How PS5 And Xbox Series X Backward Compatibility Load Times Compare

A significant innovation in PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S is the inclusion of an internal NVMe SSD (solid-state drive). With the power of an SSD, the past console generation's painfully long load times will mostly be a thing of the past. While the drive will benefit all of these consoles' latest games, it will also improve load times for previous-generation games played via backward compatibility, getting you into those classic titles faster than ever before.

Sony, Microsoft, and other third-party publishers are ever offering next-gen patches for certain games that further enhance their load times and performance. This is important for those looking to make the jump onto new consoles, as when the library of next-generation games runs dry, console owners will likely look to the past to ease the wait for new games.

So, if you're here, you're probably wondering how the load times compare on Sony's and Microsoft's machines for previous-generation games. As mentioned, backwards compatibility is a huge selling point this generation, so knowing which console pulls through with the fastest load times is essential for players, especially if you're still on the fence about which next-gen console you want to buy.

To help you get a sense of how PS5 and Xbox Series X load times compare, we ran tests on games with notably long boot-up times on previous-gen consoles. While Xbox Series S also has an SSD, we chose to do our load time comparison with the higher spec Xbox Series X to give you a better idea of how it stacks up against PS5. Theoretically, though, the Series S load times should not be too different from what we've experienced with the Series X.

Below you can find tables detailing load times down to the millisecond, each recorded across both consoles to the best of our abilities. It's worth noting that our tests were run on the latest non-enhanced patches for each game, though we'll be sure to update this feature once next-gen performance-enhancing patches arrive for any of the games we've listed below.

For a visual take on how the load times compare in real-time, be sure to watch our video comparison in the player above. Otherwise, read our full thoughts on each console in our PS5 review and Xbox Series X review. If you're looking for our Xbox Series S review, we've got you covered there, too. You don't have too long to wait until you can play them.

Batman: Arkham Knight

Tests were run using the latest patch version 1.14.

Destiny 2

Load time tests were run using the latest patch version 1.59. However, it's worth noting that Destiny 2 will receive a next-gen patch in December that further improves load times and performance on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Final Fantasy XV

Load time tests were run using the latest patch version 1.30.

Monster Hunter World

Load time tests were run using the latest patch version 15.02.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Load time tests were run using the latest patch version 1.07.