Mass Effect Legendary Edition: PS5 vs Xbox Series X/S Tech Breakdown

A trilogy remastered. All three games in the Legendary Edition get tested today in a comprehensive look at PS5, Xbox Series X and S machines. The Xbox Series X version in particular is standout for a stable 4K60 mode plus a bonus 120Hz option not seen on the PS5 system at present.

[Magog]

It's a PS4 game not a PS5 game. PS5 is underclocked playing PS4 games.

[Orchard]

Right… but it’s clearly technically possible to run these games at higher clocks and nothing stops Sony implementing similar functionality.

So it’s a fair comparison and accurately represents the experience the end user can expect on each platform.

[blackblades]

No it's not, shouldnt even be saying series or ps5 version when it's BC as in ps4 and xbone game. Its not really a fair comparison through BC.

[Orchard]

So if I go buy the game and throw the disk into my PS5 or XSX - is the above video representative of what I will experience? Yes. It is.

The fact that Sony haven’t bothered to implement something doesn’t somehow mean the two platforms are equal in this respect and large differences in performance like this can impact buying decisions.

[Futureshark]

On a Series X/S, you are playing a boosted Xbox One game, due to system level using faster ram, processor, SSD etc.
On PS5 you are playing an exact copy of the PS4 Pro version, unless EA release a PS5 patch.

Xbox X/S is basically a boosted Xbox One, which is why we see same controller, UI etc. and Xbox One games running faster - this is what Phil Spencer used to call 'Forwards compatibility' and is now called 'Smart Delivery'.
PS5 has a PS4 Pro mode built in, so it play PS4 games to that exact level, a pure version of being 'backwards compatible' as it is exactly the same as the platform the game was developed for.

Series S/X might as well have been called Xbox One X+1 & X+2, as that is all they are, boosted Xbox One and so boosted last gen. MS changed the branding to try to fog this.
PS5 is a whole new gen that still plays PS4 games at the PS4 Pro level, but has new gen games too.

Show me one game that is exclusively on Series S/X and not on Xbox One and I'll concede my point.

[hadowajp]

@future shark medium is that game now do you concede?

[Orchard]

@FutureShark There’s so much wrong information in your post I don’t even know where to begin.

1. We have boosted PS4 games on PS5. It’s just that Sony’s implementation isn’t as good as Microsoft’s and requires the developer to do substantial work - and less devs are willing to do it.

2. Smart Delivery is nothing to do with “forwards” (or backwards) compatibility, it’s basically just a cross-buy solution and a system that installs the best version for your console. There are plenty of games that have an XB1 version and XSX version which do not support smart delivery yet both copies still work on your XSX, COD for example. The game in question here, mass effect, doesn’t even support smart delivery.

3. As pointed out by hadowajp, there are already XSX exclusive games and obviously there will be more in the future.

4. XSX is an entirely new generation, as is PS5. If we’re suddenly pretending XSX is a last gen console, what does that make PS5 since XSX is higher spec?

5. Using the same OS or controller doesn’t somehow mean it’s the same console as last gen. Sony are reusing the same OS too - just with a new shell/UI and some new apps built in. No company is rewriting their OS for a new console. Both platforms OS’es will continue to work with minor tweaks on future hardware too, unless either of them make a move away from x86_64

6. Microsoft boosts back compat games at the software level in the OS & drivers and sometimes via offering access to some of the new XSX capabilities in the XB1 SDK (I say some because some features require the game to be a native XSX game - e.g. raytracing). The fact that the OS and drivers have to manage that boost means it is not an Xbox one. Similarly, nothing stops Sony doing the same boost method.

The only thing really at play here is that MS values back compat more than Sony and have done a more robust implementation of it - of which we are now seeing the benefits as we sit in this cross generational period where people cannot get next gen consoles and devs are still releasing PS4/XB1 games.

[DJStotty]

@Futureshark

"Xbox X/S is basically a boosted Xbox One"

Oh please, explain to us then what "Boost mode" is for PS5??? i'll wait.....

[Magog]

@Djstotty I ran up against the character limit. I left off MLB the show where PS5 performed better. The only next gen game Xbox has a slight advantage is RE Village . One game VS 8 others.

[Christopher]

I don't think Sony is stopping anyone, is just not implemented as easily due to it not being a priority for them (120fps that is).

If 120fps gaming is important to you in a gaming console, absolutely go XSX. But most TVs don't even support it and most gamers do not care. Sony will care when 120fps becomes as mainstream as 60fps.

Essentially, people are just arguing over company prioritization here. Go where your opinion of what is most important is better served. Simple as that.

[RazzerRedux]

Xbox simply has a superior BC implementation. We’ve known that for a while.

[darthv72]

^^then go play the trilogy on the PS3. It plays pretty good there.

[RazzerRedux]

There is a reason every game running in BC runs better Xbox. PS versions are being held back by PS4 Pro while Xbox versions are scaling up to the newer hardware much better. Shitty port or not, XSX has consistently run last gen better. That shouldn’t be surprising. They have a lot more experience with BC.

[RazzerRedux]

I'm not falling for anything. I've followed the games that have been tested for BC by DF and others. Xbox Series X has a clear advantage. I'm a PS fan so this isn't something I am bragging about. It just is what it is.

I'd love to see this list of 600 games though. Are they games that were running at lower frame rates and are benefitting from PS5's increased power? Genuinely curious.

[RazzerRedux]

“ Do you honestly think that PS5 is incapable of running the intro to ME3 higher than 20 fps? Do you honestly believe that this problem can't be fixed?”

Of course not. I don’t think you understand what I am saying. This game is NOT optimized for PS5 at all. This is a PS4 Pro game running on PS5. We have seen this before. This is BC mode so of course PS5 is capable of much more than what is being offered here. This points to the BC capabilities of these consoles, not their overall power.

[Notellin]

@finding Try reading what he's saying and quit applying your fanboy logic. Xbox bc greater than PS bc and that's just a fact. Has nothing to do with which one is better for you or Razzer.

[RazzerRedux]

From DF:

"Yes, quality and performance modes are included on all systems from Series X and PS5 at the top-end, right down to Xbox One and PS4 at the other extreme. "

"With PS5, we must remember that this is not a native application, meaning its somewhat beholden to limits imposed by PS4 Pro - but you do get a higher frame-rate. "

https://www.eurogamer.net/a...

This is essentially what I have been saying.

"Do you honestly not believe that EA could fix this with a patch?"

From what I've read from other devs, PS5 requires an entirely new build versus PS4 Pro but I'm not a game dev so I don't know. Now if you ask me if EA should have provided a native PS5 version of the game then the answer is yes, absolutely.

[RazzerRedux]

Yeah.....still waiting on that list of games. Would be a handy reference. Closest thing I've found is this:

https://www.resetera.com/th...

....which doesn't say what you are saying. So where is this list of games?

"There is NO REASON one explosion should drop FPS by 60%, that is an optimization issue, not a hardware issue."

lol....that's kind of like saying the game wasn't built for PS5, it was built for PS4 Pro. You know.....pretty much exactly what I've been saying?

[RazzerRedux]

Thanks for the link

[RazzerRedux]

Why the hell are you still posting? I thanked you for the link and didn't argue any more points. And yet, here you are trying to stir it up again. You've reduced yourself to an annoying little gnat that won't STFU.

"blame it on the hardware."

I made it explicitly clear this had nothing to do with the hardware. I'm not going through all that again. Figure it out or don't. I'm done.

[Sol4ris]

I see you conveniently forgot to mention that in the case of Hitman 3 and Outriders the Xbox Series X has a big resolution advantage compared to the PS5....

[Notellin]

Yeah that would require facts.

[Deathdeliverer]

Man they have few fks with the PS5 version. Microsoft implemented a downscaled 120 FPS mode so that’s something in and of itself, but there’s zero reason for the game to be that much bigger, and have that many hitches and frame drops on PS5. Ghost of Tsushima wipes the floor with mass effect graphic wise and it’s upgraded version even put that into another league. I’ve felt like EA has been taking jabs at PS versions of games ever since Peter Moore went there. I feel like it got worse when Sony refused EA Play years ago. It also kills mf that when PS versions have glaring advantages DF says it must be a glitch or error that can be fixed. We are reaching out about this. When it’s the other way around it’s simply the PS5s fault. Memory issues? On PS5? Really?
I never got into mass effect. It definitely ran my friends list at one point in time.

[G1L]

Lets see if EA does something akin to what's happening with Fallen order where they first released a very underwhelming ps4/ps5 backcompat patch and are now planning a proper ps5 release this year. Until then, glad i didn't pay full price foi this version as it would be a disappointment in my PS5 in its current state. Properly optimized games for ps5 get my money on first day like: nioh collection, demon souls, miles morales, returnal even dirt 5.

[Limitedtimestruggle]

Feels fantastic to be back in the ME universe! Runs great on PS5, but does have serious occasional drops when killing of these Thorian creepers :p I guess it will be patched and optimised down the line though!

[Muigi]

Yeah thats super annoying pretty much my only complaint about it.

[Father__Merrin]

They emtioned in the video the titles are not native next gen apps. Ps5 will play ps4pro version and series x will play one x version. But back compat it's easier to implement various boosts

[Hakaro]

This is nothing but inferior optimization on PS5 by EA.

[thtruth574]

Sony just needs to fix backward compatibility. Ps makes the most money for the company so they need to just go all in. Would love to play boosted old games like you can on x/s.

[headshotfrosty]

Anyone else having crushed black tones on XBSX ME2 and 3? Part 1 seems to be fine.....

[headshotfrosty]

Seems to have fixed itself with a hard reset of the system. I read somewhere about SX not displaying HDR properly sometimes. Anyhow, it looks much much better.

[waverider]

Everybody knows that the BC of Microsoft is better. There no question here. They got much more experience with that area. But gamers are just happy to keep playing ther last gen games when they want. These kind of diferences really dont matter to the average player.

[jznrpg]

I was going to wait for the PS5 version no matter what as I have too many games and really only want to play the first game but it sounds like they need to patch it on PS5 to run better .

[Sol4ris]

The best way to experience this "Legendary " trilogy is on Series X, as expected ;).

[MadLad]

On console, anyway.

[Bluemaster77]

So much copium and sodium in this thread.

[MadLad]

Idiotic console wars .... on N4G?!
No way! :^)

Lol

[Bluemaster77]

Why is the PS5 struggling to run a 360 game,, drops to 31 fps really ? Drops in dynamic resolution ?

[FlyGuyHung]

The difference in file size is what truly gets me here.

[Donjune]

120 fps is a game changer and Xbox is doing it better at the moment than Playstation. So many titles are taking advantage of the new tech it's wonderful.

[Petebloodyonion]

So another article where the differences are minimal and can only be seen with a head-to-head video.
Well, I'm happy about the winner and I'm sure we can all sleep better now.