Overview

As Sony and Microsoft gear up to release their next-gen consoles, many consumers are wondering which is the right console for them. We’ve reviewed the upcoming PlayStation 5 here to help you make your decision.

The PS5 will hit stores on November 12^th in the US, and is available for pre-order now. It will cost $499.99, with the digital edition cheaper at $399.99.

Check out our guide for an overview of the console, what games are available at launch and more.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

In-built 4K Blu-ray player (standard edition only) – you’ll be able to watch films in very high quality with this handy feature.
Top exclusive games – PlayStation has a reputation for fantastic exclusives. The God of War, The Last of Us and Uncharted franchises are all PlayStation exclusives, as is Marvel’s Spider-Man (and the upcoming Miles Morales edition).
Backwards compatibility – many of your favorite PS4 games will be available via backwards compatibility from launch, so you’ll have a huge library to choose from while you wait for more next-gen games to be released. We don’t have concrete details yet, but it’s thought backwards compatibility will be available with pretty much every PS4 game – with some running better via Game Boost.

Cons:

High price point – the PS5 is clearly very expensive, which could put many consumers off. Even the digital edition is very pricey.
Size – the PS5 is larger than any previous edition of the PlayStation. In fact, it’s actually the largest game console in recent history. The Xbox Series X is far more compact and convenient in comparison.
Exclusives – some of the PS5 exclusive games are actually also compatible with PS4, so aren’t really ‘exclusives’ at all. These cross-gen games include Horizon Forbidden West and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Key Specs

CPU: AMD Zen 2, 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
GPU: 28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23 GHZ (variable frequency), RDNA 2 architecture
RAM: 16GB GDDR6
Internal storage: Custom 825GB SSD
Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot
External storage: USB HDD support (PS4 games only)
IO throughput: 5.5GB/s (raw), typical 8-9GB/s (compressed)
Memory interface: 16GB GDDR6/256-bit
Memory bandwidth: 448GB/s
Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray drive (standard edition only)

Design and controller

The PS5 has a very aesthetically pleasing, streamlined design – even if it is a huge console.

It has a clean, white casing which forms two fin-like shapes either side of a slim black interior. It’s accented with blue lighting.

The standard edition has a very slim disc drive, while the digital edition comes without.

The DualSense Wireless Controller is mostly white, with some black detailing around the joysticks and trigger buttons. Like the console itself, the controller also has blue highlighting.

The controller includes haptic feedback, which makes for an immersive gaming experience, as well as adaptive triggers – which means you have more control over actions like braking in a car, for example.

Another feature is the create button, which makes it easy to record and share gameplay. There’s also a built-in mic, a mute button, and a jack to connect a headset.

Like the PS4’s DualShock 4, there’s also a built-in battery and speaker, and the controller is motion sensitive. The controller is chargeable, and there’s a separate charging dock available – or you can connect your controller to your console via USB to charge.

The DualShock 4 controller will be available for use with backwards compatible PS4 games.

If you’re planning on using your PS5 as a home entertainment center, there’s also a Media Remote available. This is a very slim, white remote with shortcut buttons to Disney Plus, YouTube, Netflix and Spotify, as well as standard functions like volume control.

Performance

The PS5 looks to be a very powerful console.

It’s shaping up to be around 10 times as fast as the PS4, from looking at the SSD. It also seems like the PS5 shouldn’t overheat or make as much fan noise as the PS4, thanks to the GPU allowing for regulating power consumption across games.

The PS5 is compatible with 4K display, and even 8K. It will also use 3D audio, making for a high-quality, immersive experience.

Some backwards compatible PS4 games will also get an enhanced performance on the PS5 courtesy of Game Boost.

Games

Games that will be available on PS5 include:

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PlayStation exclusive)
Horizon Forbidden West (PlayStation exclusive)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PlayStation exclusive)
Gran Turismo 7 (PlayStation exclusive)
Returnal (PlayStation exclusive)
Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PlayStation exclusive)
Demon’s Souls (PlayStation exclusive)
Destruction AllStars (PlayStation exclusive)
God of War: Ragnarok (PlayStation exclusive)
Godfall (PS5 exclusive)
Deathloop (PS5 exclusive)
Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5 exclusive)
Project Athia (PS5 exclusive)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Watch Dogs Legion
Far Cry 6
Hitman 3
Pragmata
Fortnite
EA Sports FIFA 21
NBA 2K21
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Marvel’s Avengers
Grand Theft Auto V (and Grand Theft Auto Online)
Resident Evil Village

Verdict

Overall, the PS5 certainly looks like an excellent console.

If you’re already a PlayStation gamer, the PS5 definitely seems the right console for you.

However, if you’re undecided – or usually an Xbox gamer – it might be worthwhile looking into the Xbox Series X before you commit to a PS5, especially with the news of Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda.

The decision on which console to buy is also massively informed by your favorite games – if you’re confident all your favorites will be available on PS5, go for it.

FAQ

Is the PS5 in 4K?

The standard edition comes with a 4K UHD Blu-ray player built-in to the console. The PS5 will support 4K, and even 8K.

Can you only play the PS5 on a 4K TV?

No, you don’t need a 4K TV to play your PS5.

What’s the difference between the two versions of PS5?

The standard edition includes a disc drive, while the digital edition does not. When using the digital edition, you’ll download all your games from the PlayStation 4. This means you won’t need any physical game discs at all, but also means you won’t be able to play DVDs on your PS5.