What is the best choice: PS5 native disc vs PS5 upgrade for PS4 games?

[EvelynMH]

I just got a PS5 and I’m trying to decide which version of a game to buy when there’s a free PS4 to PS5 upgrade available. Is the upgrade path always the better deal, or does buying the native PS5 edition on disc offer any real advantage I’m missing?

[Samuel.W]

I usually go with the free upgrade when it's offered. On my PS5, the games that used the PS4 base loaded a lot faster after the upgrade, and I didn't lose my save as long as the title supports cross‑gen saves. The caveat is you still need to grab the right build and some games make you download a fresh copy anyway.

[OliviaT]

I bought the native disc edition for one game because I wanted the physical box and the idea of a true PS5 version. Did I notice a real difference? Slightly better textures and stable frame rate in some scenes, but not across the board.

[Steven55]

Maybe the real problem isn't upgrade vs disc at all—sometimes the game just feels the same but with longer load screens depending on patches and server status.

[Zachary.H]

If you care about physical discs or resale value, the disc edition makes sense, otherwise the free upgrade path is plenty.