Metal Gear Solid Delta's Xbox Series X port ironically runs considerably smoother than the PS5 Pro

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater’s recent release on consoles and PC has stirred up conversations regarding the game’s performance across current-generation consoles. According to Digital Foundry, Metal Gear Solid: Delta runs smoother on the Xbox Series X compared to the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro.

The Xbox Series S version, on the other hand, struggles significantly, owing to its weaker hardware specifications. Digital Foundry’s Thomas Morgan conducted an in-depth analysis of the game’s performance across the Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 5 Pro.

While the game features a performance mode targeting 60 FPS on the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PS5 Pro, none of these versions of Metal Gear Solid Delta are capable of achieving a steady 60 FPS. Morgan mentioned, “The bottom line is that the Series X enjoys a performance lead over both PS5 machines,” notably in areas like swamp and bridge sections, using area-by-area tweaks in ambient shading and global illumination.

Furthermore, the Xbox Series X’s 12 teraflop power profile offers an existing advantage over the base PS5’s 10 teraflops. Diving into performance metrics, the Xbox Series X achieves a dynamic max resolution of 1152p in Performance mode, compared to 1080p max on PS5. In Quality mode, the Xbox Series X offers 1152p at a minimum, surpassing the PS5’s 1080p floor, giving players sharper visuals on Microsoft’s console.

As for frame dips, Morgan added:

“Drops into the 40-50FPS range are possible in that opening string of areas, but overall, the Series X does ultimately end up giving VRR displays a higher baseline frame rate work from by a margin of 5-6FPS at times.”

Morgan noted that “combined with the wider 40-60Hz VRR range possible on the Xbox, it positions the Series X as the smoothest way to play the game on these three consoles.”

Morgan further added that while the Series X generally outperforms PlayStation’s lineup in Metal Gear Solid Delta, unfortunately, “it still has issues,” with moments where the PS5 would run smoother in certain sequences compared to the former console.

The Xbox Series S version, on the other hand, includes only a 30 FPS mode with Morgan noting that performance is “effectively lumbered with uneven frame pacing no matter what.” The frame rate on the Series S frequently dipped below 30 FPS, operating at a dynamic resolution that oscillates between 540p to 1080p.