With the release of the PS5, the next generation of PlayStations is now officially arrived. The strategy that made the PS4 so popular appears to be what Sony is maintaining with this generation as well: offering first-party games from their renowned brands on platforms that can also play fantastic third-party games. Expect improved visuals in your games, and if your display can handle high refresh rates, the PS5 will also support them, which should result in a smoother gaming experience. Furthermore, the PS5’s proprietary SSD is expected to provide such a significant improvement in loading times that it may alter the way video games are created.
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As we’ve already discussed in our review, the PS5 is actually rather nice. Games load quickly, the new controller is fantastic, and the console’s UI is more simplified than that of the PS4. Even though there aren’t many real next-generation games out just yet, we thought it made a fantastic first impression.
In addition to offering the considerably less powerful Xbox Series S, Microsoft also boasts a powerful system in the form of the Xbox Series X, which promises improved visuals and quicker loading times. The firm still offers one of the finest gaming discounts around with Xbox Game Pass, a Netflix-like game subscription service that works with both Xbox and PC titles. Although the majority of PS4 games are compatible with the PS5, the new Xbox consoles have backwards compatibility not just with Xbox One but also with many Xbox 360 titles and select original Xbox games.
We’ll have to wait and see which console ends up being a better investment overall. Here is all the information we currently know about the PS5, though, if you’re interested in finding out more. (And see Sony’s comprehensive PS5 FAQ for many more details.)
While there are two PS5 systems, they are essentially identical.
Similar to Microsoft, Sony is offering two versions of its next system for the next generation. You can get a PS5 with a 4K Blu-ray drive for $499.99. However, the Digital Edition PS5 (which likewise seems substantially slimmer than its more costly sister) is available for $100 cheaper, at $399.99. In contrast to Microsoft, the only differences between those two versions are the price and console type’s disc drive.
With a proprietary AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based GPU and eight core AMD Zen 2 CPU, the PS5 can provide 10.28 teraflops of raw graphics performance. Additionally, the PS5’s CPU and GPU are operated at varied frequencies by the console, which may cause the graphics to operate a little bit quicker than usual when the CPU isn’t operating at its best. Despite the fact that this technical presentation (skip to 35:30) suggests that the difference is minimal:
And the SSD I mentioned before that changed the game? Its 5.5GB/s throughput and 825GB of storage may be sufficient for game creators to create levels without the need for intricate hallways or elevator trips, which would otherwise conceal levels that are loading in the background. Take a look at how much quicker PS5 games loaded in our tests compared to their PS4 counterparts:
However, you should be aware that system data uses up a portion of the 825GB of storage space, leaving you with 667.2GB of usable space. Furthermore, because games are getting bigger and bigger, you can rapidly run out of useful space. For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War occupies 133GB, or about 20% of the console’s total capacity.
Although you won’t be able to increase the PS5’s capacity at launch, you will eventually be able to add a Sony-certified M.2 SSD. The actual availability date for such SSDs is unknown. Lead system architect for the PS5, Mark Cerny, stated back in March that the SSD certifications will probably take place “a bit past” the console’s release.
Additionally, the Xbox Series X will come with a unique SSD that has a speed of 2.4GB/s but 1TB of NVMe storage, of which 802GB is accessible. This might ultimately result in the Xbox Series X loading more slowly than the PS5, albeit this would depend on a number of different circumstances.
The PS5’s DualSense controller may be its most advanced component.
The DualShock controller line, which you may be familiar with from previous PlayStation systems, is significantly different from the one seen on the PS5. However, it boasts some novel features that might make it the most intriguing part of the PS5.
Let’s begin with the layout. The design of Sony’s DualShock controllers has remained consistent over generations, but the new DualSense controller for the PS5 is the first PlayStation controller to appear completely different from the original. While the DualSense does feature the standard layout that PlayStation fans are accustomed to, which consists of the DualShock 4’s central touch bar, two control sticks on the bottom, and a directional pad and buttons on the top half, the controller’s overall design is new, featuring wider lines and pointier handles.
The DualSense’s “Create” button has the same features as the DualShock 4’s “Share” button, which allowed you to record gameplay, take screenshots, and broadcast it. However, the PS5 automatically records the latest 60 minutes of your gaming at 1080p quality and 60 frames per second, which is an upgrade above the PS4’s 15-minute capture feature. You can manually record games in 4K on the PS5, but you’ll need to adjust a setting to make it work.
Still, there’s more to the DualSense than meets the eye. Haptic feedback has taken the role of traditional rumble, and it should provide you with varying degrees of input based on what’s going on in your game. Additionally, the controller features “adaptive triggers,” which may imitate various resistances and be used to generate tension, for example, while drawing back a bow. In case you were wondering, here’s a peek inside the controller’s internal circuitry that permits the adaptive triggers to increase resistance.