If you’re a console enthusiast, you will not want to miss out on Sony’s upcoming next-gen release, Sony PlayStation 5. With PS5 set to hit the shelves on November 12 in the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, and South Korea, and on November 19 in the rest of the world, many gamers are eagerly anticipating its launch.
With that in mind, it’s safe to assume that people have a lot on their minds regarding the upcoming release. Which novelties will PS5 bring to the table? What are PS5’s specs? What new exclusives will it bring? How much will it cost? These are just some of the questions that are probably haunting you.
No worries; we’re here to help! Let’s look at everything you need to know about Sony PS5 to put your mind at ease.
PS 5 and PS 5 Digital Are Coming!
If you’ve been zealously following PS5 updates, you’ve likely noticed that Sony will be releasing two different consoles, not one. The devices in question are Sony PS5 and Sony PS5 Digital Edition. But what is different about them?
There will only be two distinctions between the two:
- The price — Sony PS5 Digital Edition will be $100 cheaper than the Sony PS5.
- The presence of a disc drive — Sony PS5 will have a disc drive for physical game copies, while the PS5 Digital Edition will only deal with digital game copies.
Aside from the above two, the two consoles will have identical specs!
If having a disc drive and access to physical game copies means a lot to you, you should look to get yourself a regular PS5. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to settle for the cheaper PS5 Digital Edition!
PS5 Specs
Sony’s next-gen console will be a beast! Not only is the hardware receiving an all-around upgrade, but Sony will be introducing some new features in this gen too. If you’re wondering what kind of power PS5 is going to sport, here’s a full list of its specifications:
- CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU, 8 cores at 3.5GHz (With variable frequency)
- GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (With variable frequency)
- GPU Architecture: Custom RDNA 2
- RAM: 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit
- Memory Bandwidth: 448GB/s
- Internal Storage: Custom 825GB SSD
- IO Throughput: 5.5GB/s (Raw), typical 8–9GB/s (Compressed)
- Expandable Storage: NVMe SSD slot (Will be available after a future update, post-launch)
- External Storage: USB HDD support (Only for PS4 titles)
- Optical Drive: 4K UHD Blu-Ray drive
No wonder people say PS5 is going to be the new face of gaming!
What’s New?
Aside from killer specs, Sony has introduced multiple novelties to the PS5 that boost the device’s performance and improve user experience. Here are some of the most notable additions to this next-gen console:
- Controller Redesign — Sony’s new DualSense Controller is the biggest controller change for Sony consoles in years. Aside from the apparent color changes, this new controller will include various new features like an integrated microphone, improved ergonomic design, and a new “Create” button.
- Tempest 3D Audio Tech — PS5’s new 3D audio support will give the word immersion a whole new meaning. Console players will now finally be able to enjoy the 3D surround sound options that PC users have been relishing in for years!
- SSD Expandable Storage — The new-gen games taking up more and more storage space created the need for more of it. And Sony listened! Not only will PS5 sport an impressive 825GB SSD hard drive, but players will also be able to expand it down the line. This feature will allow gamers to enjoy a smooth gaming experience and never worry about storage again.
Aside from the fantastic novelties listed above, the PS5 brings with it plenty of exciting gaming exclusives, just like every new console generation. Some of these titles, gamers have been eagerly anticipating for years.
What are they? Let’s find out!
PS5 Exclusives
There will be three types of exclusive gaming titles on PS5’s release day — full exclusives, console exclusives, and timed exclusives. Let’s look at each of them!
PS5 Full Exclusives
The following games will be fully exclusive to the PS5, meaning that they won’t be available on any other console or platform (unfortunately, no PC):
- Astro’s Playroom
- Demon’s Souls Remastered
- Destruction AllStars
- Gran Turismo 7
- God of War: Ragnarok
- Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
- Returnal
- Stray
- Horizon Forbidden West (Launching on PS4 too)
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure (Launching on PS4 too)
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Launching on PS4 too)
PS5 Console Exclusives
The following games will be exclusive to the PS5 console but will still be available on PC:
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Project Athia
PS5 Timed Exclusives
The following games will be exclusive to PS5 for a limited time only. After the predetermined exclusive period, the games will become available on other consoles and platforms.
- Bugsnax
- Deathloop
- Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Godfall
- Goodbye Volcano High
- Oddworld: Soulstorm
Do note that many more non-console-exclusive games will be available on launch day, so gamers are guaranteed to have plenty of fresh titles to enjoy!
Backward Compatibility With PS4 Games
For all fans of classic PS4 games, we have some fantastic news. According to Sony, most PS4 games (99%) will be compatible with PS5! That means you will be able to enjoy most of your favorite PS4 titles on the next-gen console.
As you can imagine, all the PS4 games will enjoy the significant quality of life and graphical improvements that come with PS5. These include things like smoother framerate, ray tracing, up to 120 fps in-game, and much more.
Unfortunately, older PS games from PS1, PS2, and PS3 won’t be compatible with the new-gen console at launch, but Sony has hinted that they’d introduce a way to enjoy these titles in the future. So keep your old CDs safe until then!
So How Much Will PS5 Cost?
This information is probably what you’ve all been waiting for, right?
You’ll be happy to hear that the next-gen console won’t be much more expensive than PS4 was at launch. In fact, if you opt for the PS5 Digital Edition, the price will be the same — $399! As for the regular PS5, it will set you back $499 if you purchase it at launch. Considering how huge an upgrade PS5 is going to be, we believe this is a killer deal!
Note: Although the console itself won’t be much pricier, PS5 will be the first console generation to increase the cost of some gaming title from $60 to %70. Although this price hike will mostly affect AAA games, it’s something you should be aware of.
Did You Get Your Preorders In?
Did you manage to preorder the new-gen PlayStation? Or will you be the first at your local retailer on launch day? Which PS5 exclusives are you most looking forward to trying? Tell us in the comments below!