The Xbox Series X is an incredible console, but there are some PS5 features that I really miss every time I boot Microsoft’s tiny power tower. Some are smaller, I must admit, and in the end it would be nice to have. Others, however, seem almost essential – and would only serve to improve the Xbox Series X experience as a whole.
I would never want both boxes to be homogeneous, of course – this would not only stifle innovation, but would also make owning two consoles virtually useless – but when a competitor offers a feature that works so well that you immediately realize it’s gone , is when a company should also consider implementing it.
It may seem lazy to steal ideas from a rival, but that kind of practice happens all the time – during or after a console generation. Microsoft quickly added a headset to the Xbox One controller after the feature was so well received on the PS4’s DualShock 4 keyboard, and the Xbox Wireless Controller for the X and S Series now includes a share button.
The Xbox Series X has some great features of its own, of course, like Quick Resume, for example, and I’ll focus on the Xbox Series X features that I would like to see on PS5 in a subsequent article. But for now, here are five PS5 features that I wish were on the Xbox Series X.
1. Adaptive triggers
Perhaps the most surprising success story on the PS5 is the adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller. I am totally in love with them, to the point that I am inclined to buy third party games on PS5 instead of Xbox Series X just for to feel how they were used.
When Sony announced how DualSense triggers would change resistance to mimic the feeling of pulling a bowstring or replicating the recoil when firing a gun, I was initially skeptical. But once I tried it myself for games like Astro’s Playroom, still my next generation personal highlight so far, it became clear that adaptive triggers were a revelation rather than a trick.
Now, while I still prefer the Xbox Series X controller overall – partly due to the asymmetrical analog layout and superior trigger shape – the fact that the Sony pad comes to life and helps add an extra dimension to the gameplay really makes me look forward to on the Microsoft console.
Microsoft is clearly aware of the positive feedback that the DualSense controller is receiving from players as well. A recent survey of the Xbox Series X asked owners if they would like to see similar features on the Xbox controller, to which I sincerely answered yes. Although I was surprised if Microsoft did such a drastic review of its gamepad soon, strange things happened.
2. Universal system settings for games
This is strange, especially since the Xbox 360 used to have basically the same feature. The PS5 allows you to select several standard system configurations that are universally applied to games. This includes standardizing for the performance or resolution mode in games that support it; your preferred difficulty level; if you want to invert the controls; and whether you want subtitles to be enabled or disabled.
The amount of time this potentially saves over the generation of a console cannot be underestimated. I would always choose performance mode over resolution, so knowing that all PS5 games I play automatically have my preferred configuration makes sense. I no longer need to delve into a menu to check, and for those who play inverted, this is a blessing.
As I mentioned above, the Xbox 360 used to have a similar configuration, so why can’t it be brought back to the Xbox Series X? Fingers crossed Microsoft remembers why it was so good in the first place.
3. Mute the TV when using a headset
I can’t underestimate how much I miss this stupidly simple PS5 feature when I play on the Xbox Series X. In fact, I’ve been looking forward to it since Sony launched it on PS4.
Whenever you connect a headset to the DualSense controller, the PS5 recognizes this and silences the TV automatically. It does this even when you connect a wireless headset. This prevents you from playing a game with the TV audio still playing in the background, which honestly happens more than I would like to admit.
On the Xbox Series X, when you connect a headset to the controller, nothing happens. The TV is not muted automatically, which means that you need to take the remote control and turn the TV down manually. It’s an unnecessary extra step that I have to do over and over again, and I can’t emphasize how happy I would be if Xbox copied this seemingly basic PS5 feature. Make it happen, Microsoft.
4. Tactile feedback
Although I am not as desperate to see tactile feedback as adaptive triggers, it is clear that tactile sensation is the future. The subtle effects that developers can create are far superior to the older spin engines found on the Xbox Series X controller, and it’s hard to see Microsoft keeping up with traditional noise in the future.
Even Nintendo opted for tactile feedback on the Nintendo Switch, as both Joy-Con and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller include it. The implementation is quite disheartening compared to how it is implemented in DualSense, however, but it is still capable of providing some incredible moments, like how it can simulate the sensation of moving balls inside the controller when playing 1-2-Switch.
Again, I doubt that Microsoft will be adding tactile feedback anytime soon, but I would be surprised if it were not included in the next Xbox controller.
Now that the Xbox Series X supports live wallpapers (finally!), It’s time for Microsoft to bring a little more life and personality to the user experience. Why not add some music when you’re on the panel, then? The PS4 used this to great effect during the last generation, as countless custom themes included classic tracks that really helped to take things to the next level.
I’m not a big fan of the bleak music from the PS5 home screen to be honest, but that is negated by the fact that any game you hover over plays your own individual song, which is a really nice touch. In the meantime, on Xbox Series X, you will hear only the muted sound that occurs when you move through the menus. As silly as it sounds, it makes the Xbox Series X user interface seem a little soulless in comparison.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could buy a dynamic Halo theme that reproduces “A Walk in the Woods” whenever you are browsing menus or adjusting your settings? I personally would love to and hope that Microsoft will consider adding the music option to the home screen in the future.