PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which console is better for you?

The PlayStation 5 is now consistently in stock after selling out for years. If you’re considering picking one up, there’s still a choice: do you get the standard disc-capable version or the digital-only release? In this post, we’ll consider the PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition battle on a feature-by-feature basis.

PS5 vs PS5 Digital: What are the major differences?

While the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X have significant performance differences, PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition specs are identical. No matter which PS5 console you choose, you’ll get the same speedy SSD, the same quality graphics, the same amount of internal storage, and more. There are really only three major differences between the consoles.

Disc drive

The obvious leading difference between is that the standard PS5 comes with a Blu-ray disc drive while the Digital Edition doesn’t. If you’re into collecting Blu-ray and DVD movies or have a huge physical PS4 game collection, the choice is clear.

Being without a disc drive, anything you buy for the Digital Edition has to come from the PlayStation Store. Many people prefer downloads regardless, but be aware that internal storage can fill up faster, and installation will last anywhere from minutes to hours depending on the size of a game and your bandwidth.

Design

There is a slight design difference because of the presence or absence of a disc drive. The standard disc version of the PS5 has a bulge at the bottom, whereas the Digital Edition is slimmer and more symmetrical. Notably, the original “fat” PS5 with a disc drive weighs around 500 grams more than the Digital Edition. Everything else is identical, such as USB ports and height.

Price

The standard PS5 price in the US is $499.99, while the Digital Edition is just $399.99. The latter is cheaper for Sony to make regarding components and licensing, so the savings are passed along.

It’s worth noting that the mid-cycle refresh of the PlayStation 5 is now available and will usurp the first-edition PS5 run once they’re all sold. The PS5 Slim models start at $449.

PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: Specs

PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: Which should I buy?

No matter how much you look at the debate between the standard PS5 vs the Digital Edition, both options are fantastic if you can afford them. One or the other may suit you best, however.

Should I buy the standard PS5?

If you want to collect disc copies of your favorite games, you’ll need the standard PS5. That’s particularly true if you already have a PS4 library on disc and you’re not planning to keep the older console. Naturally, anything on disc becomes a coaster if you only have the PS5 Digital Edition.

The standard PS5’s disc drive also opens up access to movies on DVD and Blu-ray, so you can use it to play (or start) a physical collection. While that can be costly compared to a Netflix or Max subscription, the advantage is that your favorite titles won’t suddenly disappear because of rights issues or tax write-offs. Some movies have never made the transition to streaming.

Discs can also be a way around the problem of slow or flaky internet connections. Art-heavy 3D games can easily take hours to download, even on fast connections, whereas installing from a disc should only take minutes, not including shopping time. Remember that disc-based games still need to fetch updates online, even if only single-player.

The standard PS5 costs an extra $100, but the ability to shop around for the best deals and access physical media libraries is a strong selling point.

Should I buy the PS5 Digital Edition?

If you only ever buy digital copies of games, then you should probably default to the Digital Edition. It’s the cheaper of the two consoles, after all, and the PlayStation Store does have regular sales and discounts.

You’re limited to Sony’s prices, though, whatever they happen to be on a given day. Stores like Amazon, GameStop, and BestBuy may offer better deals on disc titles. That could be offset by your initial $100 savings, not to mention avoiding the cost of new shelves or bins to hold everything. Physical games aren’t immune to price hikes since they can dwindle in availability.

If you own a PS4 and bought digital copies of games on that console, you can transfer those titles to the Digital Edition. We have a guide on transferring PS4 saved data to the PS5 if you need help.

As mentioned, relying purely on downloads can fill up the PS5’s 667GB of SSD storage quickly. You’ll need to add another SSD certified by Sony to expand internal space. Follow the instructions on Sony’s website. For PS4 games, you can use an external HDD or SSD.

If you have great internet speeds and are content with only purchasing games from the PlayStation Store, the PS5 Digital Edition is a great option. Plus, you’ll have something with a more svelte design to show off.

Super fast loading times • The DualSense controller is incredible • Tons of games available with PS Plus and PS Now

PS5 digital vs. disc edition: Which PlayStation 5 is best for you?

Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email.

Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting.

LinkedIn Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url.

A slim PS5 (left) and a slim PS5 digital edition (right). Sony

• Pricing and availability
• What’s different?
• Games
• PlayStation Plus
• Specs
• Which PS5 should you buy?
• FAQs

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Sony’s PS5 is the fastest-selling console of the current generation, and buyers can choose between two primary models: the new slim PS5 with a disc drive or the new slim PS5 digital edition.

The standard slim PS5 costs $500 and includes a detachable 4K Blu-ray drive so you can load game discs as well as play digital downloads. The slim digital-edition PS5 costs $450, but it doesn’t include a disc drive for physical media, so you’re limited to playing downloaded games. However, you can purchase an attachable disc drive for $80 if you decide you want to add one later on.

Digital downloads are convenient and popular, but there are still benefits that come from paying a bit more for a PS5 that comes with a disc drive. Most notably, physical games can be bought pre-owned for a discount, resold, or shared with friends and family. The standard PS5 also has the option to play movies from Blu-rays, while the all-digital PS5 is limited to streaming.

Whether the standard PS5 is truly worth the extra money over the digital edition really comes down to how heavily you weigh the advantages of its disc drive. Here’s a full breakdown of how the different PS5 models stack up to help you decide if those disc perks are worth it.

Note: Sony’s new slim PS5 models replaced the original, slightly larger versions of the system in November 2023. Though you can still find the original PlayStation 5 consoles at some stores, inventory is limited and Sony is only restocking the slim versions from now on.

The PS5 is one of the best consoles thanks to its powerful hardware, exclusives, and 4K Blu-ray drive. Though it costs $50 more than the digital-edition model, the standard PS5 lets you play game discs. This package includes the new slimmer version of the console, along with a code to download a free copy of Spider-Man 2.

The new, smaller PS5 Slim Digital Edition is for downloadable games only and costs $50 more than the original model at $450. A disc drive add-on can be bought separately should you wish to use physical discs at a later date for an extra $80. Although that combo would turn out $30 more than a regular PS5 Slim with a disc drive.

PS5 digital vs. disc: Pricing and availability

The slim PS5 with disc drive costs $500, while the slim digital-edition PS5 costs $450. Both slim models are now readily available at various retailers online and in-store.

You may also still be able to find old stock of the original, slightly larger PS5 models that launched in 2020, but the new slim editions are the only versions that Sony is manufacturing going forward. The original PS5 with disc drive also sells for $500, but the original digital-edition PS5 is $400. Though that’s $50 cheaper than the slim version, the original design does not allow you to attach a disc drive if you decide you want one later on.

Sony also bundles PlayStation 5 consoles with popular games. Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare III are both being bundled with slim PS5 disc-drive models. PS5 bundles are normally priced at $560, which presents a $10 discount over buying a game and console separately. However, the Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare III bundles are discounted to $500 for the 2023 holiday season. Check out our roundup of all the best PS5 deals for more savings.

PS5 digital vs. disc: What’s different?

The original PlayStation 5 models released in 2020 offer nearly identical designs and specifications — the only real difference between them is the absence of the 4K Blu-ray drive on the digital edition. Along with being unable to play games and movies on Blu-ray disc, the original digital-edition PS5 is slightly thinner and weighs about 1.3lbs less than the standard version.

The new slim PS5 and slim PS5 digital edition that were released in November 2023 are about 30% smaller than the original models, and have a 1TB solid-state drive. Once again, the most important difference between each slim PS5 is that the digital-edition option does not include a disc drive. However, the slim digital-edition PS5 allows you to add on a 4K Blu-ray drive later if you’d like. This feature is not available with the original PS5 digital edition.

Outside of slight differences in hardware, all versions of the PS5 deliver the exact same gaming performance. That includes support for gameplay at up to 4K resolution and 120 frames per second on compatible displays, lightning-fast load times thanks to the console’s solid-state drive, and advanced graphical features like ray tracing on select games.

Every PS5 comes with the same DualSense controller, which offers haptic feedback and has a built-in microphone, and they support all of the best PlayStation accessories.

PS5 digital vs. disc: Games

All PlayStation 5 consoles share the same library of games and the same quality of gameplay, but disc-drive PS5 models give you more control over where you can buy games and how you play them.

With a disc-drive PS5, games can be played off of discs or via digital downloads. Meanwhile, the digital-edition PS5 limits you to buying and playing downloaded games only.

Digital purchases of PlayStation games are tied to your Sony account. The PlayStation Store is the only place you can buy digital games, so owners of the PS5 digital edition won’t be able to take advantage of deals at retail stores like GameStop and Best Buy.

Though digital game downloads are convenient, having the option to buy physical discs on a standard PS5 gives you the ability to re-sell your games or lend them to a friend. The standard PS5 can also play old PS4 discs via backwards compatibility, while the digital-edition PS5 can only access those games through the PlayStation Store.

Keep in mind, however, many physical games still require an internet connection and significant PS5 storage space to install and play. This means that going with a disc copy on a standard PS5 won’t save you hard drive space versus downloading the game.

PS5 digital vs. disc: PlayStation Plus

Sony provides a subscription service called PlayStation Plus that offers online multiplayer and a catalog of games to download on the PS5. PlayStation Plus works the same on all PS5 consoles, but digital edition owners might get the most out of the service since certain plans provide easy access to a bunch of PS4 games without the need for a disc drive.

For $10 a month, PlayStation Plus Essential gives gamers access to online play and a monthly selection of free games that will stay in their collection so long as they remain a subscriber. The next two tiers of PlayStation Plus, Extra ($15 a month) and Premium ($18 a month), provide access to more than 400 PS4 and PS5 games; Premium adds even more games from older PlayStation consoles and the option to stream games directly to a PS5.