PlayStation 5, What You Need To Know
June 13, 2020Sony’s PlayStation 5 is finally here, 7 years after its predecessor was launched in November 2013. It’s been a long time coming, but Eric Lempel, PlayStation’s Head of Global Marketing and Consumer Experience, says that the delay was to ensure that everything lined up perfectly.
Unlike previous generation PlayStations, the PS5 features high-end PC hardware. At its heart sits an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 chip with 8 cores and 16 threads. It is supported by 16 of RAM and an AMD Radeon RDNA 2 based GPU with Ray Tracing. This, allows it to output video to 4K or 8K TVs. A monumental feat by console standards.
The hardware will allow games to portray more realistic scenery – the way rays of light hit a surface and how they change based on a player’s viewing angles. The effects add to a sense of realism that was once reserved to PC gaming. But this is no longer the case, since the PS5 is essentially a PC.
Here’s how they stack up against each other:
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* These PS4 specifications are for the original console, not the PS4 Pro
It is unequivocally, the most advanced PlayStation so far, and unlike older generation consoles, the launch of the PS5 coincides with the release of many exclusive titles. What will make playing them more enjoyable, is realistic feedback from the controller. Unlike the PS4’s DualShock controller, the PS5’s DualSense features more intuitive controls.
The effects of road surfaces and resistance of pulling an arrow back on a bow string can be conveyed to each player. The DualSense controller turns these virtual effects into tangible feeling. This technology far exceeds anything Sony has done preceding the PS5.
And for the first time ever, there two PS5 consoles to choose from. One with a Blu-ray drive and one without it (Digital Edition). The logic behind this decision is lost on us, but Lempel says that both variants cater to different demographics. One group prefer the option of using discs while the other, choose to rely completely on digital media.
If you would like to hear the PlayStation Blog’s entire interview with Eric Lampel, PlayStation’s Head of Global Marketing and Consumer Experience, click here for the podcast.
