The PlayStation home console line has never failed us, and even the maligned PS3 eventually beat Xbox 360. Still, that doesn't mean that you should blindly buy a PS5! While there are reasons to make it a part of your gaming collection, it's still not a perfect system. To illustrate this, we'll give you the top ten reasons why you may skip on PS5 – at least in the foreseeable future.

10. PS5 is Less Powerful Than Xbox Series X

The power isn't everything, but it undoubtedly helped PS4 elevate over Xbox One. Microsoft won't let it happen again, so Series X is roughly 20 percent more powerful than PS5. Consequently, multiplatform games will often work better on Series X, offering more details, higher resolutions, or improved antialiasing options.

While PS5 has a high-speed SSD, this isn't enough to fully match its rival's visual fidelity. As multiplatform games dominate now, having a more powerful system seems more crucial than ever. Plus, there are some hardware and software problems.

9.  The Lack of Next-Gen Showcases

As with every console ever released, building a decent games library takes years. Plus, it will take time before the developers fully realize the system's power. While graphics are not everything, many titles released in the first couple of years are cross-gen. This means that PS5 editions have somewhat cleaner textures, higher resolution, better frame rate, improved loading, and maybe ray tracing support. Still, the overall visual gains aren't massive.

Therefore, if you're buying PS5 early to experience next-gen visuals, you'll only get a glimpse of what's coming. Still not convinced? Just compare PS4 launch titles with The Last of Us: Part 2 or God of War reboot. The difference is astonishing!

8. Some of the Exclusives Are Also on PS4

With PS5, Sony is finally following in the footsteps of Nintendo and Microsoft. This means that some PS5 exclusives are not really exclusive, as they are also available on PS4. This includes huge titles such as Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, or Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

As we've said before, this means that they can't fully utilize the power of PS5. So, why is Sony doing this? First, because PS4 and PS5 share the x86 architecture, so it's easy to make cross-gen games. Secondly, Sony doesn't want to abandon almost a hundred million PS4 users. Furthermore, the company is aware that most gamers won't jump on the PS5 train quickly due to limited production.

7. Sony Is Moving a Part of Its Exclusives to PC

When Sony published Horizon Zero Dawn for PC, that wasn't an anomaly but the beginning of the trend. Since PS4 and PS5 share PC architecture, converting games and selling them on digital distribution platforms is relatively easy. Of course, PS5 releases might still be timed exclusives, but many of them will eventually come to Windows. Again, this is all about Sony following what Microsoft already did, releasing its first-party titles on PC and services like Steam.

Plus, the PS5 exclusivity period might become shorter, as Xbox Series exclusives are available on Windows day one! Thus, only console exclusives will become essential for Sony and Microsoft. This means that Gran Turismo, God of War, or the Uncharted will never be on Xbox systems like PS5 users won't enjoy Halo, Forza series, or Gears of War. Hence, the PC will be the only gaming platform with Sony and Microsoft's exclusives.

6. Limited Hardware & Software Backward Compatibility

While the rumors said that PS5 will run games from all the previous PlayStation consoles, the reality is pretty awful. The system supports only PS4 games (almost all), while a limited number of PS3, PS2, and PSX games are on PS Now streaming service. This means that you can't use the games you already own but pay for them again.

Xbox Series S/X supports all Xbox One games (except those requiring Kinect), and every Xbox/Xbox 360 game playable on Xbox One! Furthermore, the software for the original Xbox is enhanced. Not only are they running faster and in much higher resolutions, but they include HDR support through machine learning. Finally, you can employ an Xbox One controller to play Xbox Series S/X games! On the other hand, Sony's PS4 gamepads work on PS5, but only when playing PS4 games.

5. PS5 Can't Compete Against Xbox Series S

Microsoft made a brilliant move by offering the Xbox Series S console for only $299, making it the cheapest next-gen ticket. This system is doing the impossible, also attracting traditional PC gamers! For this money, you'll be lucky to buy a mid-range GPU, so Microsoft's option is a no-brainer.

The most impressive thing about Series S is that it regularly delivers the same frame rate and visual effects as Series X, including ray-tracing! Apart from the lack of disc drive, the only difference is that the games work in lower resolutions. If you're on a 1080p screen or have medium-size 4K TV, that won't matter to you anyway. Next-gen gaming has never been so affordable!

4. Xbox Series S and X Are a Better Value

No matter how you put it, PS5 can't compete with the Xbox Series S/X pricewise. Xbox Series S is a hundred bucks cheaper than the PS5 Digital Edition, so it's a top choice for gamers on a budget. Moreover, Xbox Series X and PS5 with disc drive share the same price, even though it's clear that Series X is more powerful.

The knockout blow is the difference between the two versions of PS5. Since their performance is identical, this means that Sony is outrageously charging $100 for a disc drive, even though it cost them less than $25! That's insulting to consumers, as Microsoft's strategy seems not only smarter but more honest.

3. PlayStation 5 Doesn't Have An Answer for the Xbox Series S/X Exclusives

We're sure that PlayStation gamers would love to have the Forza Motorsport series on the PS5. Still, Gran Turismo is at least as good or better, so they have an alternative. Nonetheless, the problem is that Sony doesn't have exclusives that can compete with some other Microsoft gems. Forza Horizon is still the king of the open-world racing games, and Sony hasn't offered anything that rivals it.

The Japanese company tried to counter the Halo series with Killzone, but as we all know, it spectacularly failed. Gears of War, Flight Simulator, and many others are some of the huge hits that will never appear on PS5. So while Sony might try to make similar titles, history taught us that it's doubtful they'll succeed.

2. Microsoft Is Buying Everything

While we already mentioned some Xbox Series console exclusives, that number might grow significantly! In 2021, Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, which owns Bethesda Softworks, the id Software, and many video game companies. Furthermore, in 2022 the Redmond Giant purchased Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion. Consequently, they now own Warcraft, Starcraft, Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, and many other influential series!

Currently, Microsoft isn't planning to remove any of these IPs from the PlayStation ecosystem. Still, they can do it if they want to. Furthermore, they can make the future Crash Bandicoot or Doom Xbox Series exclusives, which would hurt Sony a lot. While the Japanese company also bought some studios, their financial power can't compare to Microsoft's.

1. Xbox Game Pass Beats What Sony Offers

While other consoles also offer a subscription service, Microsoft is doing it the best with its Xbox Game Pass. This includes unlimited access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee, including exclusives, day one! Since 2020, Xbox Game Pass also includes EA Play, with no additional cost. Still, there are other reasons to join this service!

Xbox Game Pass also offers games for all previous Xbox consoles, fully playable on Xbox Series X/S. Of course, membership also provides discounts for games and DLCs. Even if you prefer buying games instead of renting them, it's hard to resist what this service provides. While stepped up with the new PlayStation Plus offerings, it's still not on the same level.

Buying a new gaming system is an important decision, so taking these negatives from our top ten list into consideration should help you decide about purchasing a PS5. For many of us, the games will be the crucial factor since it determines the winner in every console generation.

Do you prefer PS5, Xbox Series X, or are you sticking with PC? What do you see as the best and the worst thing about PS5? We'd love to hear your words in the comments!

Photo: YouTube screnshot, Sony, Microsoft, Unsplash