The Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a powerful gaming console that comes with several notable features, making it a significant upgrade from its predecessors.
I held off from purchasing a PS5 immediately after the release to see what happened with the price and released titles. Sadly I got this decision so wrong. Globally people snapped up the available consoles making it extremely difficult to get a new PS5.
The moment I unboxed my PS5 console and started that engine I could tell this was an insane upgrade over the PS4 console. Everything loads so fast!, the glowing blue light adds a nice touch and I really enjoyed playing the tutorial that showcased the various features of the DualSense wireless controllers, like blowing into the middle of the controller provides haptic feedback and player movement. Its worth playing the tutorial game just for a kick, graphics are on showcase and it’s a bit of fun.
Some of the key features of the PS5 include:
- Fast Loading Times: The PS5 features a high-speed SSD (Solid State Drive) that significantly reduces loading times, allowing games to start and load in seconds.
- Ray Tracing Graphics: The PS5 supports ray tracing, a rendering technique that delivers more realistic and immersive graphics with advanced lighting and reflections.
- 4K Gaming: The console can output games in 4K resolution, providing stunning visuals with sharp details and vibrant colours.
- 120Hz Refresh Rate: It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, allowing for smoother and more responsive gameplay.
- Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers: The new DualSense controller provides haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, enhancing the gaming experience by providing more nuanced tactile sensations.
- 3D Audio: The PS5 offers 3D audio technology, delivering immersive sound that allows players to hear sounds from various directions, heightening the gaming experience.
- Backward Compatibility: The PS5 is backward compatible with a wide range of PS4 games, allowing you to enjoy your existing game library on the new console.
- Game Library: The PS5 features a growing library of exclusive games, including titles like “Demon’s Souls,” “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,” and “Spider-Man: Miles Morales.”
- Ultra HD Blu-ray: The PS5 comes with an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, allowing you to play 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray movies.
- Faster Load Times: Thanks to the SSD and improved hardware, games and applications load much faster, enhancing the overall user experience.
- Create Button: The DualSense controller includes a “Create” button, which allows players to capture and share gameplay moments more easily.
- User Interface (UI): The PS5’s user interface has been redesigned, offering a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
- Expandable Storage: The PS5 has an NVMe SSD slot that allows for expandable storage, giving users more flexibility for game installations.
- PlayStation Plus Collection: PS5 owners with a PlayStation Plus subscription gain access to the PlayStation Plus Collection, which includes a selection of popular PS4 games.
These are some of the standout features of the PlayStation 5, which collectively make it a top-tier gaming console for both current and next-generation gaming experiences.
GTA 6 Is coming to PlayStation 5. After 10+ years of silence, RockStar Games has released the first trailer.
Sony will let you stream PS5 games to the PS5 very soon.
Depending on what region you live in, you might be able to stream PS5 games in a matter of days.
Play over 4,000 PS4™ games on your PS5 console.
Sony is set to officially launch the ability to play cloud-streamed PS5 games on your PS5 in Japan, Europe, and North America beginning later in October, the company announced in a PlayStation Blog post on Wednesday.
Effortlessly stream 4K entertainment from your favourite apps and watch 4K Blu-ray™ discs (PS5 Digital Edition does not play discs). The game hub is moving us closer and closer to disc-less play and streaming as a business-as-usual addition.
Streaming PS5 games will be a perk for people who subscribe to PlayStation Plus Premium, the most expensive tier of Sony’s PlayStation Plus offerings (which recently got a price hike). Sony plans to roll out the feature in phases, with the below target release dates for each region:
- Japan: October 17th
- Europe: October 23rd
- North America: October 30th
To start, Sony is promising that you’ll be able to stream “select” PS5 games, but it plans to have “hundreds” of PS5 games available for streaming down the line. The cloud streaming-compatible games will include titles from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, digital games players might own like Resident Evil 4, Genshin Impact, and Fortnite, and even game trials for titles like Hogwarts Legacy and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. However, Sony didn’t specify which of these games will be available when the feature initially rolls out.
Sony also says you’ll be able to pick your preferred streaming resolution, with options including 4K, 1440p, 1080p, and 720p. However, Sony says that PS5 game streaming will only work on PS5s “at launch,” which leads me to think that you’ll be able to stream PS5 games to other devices at some point in the future.
Why does streaming your PlayStation games to your console matter?
Honestly, the console storage is lame. You are pretty much out of storage after installing 2-3 games on your console. A complete oversight from the PlayStation team. Regardless if there is some add-on subscription service for cloud servers the basic need for gamers to have a catalogue of available playable games is a basic need for a console. I’m shocked it’s so bad but Im not letting it stop me from making some DIY mods to increase my console storage.
But for the everyday person, why does this matter?
A) You are out of storage space on your PS5, but you don’t want to delete any of the games you have installed. Streaming is a solution to that problem.
B) Let’s say you are subscribed to PS+ Premium. There’s a PS5 game that you want to try out on the service. But you don’t know if you’ll like it or not, and you don’t want to go through the hassle or time to install it. Streaming is a solution to that problem.
So you can see that making the streaming service an option can eliminate the lag in install time, and storage restrictions and overall improve building your gaming collection. At a cost of course.
Harness the might of a custom CPU, GPU and SSD with Integrated I/O that rewrite the rules of what a PlayStation console can do. The console is super powerful and comes in a Disc drive or fully digital downloads. I really wanted the backwards compatibility of PS4 so I opted in for disc version. But the console is a powerhouse.
Playstation 5 is Backwards Compatible
There was a news leak before the PS5 was released that stated the console would not be PS4 backwards compatible and it sent shockwaves through the PlayStation gaming community, Luckily this was debunked and the backward compatibility of Playstation 4 games was confirmed as a working feature. I’ve got about 45 PS4 games and I’m on all kinds of progression levels on them, I do not want to have to replay all these games and buy new PS5 games.
This is a common feature that PlayStation launches with their products. This is an excellent addition for gamers. Sometimes you might feel like playing your older generation games for simplicity.
The Playstation 5 Exudes Crisp 4K Graphics
To really understand the difference between the PS4 and PS5 graphics capability I thought I would test two games side by side and judge the difference. I loaded up GTAV game and Red Dead Redemption 2 on both consoles. I also wanted two games that had a heavy load while delivering the graphics for the gameplay.
I thought PS4 GTAV graphics were lifelike and ahead of the class, but boy oh boy the PS5 graphics are instantly noticeable. You can see the off into the distance for “computer” miles. The grainy detail in PS4 turns into highly articulated grains and material skins. I well impressed by the detail and definition in the graphics shown by the PS5.
Playing Red Dead 2 on PS4 is a little chuggy when playing, switching between animations and gameplay mode takes a minute and the load screens are long and underwhelming. Playing Playstation 5 Red Dead II I really noticed a drop in load times, zero chugging and phenomenal detail in character and environment design and detail.
I originally thought we might see just a mild uptick in design and graphics output but the team at Playstation really delivered. This console is a pure joy to play on. The visuals are just stunning, when you ride your horse to a cliff top and just sit and use cinematic view it’s amazing to see a game that makes use of all this graphics power.
My Key Takeaway
In the world of gaming, the PlayStation 5 has been nothing short of a revolution. With its blazing-fast loading times, stunning 4K graphics, and innovative features like the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback, the PS5 has set a new standard for console gaming. Gamers have praised its robust game library, immersive audio, and exceptional attention to detail in its exclusive titles.
But what truly sets the PS5 apart is the sense of community and excitement it has generated. It’s not just a gaming console; it’s a cultural phenomenon, bringing players together from all walks of life, and creating unforgettable moments in both single-player adventures and multiplayer showdowns.
The PlayStation 5 has cemented its position as a gaming powerhouse, impressing gamers with its top-tier performance and remarkable features. As we embark on this new era of gaming, one thing is clear: the PS5 is a must-have for any serious gamer and a gateway to extraordinary gaming experiences. It’s not just a console; it’s an invitation to explore, compete, and connect in a whole new way.
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