PS5 RELEASE & REVIEW *
One-Minute Review
We were hoping for great things from the PS5, and Sony's next-gen console delivers.
Sony has re-imagined the key parts of the experience – from a simpler setup and new well-thought-out user interface, to a revolutionary controller and added bonuses for PS Plus members – and the result is a console that we can't help but be impressed with.
It's live today - you can buy PS5 in stores across the US and Australia (with the UK coming in a week). Gamestop had some high-value bundles go live, but Walmart will be adding stock later today. We've also added a section for the streaming media apps available on the PS5, so be sure to check that out, too.
- PS5 size comparison: is the PlayStation 5 too big?
- PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition: which next-gen Sony console is for you?
Sure, there are problems with how few first-party games there are at launch – and it would have been nice to see support for previous generations of PlayStation titles, not just PS4 games – but the PlayStation 5 feels like a solid investment nevertheless, and we're confident that the PS5 experience will improve with age.
You may feel tempted to run out and buy a 4K/120Hz TV with HDMI 2.1 to take full advantage of the console's peak capabilities, but even without one you'll enjoy unbelievably fast load times and a gorgeous new UI.
The PS5 caters to both primed and ready next-gen gamers and tepid PS4 owners looking to dip their toes into the future of gaming - and for the latter it's a console that so seamlessly bridges the gap between the last generation and the next that you probably won't need to boot up your PS4 ever again.
From big upgrades like the super-fast NVMe SSD and powerful GPU that enable higher frame rates and ray tracing, to subtle touches like the built-in microphone on the controller that can serve as a quick stand-in for a headset, the PS5 feels like it was built for ease of use as well as pure power.
We've yet to get our hands on the PS5 Digital Edition, which we may feel differently about, and we've yet to try out some of the PS5's streaming apps and entertainment functionality, but if you're still on the fence about buying the PS5, we can wholeheartedly recommend the console as a welcome upgrade over the PS4, and an exciting portal to next-gen gameplay.
- PS5 vs Xbox Series X: which console should you pick?
What's in the PS5 box? Find out in our PlayStation 5 unboxing video:
- PS5 release date: November 12 or November 19 depending on region
- PS5 price: $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$749.95
- PS5 Digital Edition price: $399.99 / £359.99 / AU$599.95
The PS5 release date in North America, Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand is November 12, 2020, which is just two days after the release of its next-gen rivals, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. For the rest of the world, the console becomes available one week later on November 19.
In terms of the PS5 price, you’re looking at $499.99 / £449.99 / AU$749.95 for the standard version of the console with a 4K Blu-ray disc drive. However, if that’s more than you want to spend, there’s also the PS5 Digital Edition, which doesn’t have a disc drive, and which is available for $399.99 / £359.99 / AU$599.95.
That's more than the launch price of the PS4 and PS4 Pro, which both came in at $399.99, but they arrived seven and four years ago respectively now, and you're getting a generational leap in hardware here for only a few hundred more. It's still expensive, don't get us wrong, but the jump in price does feel warranted for what you’re getting here.
Sony isn't the only console maker with new hardware on the block – you also have to consider the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S that are available at almost exactly the same time.
Priced at $499 and $299 respectively, they each have their own separate reviews so we won't spend much time talking about them here, but be sure to check out our PS5 vs Xbox Series X breakdown for more details about how the consoles stack up.
- Huge for a modern gaming console
- Space-age aesthetic is polarizing
- But the size means more space for air ventilation and a bigger fan
If gaming consoles had weight classes, the PS5 would be in the heavyweight division. We measured it at around 38.8 x 8 x 26cm (H x W x D) – though the curved surfaces make getting an exact measurement difficult. And it weighs in at 4.5kg, giving it a noticeable heft when you pick it up.
With those measurements in mind, it's easy to see how the PlayStation 5 is the largest console Sony has ever made, and it teeters on the brink of being simply too big for a device that's supposed to sit under your TV.
Many will have to rethink their current setup or upgrade their entertainment centers entirely to accommodate Sony's new machine, and that's a problem that no one should have to worry about when picking up a new console.
As for the colors and shape of the console, well, they can be kind of polarizing, too. Some of us on the team absolutely love the PS5 design, while some of us hate it. There's no denying, however, that its gargantuan size and two-tone color scheme demands attention in any home.
One element that's a delightful touch, and universally liked by the TechRadar team, is the system's subtle lighting effect, which creates a soothing hue when the console is in operation or rest mode.
It adds to the PS5's space-age look and feel, and represents a nice touch of continuity from the PS4. Much like the PS4, when the console is in rest mode the light turns orange, and when the PS5 is turned on it changes from blue to white.
We’re a bit bemused by Sony's choice to put glossy plastic down the center spine of the console, though, particularly as that's where the front USB ports are located. We can't say for sure, but there's a possibility that the plastic will become scratched over time unless you take extra care when plugging in devices - and if that's the case, it seems like a rather big oversight on Sony's part. It's also a big dust and fingerprint magnet.
Due to its curves and tall stature, it's not just a case of placing the console down and playing once you pull it out the box either - you'll need to wrap your head around the PS5's stand first.
The console can't be placed horizontally without it, and you risk impeding airflow if you don't use it when the PS5 is standing vertically. It's an extra step that, while necessary, will hopefully be omitted when the console's inevitable 'slim' version arrives in a couple of years.
The stand, while functional, feels slightly cheap in the hand. It has a small compartment to hold one lone screw (don’t lose this, as you'll need it when placing the console vertically) and at first glance, it doesn't look like the setup will actually work when laying the console flat.
To its credit, though, it does the job in a no-thrills fashion – however, we found the stand slipped off the small lip that it clamps onto multiple times when we shifted our unit into position.
In terms of ports, the front of the PS5 has a USB-A and USB-C port, while the back sports two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1, an Ethernet port and a power port. There are no proprietary ports on the console, which is always a bonus if you need to replace the odd cable.
How good is PS5's 3D Tempest Audio?
The PS5's 3D Tempest Audio is Sony's take on Dolby Atmos, or spatial audio in general. It works on any headset, with support for TV speakers coming sometime after the PS5’s launch.
We've tested various spatial audio solutions in the past, ranging from Windows Sonic to Dolby Atmos, and we've found that PS5's 3D Audio is a comparable experience overall, though we'd like to test it with more games in the future.
We enjoyed hearing ships fly past and over our head in Astro's Playroom, and appreciated being able to pick out thugs that were closing in on us in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. It's not as detailed or as realistic as we first hoped, though, at least not at this stage, and it will be up to developers to get the most out of the technology as it matures.
At launch, Sony says, you can expect to experience Tempest Audio in all four of its first-party titles (Astro's Playroom, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls and Sackboy: A Big Adventure), with additional titles coming after launch.
What about heat and noise?
The PS5's monstrous footprint gives it one significant advantage over its predecessor in that the console is basically silent – and heat production is also minimal.
It's a monumental improvement over the PS4 and PS4 Pro, which were renowned for their ability to kick up the system fans to obnoxious levels and output lots of heat, particularly on the earlier models.
We held our hand near the system during a long play session, and although the PlayStation 5 was clearly outputting hot air (as it's designed to do) it was emitting far less than what the PS4 Pro would push out.
Very rarely in our testing did the fans reach an audibly loud level to the degree that the PS4 Pro did when running games like Horizon: Zero Dawn or God of War.
However, that could simply be due to the fact that we haven't seen any resource-heavy next-gen-only games yet. Sony has also promised that it plans to optimize the PS5's fans using over-the-air updates, so the machine could get louder, or indeed quieter, with certain games later down the line.
- New DualSense Controller feels like a revolution over the DualShock 4
- Highlights are the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback
- Mute button can mute your mic or, if your TV has HDMI CEC, your TV
To navigate this brave new world of console gaming, you'll need a new gamepad – namely, the new Sony DualSense controller. You'll be pleased to hear that you get a DualSense controller in the box with your PS5. The DualSense feels similar in the hand to the DualShock 4 that shipped with the PS4, and we found it to be incredibly comfortable to hold for extended periods.
Picking it up for the first time, the DualSense is fairly light and balanced, with most of the weight resting in the grips of the controller. While the majority of the controller features a matte white plastic finish, the bottoms of the grips themselves have a slightly rougher texture that actually makes the controller easier to hold, and less likely to slip out of your hands.
In fact, if you look closely, the texture is made up of tiny PlayStation face buttons, which is a neat little touch.
The two-tone PS5 controller color scheme extends to the four face buttons, which still consist of the classic Triangle, Circle, Square and Cross (or X); however these are now devoid of color, and remind us of the PS Vita's minimalist approach.
Battery life, so far, has been a monumental improvement over the DualShock 4. We played through a handful of PS5 and PS4 titles during our testing, including Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Astro's Playroom, and the controller eventually ran out of charge after 12 hours and 30 minutes.
That's an impressive feat when you consider the DualShock 4 lasted around five to eight hours at a stretch. While internal batteries can degrade over time, it's a strong start for Sony's new pad, particularly when you consider how much technology is packed into it. Of course, you can also use the controller wired if you prefer.
To charge the DualSense, you have two options: either connect it to the PlayStation 5 itself with the USB-C to USB-A cable that comes inside the box, or shell out for the optional DualSense Charging Station, which can charge two controllers at a time using the metal conduits on the bottom of the pad near the 3.5mm audio jack.
You can also charge the controller, or your USB headset, via the rear USB ports, or opt to use a USB-C to USB-C cable when using the front USB-C port to charge the DualSense controller.
Either option works well, but the Charging Station does certainly look nicer sitting on the shelf, and more cost-effective third-party charging stations will likely become available in the coming months. We'll also need to test whether charging the controller via a USB-C to USB-C cable is quicker than using the USB-C to USB-A cable that comes with the console.
PS5 FEATURES
- Redesigned user interface with beautiful splash screens for every game
- PlayStation button has all new features
- Spotify music integration returns on the PS5
- Party chat allows you to screen share
Design is one thing, but what can really elevate a console to the next level is its feature set – and thankfully the PS5 delivers here.
The PS5 innovates on what Sony's consoles have done in the past and, as a result, it might take a minute or two to get used to some of the new controls – pressing and holding the PlayStation button on the controller no longer brings up the quick menu, for example, but instead brings up a new Control Center.
This operates in much the same way as the quick menu did, and lets you view various sub-menus such as your Friends list, downloads in progress, notifications and, if you have your account linked, Spotify.
One of the more prominent new features is the PS5's Cards, with the most impactful being Activity Cards. Cards have various functions, allowing you to track trophy progress, jump into specific parts of a game like a challenge or multiplayer mode, see how far along you are on a game level, or simply see news from a developer. You can even watch a livestream of your friend’s gameplay using a picture-in-picture mode, which is pretty cool.
Cards are also present as you delve further into a game’s information, which is now displayed beautifully on the home screen.
By pressing down on the D-pad or flicking down on the analog stick, you can see the available Cards at a glance, circumventing the need to visit a game's main menu or particular mode to find out what's going on. They should prove useful for gamers of a lesser ability, too, as they can contain in-game hint videos in supported titles that help you overcome specific challenges or find that one last collectible.
Streaming video services and other apps
Of course, game consoles can do more than just provide your thumbs with something to do - modern consoles are also full-on streaming video players.
Right now, you'll find over a dozen supported streaming services on the PS5 including most major services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock and Apple TV, as well as a few more niche services like Twitch, Funimation, NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN, Vudu, Tubi, WWE Network and Crunchyroll.
The selection here isn't as big as you'd find on, say, a Roku streaming player, and it is missing a few services like YouTube TV, but it should be enough for most folks.
The bad news is that not all of these apps will be available to stream in 4K/HDR: Netflix and Amazon Prime are, at the very least, but it doesn't appear that Disney Plus or Apple TV offer 4K/HDR streaming quite yet.
The worse news is that, as far as we've seen, there's no support anywhere on the console for Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision. We thought we might see them appear on launch day, but neither materialized.
What that means, unfortunately, is that the PS5 is really only a middling media player - it can't best dedicated streamers like the Nvidia Shield, Amazon Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K or the new Roku Ultra, and isn't the console we'd recommend to our cinephile friends looking to host movie night with the highest fidelity films.
PS5 GAME LIBRARY
- Every PS5 comes with Astro’s Playroom installed
- Early stand-out titles are Demon’s Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- PlayStation Plus Collection is a great introduction to new players
- Limited backwards compatibility with PS3, PS2 and PSOne games
Most consoles don't launch with a full library of games right off the bat, so the bar is pretty low here for the PS5. That being said, what you make of the PlayStation 5's current game library largely depends on if you finished the masterpieces from the PS4's era – games like God of War, The Last of Us Part II, Marvel's Spider-Man and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
If you haven't finished them, or haven't played them at all, you could have over a dozen excellent games to play from the second you turn on the PS5 via backwards compatibility.
If you have PS Plus, you might also have access to some older games that passed you by, as Sony's new PlayStation Plus Collection includes 20 defining games from the last generation that you can download on day one. Every PS5 comes pre-installed with Astro's Playroom, too, and it's a thrilling showcase for what the system can do.
While not everyone at TechRadar feels the same regarding Sony’s pack-in game, we found Astro's Playroom to be silly but fun, even if it isn't going to win Game of the Year 2020.
Backwards compatibility
Those masterpieces that we mentioned earlier? Those are all part of Sony's new PlayStation Plus Collection: a small library of hits from the PS4 that Sony's making free to PlayStation Plus subscribers on the PS5.
Some real mainstream hits are included, but also some less-popular gems that are well worth checking out, like Persona 5 and The Last Guardian. The PlayStation Plus Collection might never swell to the size of Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass lineup, but even with the 18 games available right now it's a great perk for PS Plus subscribers.
What about folks who want to play older games? Well, the PlayStation 5 can play almost any PS4 game (99% of them to be exact), and select PS3/PS2 titles via PlayStation Now… but that's it.
There's no way to pop in a PS3 disc and have it work, or transfer over your PlayStation Classics purchases you made on the PS Vita a few years ago.
We're as disappointed as you are with that lack of backwards-compatibility support for Sony’s previous generation of games, particularly as Xbox 360 games (physical discs included) work on the Xbox Series X, but it's not uncommon for a new console to only support the last generation of games as manufacturers look to the future.
Accessing your old PS4 games is thankfully a cinch on Sony's new system. Simply select the Library icon and the PS5 will automatically pull in all your digital purchases and previously installed games, providing you're signed into your PlayStation Network account.
You'll need to redownload them to the console, of course, or insert the physical disc to activate a game's licence. Some games have been upgraded to run better than ever on PS5, too, like Days Gone, which now runs at a silky-smooth 60fps, while God of War can now comfortably hit its 60 frames per second target using the game’s performance mode.
One thing to note is that you may notice your save file is missing when you boot up a PS4 game that you previously owned for the first time – that's because you'll need to redownload your save files from the cloud onto your PS5 console first.
PS Plus members have access to cloud saves, but if you haven't been backing up your save files over the air, then you may notice your data won’t be there initially.
It's not the most seamless system, admittedly, and is bound to confuse some users, but support for carrying over your save files appears to be there for most older titles we tested – however, this will vary on a case by case basis.
(Image credit: Future) SHOULD YOU BUY THE PS5?
Buy it if...
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