In the ever-evolving world of gaming technology, the question of whether a custom-built PC can compete with powerful consoles like the PS5 Pro is a fascinating topic. Recently, an exciting challenge unfolded at the grand opening of the Phoenix Micro Center, where the goal was to build a PC that could match or exceed the performance of the PS5 Pro — and all within a tight timeframe and strict size limitations for air travel. This engaging experiment not only highlights the technical hurdles of PC building on the fly but also provides valuable insights into how modern PCs and consoles stack up against each other.
Choosing Components Within Constraints
The builder’s first major hurdle was choosing a PC case that would approximate the PS5 Pro’s size, optimized for portability and plane travel. A microATX or ITX case like the Cooler Master NCORE 100 MAX was selected, notable for its compact size and pre-installed 120mm liquid AIO cooler and 850W power supply—features that simplified the build and justified its $400 price tag.
For the motherboard, an ASRock B650 ITX board was chosen at around $165, balancing cost and performance with integrated Wi-Fi. The CPU selected was the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, an eight-core processor aimed at roughly matching the PS5 Pro’s eight-core AMD Zen 2 CPU but with higher single-thread performance, which is crucial for gaming.
When it came to the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT equivalent in the PS5 Pro was approximated with a more modest Sapphire Radeon RX 6900 XT Pulse card, prioritizing size and portability over raw power but still promising performance close to that of the console’s GPU.
The final components included 32GB of DDR5 RAM for future-proofing and a PS5-specific SSD, ensuring fast load times and authentic performance benchmarks.
Assembly and Practical Considerations
Building the PC was a race against the clock with less than two hours before the store opened and just six hours before catching a flight. The tool-less case design and pre-installed cooling solutions expedited the assembly process. Thermal paste application and ensuring full GPU power connection were critical steps, followed by the nervous but thrilling moment of powering up the system to POST successfully.
Transporting a PC with a liquid AIO cooler through airport security posed concerns, but the coolant volume was within permissible limits, allowing the builder to confidently carry the system onboard. The compact design and thoughtful component selection ensured the system fit comfortably in the overhead bin.
Performance Face-Off: PC vs. PS5 Pro
Once assembled, the PC was tested head-to-head with the PS5 Pro using PlayStation exclusives such as Horizon Forbidden West and The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Both systems used high graphical settings with FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) enabled on the PC to closely emulate the console’s performance mode.
The visual comparison revealed that while the PC was impressively close to the PS5 Pro’s graphical fidelity, the console maintained a slight edge in sharpness and optimized detail in motion—a testament to Sony’s hardware-software synergy. The PC offered advantages like film grain control and higher potential frame rates, but these came at the cost of simplicity and required manual tuning.
From a financial perspective, the PC build overruns were notable. While the PS5 Pro retails around $700, assembling a comparable PC—including case, motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD—can easily surpass $1,500. This difference emphasizes the economic efficiency of consoles versus the customization and upgrade potential inherent in PCs.
Key Takeaways: Convenience vs. Customization
This PC build challenge underscores the classic trade-off gamers face today. Consoles like the PS5 Pro deliver powerful, optimized gaming experiences out-of-the-box at a competitive cost with minimal setup. PCs offer flexibility, a broader game library, upgrade paths, and often higher raw performance, but these come with increased cost, assembly complexity, and the need for technical knowledge.
The experiment also highlights how small form-factor PCs can now approach console performance, opening exciting possibilities for portable high-end gaming rigs. However, the unique optimizations and ecosystem benefits of consoles remain strong selling points for many gamers.
Ultimately, the question of which platform is superior depends heavily on user priorities. Whether valuing plug-and-play ease and exclusives or embracing the versatility and power of a tailored PC, the gaming landscape continues to offer compelling options for all types of enthusiasts.
