Win the 500 franc PC
It's not a PS5 or an Xbox Series X, but it's certainly possible to play games on it. So take part in the competition
The competition has ended.
How does a 500 francs PC fare against PS5 and Xbox Series X?
3.12.2020
Translation: machine translated
The PS5 and Xbox Series X cost 500 francs. I put together a PC for the same amount of money to find out how much performance is available. Little, very little. You can win it for that.
What do the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S offer?
Let's first take a look at what the console competition has to offer. Sony and Microsoft rely on very similar hardware. Both are AMD systems with eight-core processors, Navi graphics chips and fast SSDs, which ensure extremely short loading times. This allows the PS5 and Series X to display games in up to UHD resolution at up to 120 fps. The Series S aims for 120 fps at 1440p.
Console specifications [[table:1084]]
500 francs is damn little
There is also a 960 GB SSD, which is more than the PS5 has to offer. The board is the Mini-ITX MSI A320-A Pro and the case is the inconspicuous Aerocool CS-102. A 420 W power supply unit from LC-Power should be enough to power it all.
Everything together cost exactly 493 francs when I placed my order on 23 November. That might even have been enough for an SSD holder, because the case doesn't have one. Or a mouse and keyboard, which I also "did without" when putting it together.
After assembling and installing Windows 10 (not included in the price), the first thing you notice is the noise level. Even in normal operation, the fans can be heard. A few dB more when gaming. No jet start like a PS4, but clearly audible without headphones. No comparison to the almost silent PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Games benchmark
*Tested on High. Game crashes on Ultra. **No HDR availableSome particularly demanding titles such as Call of Duty Cold War or Watch Dogs Legion crashed in the UHD test. I suspect it was due to the low graphics memory, which at 4 GB doesn't offer nearly enough resources for so many pixels.
The Ryzen processor can keep up well with most games and the SSD ensures pleasantly short loading times, which are comparable to the consoles.
Conclusion: No chance
The result is not surprising, but the test was certainly impressive. It is a real challenge to put together a PC that is even remotely comparable to the new consoles - for 500 francs. Although you get a usable device that can run even the latest and most demanding games, the box is a long way from the splendour of detail with ray tracing and UHD resolution of the Xbox Series X or PS5. And the PC is not quiet either.
The test makes it clear how much performance you get with a console for the same price. And in a much more compact and elegant case.
After testing a PC that costs as much as a Nextgen console, I'm building a machine that does just as much. One thing up front: it will be significantly more expensive than 500 francs.
If you don't want to miss the sequel, click on "Follow author" below.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
Computing
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Gaming
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Background information
Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.
Show all
