to download and install games on a PS5 Digital Edition. But this is not the case with PS5 Standard Edition, as you can use your physical disc to install a game and start playing quickly. Managing the disc space also becomes easier because if you run out of space on PS5, you can quickly delete and swap a game with a new one. This gives you more degree of freedom as far as game installation is considered.
• Cost-effective in the long run: PS5 Standard Edition can prove to be more cost-effective in the long run as sometimes physical games discs are cheaper than digital games during the sale period. The cost of games always adds up in the long run, and you can save a hefty amount of money if you buy a lot of games.

Verdict: PS5 Standard VS Digital Edition, which one to buy?

You can quickly glance at the following points in favor of each console before making up your decision:

PS5 Digital Edition

• Cheaper than the PS5 Standard Edition.
• Symmetrical Design. 
• No disc spin noise due to obvious reasons.
• A high-speed internet connection is required to download games quickly.
• No need to worry about the game disc getting damaged(again due to obvious reasons).

 PS5 Standard Edition

• Ability to run physical disc-based games.
• Trade/share discs with your friends.
• Install games on PS5 even without an internet connection via game discs.
• If you have an extensive collection of PS4 games in disc format, then PS5 Standard Edition is the way to go.
• If you have your favorite movies in disc format, then the 4K Blu-ray player in PS5 standard edition can play them easily.
• Cost-effective in the long run as sometimes physical games discs are cheaper than digital games during the sale period.

In conclusion, we would say that PS5 Standard Edition is best suited for people who love playing and collecting physical games and those who own lots of PS4 games in disc form. PS5 Standard Edition provides the best of both worlds as it can play the physical and digital versions of games and hence is worth every penny spent.

It will also prove to be much more cost-effective in the long run than the digital edition as the cost of games adds up as time goes by, and physical disc-based games are sometimes cheaper than their digital counterparts. On top of it, you can easily trade or share your old games with your friends, providing you a more considerable degree of freedom than digital games.

Therefore, we highly recommend you get yourself a PS5 Standard Edition and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Frequently Asked Questions for PS5 Standard VS Digital Edition.