The wait for a next-gen console isn’t similar to the wait for a new flagship smartphone or any other piece of tech. You get a new iPhone or Galaxy phone every year, but that’s not the case with Sony’s PlayStations. Sony has been releasing new PlayStation consoles every 6 years, with the original PS coming out in 1994, PS 2 in 2000, PS3 in 2006, PS4 in 2013, and now, the PS5, announced not too long ago this year. This is why a new PlayStation console is more anticipated than your average tech reveal. It’s not even just about the wait, since getting a new PS can be an emotional moment since you probably stuck with the last one for quite some time.
The next generation of consoles is finally out, however, and there’s no room for the past. Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X claim their consoles can deliver performance matching that of a gaming PC, and honestly, they’re not kidding.
Overview and Price
Sony’s newest PlayStation stands out from its previous generations in terms of design, quite literally. You can now set up your new PlayStation in a vertical configuration as well as the traditional horizontal one, thanks to the new stand that Sony is shipping along with the PS5. But that isn’t even the most distinctive feature, unlike PlayStations 1 through 4 which were all shipped in black as their default color, the new PS5 sports a modernized matte-finished white body with a little bit of black in the middle and a blue LED running through the length of its body. It is eye-catching, to say the least, but fans are concerned it might not blend in with their not-so-futuristic furniture. Even the new controller sports a neat black-and-white look and has a charging dock that looks like a mini-PS5 itself.
With design out of the way, let’s talk price. In the USA the PS5 is selling for $499 apiece, while the digital edition of the PS5 which has no CD drive is selling for $399 apiece. Each PS5 DualShock5 controller costs $70. This high price tag hasn’t stopped people from buying the new console, as it seems that it is currently completely sold out in the USA from all major distributors.
PS5 Technical Specifications
| PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition | |
| Price | Rs. TBA | Rs. TBA |
| Resolution | 4K @ 60fps, up to 120fps | 4K @ 60fps, up to 120fps |
| Disc | 4K UHD Blu-ray | None (Digital-only) |
| CPU | Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.5GHz with SMT (variable frequency) | Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.5GHz with SMT (variable frequency) |
| GPU | Custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU 36 CUs @ 2.23GHz (variable frequency) | Custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU 36 CUs @ 2.23GHz (variable frequency) |
| 10.28 teraflops GPU power | 10.28 teraflops GPU power | |
| RAM | 16GB GDDR6 RAM | 16GB GDDR6 RAM |
| Memory bandwidth | 448GB/s | 448GB/s |
| Storage | 825GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD | 825GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD |
| External storage | NVMe SSD Slot, support for USD HDD | NVMe SSD Slot, support for USD HDD |
| I/O throughput | 5.5GB/s (raw), 8-9GB/s (compressed) | 5.5GB/s (raw), 8-9GB/s (compressed) |
| Dimensions | 390 x 104 x 260 mm (15.35 × 4.09 × 10.23 inches) | 390 x 92 x 260 mm (15.34 × 3.62 × 10.23 inches) |
| Weight | 4.5kg (9.92 pounds) | 3.9kg (8.59 pounds) |
While this still is not as powerful as a juiced-up gaming PC, it’s almost on par at less than half the price.
PS5 Controller
Perhaps one of the PS5’s biggest plus points against rival Xbox Series X is its new DualShock 5 controller which comes with improved haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
This means that the physical vibrational response to in-game events will be more realistic, and you can now feel varying levels of force on your L2 and R2 trigger keys based on what weapon you’re using if it is a shooting game, or whether you’re accelerating or braking in a driving game. It really makes it’s hefty $70 price tag feel justified.
PS5 Games
Sony announced Spider-Man: Miles Morales as its flagship game, set to launch alongside the PS5, apart from that, not a lot of games made exclusively for the PS5 are currently available. A couple of new titles such as Assassins Creed: Valhalla, and Cyberpunk 2077 are anticipated, but they can also be played on the PS4, the PS5 will just deliver better performance and clarity.
Moreover, the PS5 will also support older generation games, meaning you can transfer your PS4 games to the new console, with a few exceptions.