PS5 Digital Vs Standard Console: Is A Disc Drive Worth $100?

Sony’s newest console, the PlayStation 5, currently comes in two forms: the All-Digital version and a Standard PS5 console that comes with a disc drive. The All-Digital PS5, however, costs around $100 less than the Standard PS5. Is the disc drive really worth that extra money? It really just depends on who you ask.

The PlayStation 5 has had an incredibly successful launch, despite being in limited quantities. It even had the biggest console launch in the UK ever. While the two versions of the PS5 console have a lot in common, their biggest difference comes from the fact that the All-Digital PS5 doesn’t have a disc drive, which also means it’s slightly smaller and less expensive.

While most early adopters of the PS5 appear to be going for the Standard PlayStation 5 console version with a disc drive, the All-Digital PS5 continues selling out as well. It may just be that more Standard PS5 stock exists, or it may show how in-demand physical releases of video games still are. It’s really too early to tell, since SOny hasn’t revealed how many PS5 Digital and PS5 Standard consoles they produced. However, that’s still led to plenty of speculation regarding whether or not a disc drive is actually worth the extra money, since the All-Digital PS5 is priced at $399.99 USD and the Standard console is $499.99 USD.

Why The Standard PS5 Costs More Than The All-Digital PS5

In terms of performance and power, there really isn’t a difference between the Digital and Standard PS5s. The extra cost really just comes down to the disc drive, which probably doesn’t actually cost $100 more per unit to manufacture. Still, it’s an added feature – and that means an added price. Whether or not the extra price of the Standard PS5 console is worth it to the users themselves is a completely different matter.

Gamers who prefer to download games will probably opt to save some money and get the All-Digital PS5. Meanwhile, users who still like physical copies of games will flock to the Standard edition. Interestingly enough, some analysts think the All-Digital PS5 is priced too high. So, it’s not necessarily that the disc drive is worth the extra $100, it’s that the lack of a disc drive is worth more than a $100 discount. People who’ve bought the All-Digital version of the PS5 should be more concerned about spending too much money – and not the other way around.

Ultimately, whether or not the disc drive is worth the extra cost is left up to consumers. For now, it looks like the Standard PS5 is more in-demand than the All-Digital PS5 edition, but only time will tell. Although, for now, it looks like most consumers don’t have a problem paying extra for a PlayStation 5 with a disc drive.

About The Author

Austin King
(1234 Articles Published)

Austin King is a Game Features Editor at Screen Rant. He’s the author of several books and hosts the Dragon Quest FM and JRPGs & Me podcasts. You can find him on Twitter @DragonQuaustin.

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