Microsoft and Rare’s action adventure game, Sea of Thieves, is now available on PS5, and if you’re wondering how it compares to the existing Xbox Series X|S version, read ahead.
Sea of Thieves offers two graphics mode across both PS5 and Series X. The PS5 version has yet to be tested in High Frame Rate mode, so a comparison with the Xbox Series X cannot be currently made. As far as the standard graphics mode is concerned, both console versions are largely identical in terms of visual settings, with the exception of shadows and foliage draw distance, both of which are slightly better on PS5. Both up-close and distant shadows resolve more sharply on PS5, and draw distances for distant foliage elements are missing on Xbox Series X in areas where they are present on Sony’s console. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S version offers a single graphics mode that has lower quality textures and shadows than the Xbox Series X version.
In terms of resolution, both the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Sea of Thieves operate at a native resolution of 4K (2160p) in the standard graphics mode. The Xbox Series X version runs at a native resolution of 1080p in the High Frame Rate mode. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S version also runs at native 1080p in its only available mode.
With regards to performance, all versions of Sea of Thieves target a frame rate of 60 fps in the standard mode, and maintain it for the most part. Though, the Xbox Series X version suffers from some dropped frames, which lead to 33 ms or 50 ms frame time spikes that disrupt the flow of gameplay. The issue is also present on PS5 and Xbox Series X, though to a lesser extent. In the High Frame Rate mode, the Xbox Series X version targets a frame rate of 120 fps, and does a worse job of maintaining the target compared to the standard graphics mode, with more frequent and more severe frame time spikes. It is yet to be seen how the PS5 version compares in the High Frame Rate mode.
On the whole, even in beta, the PS5 version of Sea of Thieves is shaping up to offer the superior console experience, though the differences are minor.
