After 25 years, Sony will release the PlayStation 5. The PlayStation 5 can play 4K native games at 120 frames per second, outperforming the Xbox Series X. (on supported screens).
Sony is adding more than graphics. DualSense's latest controller outperforms DualShock. It boasts adjustable triggers that tighten when squeezed and immersive tactile feedback surrounding the gamepad. Astro's Playroom, a free pack-in game, shows its potential.
The PlayStation 5 is less powerful than the Xbox Series X, although multiplatform games look the same on both systems. Exclusive launch titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon's Souls make Sony's system more appealing. Sony's debut title is better, but this console fight will last years.
Design & Ports: Unusual console, amazing controller
I like unique gadgets, especially home entertainment systems, but the PlayStation 5 goes too far. PlayStation 5 can be upright or flat. It is quite tall at almost 15 inches.
Microsoft's Xbox Series X is the most basic, black box-shaped console ever, but compared to the PlayStation 5's fussy design, it's refreshingly simple and tiny. Both weigh roughly 10 pounds and are heavily packed tech behemoths, but the PS5 has a lot of needless flourish. It needs a compact, portable stand for horizontal or vertical use. Utility wasn't considered in the design.
The console has a glossy black plastic core surrounding by matte white plastic. The console is well-ventilated. Vertically set consoles have disc drives on the left. PS5 Digital Editions without this drive save $100. It's uniformly smaller.
The basic model has small black power buttons and a left eject button. Core ports include USB and USB C. Flipping the console reveals two more USB ports, an HDMI port, power cable port, and Ethernet port for wired internet (the PlayStation 5 also supports Wi-Fi).
Controller: A true game-changer for haptics
The DualSense controller, like the DualShock 4, has parallel dual analog sticks, a touchpad above, PlayStation button icons, and trigger buttons. It looks like the console, but it's less weird here. When powered on, the touchpad light and white and black plastic contrast nicely. If a power outage occurs, you can charge it over USB-C while playing.
Together, DualSense makes the Xbox Series X seem better than its predecessors.
More importantly, as the name change implies, the DualSense controller has more going on below. Haptic Feedback improves rumbling. It gives your hands precise vibrations at varying intensities. It's subtle, but it matters when you're web-swinging like Spider-Man.
Adaptive triggers transform game play. They give varied resistance, adjusted by game developers, to make actions like pressing the trigger of a rifle, lining up an arrow to fire, or firing a web while swinging across Manhattan more tactile. The DualSense is enough to make me prefer it over the Xbox Series X or Xbox One.
In any event, I'll buy a multiplatform game for DualSense on PS5 rather than Xbox. Astro's Playroom, a whimsical platform adventure full of PlayStation memories, is the best DualSense controller demo, demonstrating haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, touch, and tilt controls through amusing and creative obstacles. It's free on PlayStation 5. Before the tutorial, I smiled enormously.
Storage: You’ll need more
The PlayStation 5 has 825GB of internal storage, which is strange and limiting given the growing size of titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War (133GB). After formatting and factoring in Sony's software footprint, PS5's 667GB is roughly 20% less than the Xbox Series X's 1TB SSD.
PlayStation 5's NVMe SSD delivers more than aesthetics. Compared to the PS4, loading speeds are tremendous.
PS4 games can be stored on a USB device. PS5 cannot do this. PS5's NVMe SSD port adds storage. Sony has not announced any console-compatible SSDs. You may have to pick your games carefully and wait to download them again.
Setting up: Select your position
Since the base stand must be put in one of two positions, you must pick how to position the PlayStation 5 right out of the box. Vertically position your console with the stand. It can be screwed to the bottom for side placement. It may spin, attach to the back, and lie horizontally. Even though it's a band-aid for the oddly-shaped console, it's a cleverly flexible plastic piece.
After that, connect the HDMI and power wires to a display and wall outlet. Press the power button and follow the on-screen directions to connect to a network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), sign into a PlayStation account, and update the console's firmware. PlayStation Smartphone helps with setup. Wi-Fi or Ethernet cables can transport data from the PS4 to the PS5.
Speed: Power and speed are combined
PlayStation 5's hardware is identical to Xbox Series X's, although it's configured differently. Each has an AMD Zen 2-based octa-core CPU and AMD RDNA 2 graphics. The Xbox Series X has 52 compute units at 1.825Ghz, while the PS5 has 36 at 2.23Ghz. Difference? The Xbox hits 12 teraflops, while the PS5 hits roughly 10.3 teraflops, more than five times the original PS4 and double the PS4 Pro edition.
PlayStation 5 games are gorgeous, even though the PS4 game update is minimal.
Xbox Series X outpowers PlayStation 5. Multiplatform games on both platforms look nearly identical and can output native 4K at 120Hz on 120Hz TVs.
Both consoles will support 8K shortly. As developers use more graphical capabilities, the consoles may differ more, but for now they're similar. The PS5's high-resolution sharpness won't show up on a 1080p TV.
PS5 games look great despite being a little upgrade from PS4. Spider-Man Miles Morales, PlayStation 5's most popular game, supports native 4K. This creates amazing lighting and reflections using resource-intensive real-time Ray Tracing. These effects are rendered in real time. The smoother 60 frames-per-second speed mode reduces visual glare. Choosing is hard!
Ubisoft's multiplatform historical adventure Assassin's Creed Valhalla and the PS5-exclusive remake of Demon's Souls include stunning monsters and surroundings. They run smoother and seem more vivid and immersive on PlayStation 5, but a peek at the PS4 editions of Miles Morales and Assassin's Creed indicates that it's the same core game on both consoles—it looks better, but it's not transformative for these first-wave releases.
PlayStation 5's NVMe SSD delivers more than graphics. Its loading times are unmatched by the PS4. Fortnite currently takes 20 seconds to load from the console interface to the game menu, while Miles Morales loads into Manhattan in a few seconds. The Xbox Series X boosts games and eliminates loading time.
Quick Resume lets Xbox Series X users switch between compatible games in seconds. This saves time and avoids loading each game individually. Given the PS5's fast loading times and SSD tech, I hope Sony will implement such a tool. The PS4's loud disc drives are still irritating, but the PS5 is quieter and more comfortable.
software: Great exclusives and even more
The PS5 interface is more dynamic than the PS4, moving the traditional, centered row of horizontal game and media icons to the top of the screen to allow way for graphics and infoboxes. The PlayStation button on the controller brings up a navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, making it easy to navigate despite its striking appearance. Improve the new PlayStation Store design. It should help gamers find game categories and deals.
I like unique gadgets, especially home entertainment systems, but the PlayStation 5 goes too far.
Sony secured several PlayStation 5 exclusives. The Xbox Series X launch line-up was very different. Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure debuted on PS4 the same day, but they're not old titles with new graphics like Microsoft's Xbox Series X portfolio. Miles Morales, Insomniac Games' thrilling and stunning Spider-Man spin-off, has heart and character. A limited edition includes a cosmetically remastered version of the first game. Sackboy, meanwhile, is light, family-friendly entertainment.
Masochists may like Demon's Souls' rough but rewarding battle. Astro's Playroom is a PS5 exclusive that uses the new controller and pays homage to PlayStation history. Bugsnax, an oddly charming indie game from Octodad: Dadliest Catch, is another PS5 launch game not available on Xbox. PlayStation Plus members get it free at launch.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War, NBA 2K21, and Dirt 5 are among the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 4 multiplatform games available on PS5 with enhanced graphics. Sony has promised a regular stream of huge games for the platform in 2021 and beyond, including new God of War, Horizon, and Final Fantasy games.
Sony is less interested in backwards compatibility for older games than Microsoft. The PlayStation 5 supports most major PS4 titles, and some—like God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and Final Fantasy XV—have smoother frame rates due to its power. The Xbox Series X automatically loads and increases framerates for games from the original Xbox. The PlayStation 5 only plays PS4 games and does not allow developers to add upgrades.
PlayStation Plus subscribers may download 20 of the PS4's most popular and highly acclaimed games from a new PlayStation Plus Collection. God of War, Persona 5, Ratchet & Clank, The Last of Us Remastered, and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End are in that bundle. It's a great library for new games and modern classics.
The PlayStation 5 has Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, and Twitch, as well as a disc drive that plays 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, normal Blu-ray discs, and DVDs.
Price
The Digital Edition costs $399, whereas the normal PlayStation 5 costs $499. The Digital Edition may appeal to those who have given up on physical media because performance, storage, and other specs are the same except for the disc drive. Since there's no optical disc drive, it's thinner.
Due to its larger catalog of PlayStation-exclusive games and DualSense controller, the PS5 outperforms the Xbox Series X at launch. Before buying new gear, wait for more PS5 exclusive games. The PS4 has most of these games, so wait.
Sony PlayStation 5 vs. Microsoft Xbox Series X
Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are powerful consoles. Their native 4K games are clear and detailed. SSD storage speeds up loading of both games.
Despite looking the same, the Xbox Series X gives developers more capabilities than the Xbox 360. Microsoft hardware has improved backwards compatibility, Quick Resume, and a smaller, sleeker form.
The DualSense controller is an improvement over the Xbox Series X gamingpad, and the PlayStation 5 has great games from the outset. The PS5 has more of a next-gen spark, whereas the Xbox Series X—at least for now—focuses on improving older games.
The PS5 costs $499, which seems excessive for a system with many of the same games and better loading times. If you're willing to spend, those upgrades are great. The DualSense controller plus exclusives like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, and Astro's Playroom make the PlayStation 5 a better buy today. Sony's early advancements are more intriguing than the Xbox's final power.
