PS5 review
Sony’s PlayStation 5 delivers on its promise of next-gen gaming.
The PS5 remains popular two years after its launch, but it is still challenging to find the stock in many countries. It’s a great gaming machine that offers a real generational leap over the PS4.
You can also enjoy 4K@60fps gaming without breaking a sweat. It also features a custom-built SSD that speeds up loading times, an industry-leading controller, and tons of PS5-compatible titles. The console is a direct competitor of Microsoft’s flagship Xbox Series X. However, they are different in many ways.
Let me tell you, so get comfortable.
PS5 specifications
Price: $499 (standard), $399 (Digital Edition)
CPU: 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2
GPU: 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU
RAM: 16GB GDDR6
Storage: Custom 825GB SSD
Expansion: NVMe M.2 SSD slot
Disc drive: 4K Blu-ray player
Size: 15.4 x 10.2 x 4.1 inches
Weight: 9.9 pounds
REASONS TO BUY
- Bold console design with flair.
- Powerful next-gen hardware.
- Strong backwards compatibility.
- Excellent DualSense controller
- The best haptic feedback from controllers is in class
- It runs quieter than PS4 Pro
- A wide range of accessories available
- Spider-Man Miles Morales makes a great launch title
REASONS TO AVOID
- Only 667GB storage mentioned in the box
- There is no way to increase storage capacity at launch
- Console is very, very big
PS5 review: price and release date
- PS5 release date: Out now (released on November 12/19, 2020)
- PS5 price: $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$749.95
- PS5 Digital Edition price: $399.99 / £359.99 / AU$599.95
The PS5 was launched in the U.S. on November 12 and arrived in the U.K. on November 19. If you’re willing to discuss, the standard PS5 costs $499.
The PS5 is more costly than the PS4’s launch price. PS4 Pro Both were priced at $399.99. However, they were released seven years ago and four years ago. You can get a new generation of hardware for $100 less. Although the PS5 is still quite expensive, it’s a fair price for what you get.
PS5 review: design and build
- It’s huge for a modern gaming console
- The space-age aesthetic is highly polarizing
- The fan is larger and has more airflow.
Although there is a split opinion about the design of the PS5, I believe that its futuristic flared design and size create an air of power and awe.
The PS5 is an enormous piece of machine. The console measures 15.4 inches by 10.2 inches by 4.1 inches and dwarfs any other gaming system released in the last decade, such as the PS4 Slim or the PS4 Pro. It is also much larger than the Xbox Series X’s next-generation rival and makes the Xbox Series S seem like a child’s toy.
If you intend to place your PS5 vertically, you need a small table. The PS5 fit in my entertainment center in horizontal orientation. But it was barely. Before you install a PS5 at your home, measure the space available. The PS5 comes with a stand that can be detached and positioned horizontally or vertically. In vertical mode, the stand screws into the console’s bottom (the PS5 comes with a screw but no tools), while in the horizontal mode, it clamps onto the PS5’s rear port.
The little details enhance the PS5’s overall design. It’s the small details that make the PS5 standout. The console’s soft LED glow, which is blue when it’s on, white when it’s in use, and orange when it’s in rest mode has been reintroduced. There’s also a more extended power button and shorter eject buttons. It means you won’t have to eject a disk when you want to turn the console off.
The PlayStation 5’s front has two USB-A and USBC ports. While the back features two USB-A ports and an Ethernet port, it also includes an HDMI 2.0 port, an Ethernet port, and a power port. The console does not have any proprietary ports, which is always an advantage if you need to change a cable.
PS5 review: DualSense controller
- DualShock 4’s DualSense 4 controller feels like a revolution.
- Highlights include adaptive triggers, haptic feedback and the adaptive triggers
- The Mute button can be used to mute your microphone or, if you have HDMI CEC, it will turn off your TV.
The overall design of the controller is slightly different from the DualShock 4 controller. This is due to its larger handles, which give it a similar shape to Microsoft’s Xbox One controller. However, it does not have an analog stick layout.
The front panel is made of a soft-touch matte material that feels great in the hands, while the rear panel features a textured finish with tiny PlayStation icon symbols. Although gamers will love it, I have noticed that the Sony logo is slightly off-center. It’s impossible to see it again once you have seen it. We apologize for that!
Although the touchpad is now back on the DualSense controller, it remains in the central position above all the analog sticks. However, there have been some changes to its surrounding area. The original light bar was built into the rear trackpad and then the trackpad of DualShock 4. It now surrounds that trackpad. This gives it a bright outline that is easier to see from the corner of your eyes. The best part is that you won’t see the light bar reflection on your TV when gaming at night. It is something I believe we all can appreciate. You will also find taller Options or Create buttons, making them easier to find and press.
The new Sony controller comes with a built-in microphone, so you can chat with your friends even if you don’t have a headset. It works excellent in pinches. Marshall, my colleague on DualSense, was also using it. We were able to communicate with each other through the controller’s speaker. While you will still need a headset to hear your Call of Duty game and chat audio, it’s nice that the controller can be used to talk with friends via PS5 without a headset.
This is a significant step forward in haptics in Sony hardware. The haptic feedback was a far superior alternative to the old rumble. It can replicate the sensation of running across metal or other surfaces, and it is truly unique.
We’ve already seen haptic feedback support in every PS5 game that we have played. We hope to see more games include it in the future. However, we think the feature will shine best in first-party titles. Returnal uses DualSense to significant effect. It mimics the effects of rain using haptic feedback, and the trigger performs two fire types by pressing the trigger halfway or all the way. Accessibility should not be a concern as adaptive triggers or haptic feedback can either be disabled at the system level or adjusted to your specific needs.
PS5 review: Performance
The PS5 gaming experience is as unique as you would expect, especially for those who have spent six years playing on an ever-expanding PlayStation 4. The vast majority of PS4 gamers will immediately notice the improvement in visual quality and animation smoothness with high resolutions and a high frame rate.
Supported Ray tracing by the PS5 allows you to choose between Performance Mode (ray tracing enabled mode) or Fidelity Mode (ray tracing enabled mode). Fidelity Mode is swift, running at 30 frames per second. This pseudo-sequel to Spider-Man is available on the PS4 and takes place in the same city.
The PS5 is loaded with additional details, people, and traffic. Ray tracing creates amazing reflections on all windows, vehicles, and puddles. This transforms the presentation’s scale. This makes the city appear larger, busier, and more accurate. Miles Morales is the best advertisement yet for next-gen. It’s still early days, and this game was made for PS4 AND PS5. It is likely just a tiny glimpse of what’s coming next decades.
SSD storage is another option, which allows for speedy loading times. This will allow for more complex open-world titles and should make them faster in the long term. Red Dead Redemption 2 is loaded in just two minutes and twenty seconds from the PS4’s main screen. On the PS5, this time takes almost half of that time. Spider-Man Miles Morales can be loaded in ten seconds and eliminates all in-game loading screens.
Sony has made significant improvements to the PS5’s cooling system, making it eerily quiet after a few hours of gaming. I tried to make some noise by playing God of War on my PS4 Pro and PS4 Pro consoles, which notoriously transform them into jet engines. But, it was not working. I could not even hear the PS5 making any noise above the background hum in my flat. This is huge for me as I had put off games like God of War because of the uncontrollable fan whine.
PS5 review: features
- Quickly access the control center during playing games
- Activity cards have all new features
- Party chat allows you to screen share
While the design is essential, what makes a console stand out is its feature set. Thankfully, the PS5 has this.
Cards:
The PS5’s Cards are one of the most prominent features, with Activity Cards being the most important. You can track your trophy progress, jump into certain parts of a game such as a challenge or multiplayer mode, see how far you are on a level or get news from a developer. It’s possible to watch your friend’s gameplay on Livestream using a picture-in-picture mode. This is quite cool. You can also see cards as you dig deeper into the information of a game. This is displayed beautifully on your home screen.
Activities
Game creators can create PS5 games that allow you to jump into missions, modes, quests, and more directly from the console’s Control Center.
Control Center
You can quickly access the most frequently used features and game content without quitting your game. To see the Control Center overlay, press the PS button during play.
Challenges
You can take on unique challenges in PS5-supported games and share your results with PS5 friends to see if you can beat them. You will be notified if your friend hits you in time or score, and you have the chance to win them back.
Share screen with Multitasking
Online players can see the screen of their party members and play their games while they are playing.
Remote Play
You can access games on your PS5 console via streaming to another PS5 console or PC or Apple iOS or Android phones.
PS5 review: About heat and noise:
The PS5 was calm and quiet thanks to its large internal fan and large vents inside it. Even though I spent hours in Astro’s Playroom and snooping on crooks with Spider-Man, I didn’t notice any noises coming from the console. There were a few
audible noises when Star Wars Battlefront II was running. I could also hear the discs spin loudly when I first placed Blu-rays into the machine. The PS5 is quieter than the noises made by my PS4 when downloading a game.
PS5 review: Verdict
I hope that my PS5 review helped shed some light on Sony’s next-gen flagship and communicate why it is so special. With the way the gaming industry moves, this could be the last console generation. If it is, then the PS5 will be a fitting farewell to me.
The PlayStation 5 is my choice for PlayStation gamers. It’s an excellent system, and once a few minor issues like low storage space are fixed in the following months, it will be a console that will deliver exceptional experiences for PlayStation gamers for many years to come. So it was all for the product; if you liked this ps5 review article, then share it with others and if you have any problems or queries regarding this topic, feel at ease to ask in the comments section. I hope all this information was helpful for you.
