PlayStation 5 Console Review

The next generation of consoles is here, the PS5 is Sony’s next-generation console.

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First impressions of the PS5 while unboxing and moving the box is the sheer weight of the PS5, it’s a heavy console (Blu-Ray version) weighing in at 4.5kg (9.9 lbs) and the digital version comes in at 3.9kg (8.6lb). The contents of the PS5 box is minimal with a console, a power lead, controller and HDMI included.

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As I unboxed the console, two things were very striking, the console design and the controller design. The console is an impressive unit and is huge but the sleek design. It’s the main unit is a black glossy plastic that has vents at the back for cooling and air circulation, this is offset by two white plates that have the Playstation symbols embossed on the inside. The final piece is a stand that allows for the PS5 to be used in standing or on its side. The design isn’t uniform as the unit goes from a thin base to widening top when standing up with the white plates diverging at the top. The design is reminiscent of a building design as opposed to a console, it looks like a building that has been made into a console. The console isn’t one for being hidden in a TV stand, I think it’s been purposely designed to stand with the use of the white plates to make it stand out. AV equipment is generally black so this will contrast whatever AV equipment you have. Another thing to note is that you may find it to be a tight fit in your TV stand as it’s big and wide. Despite the sheer size, the two-tone colour design, I’m growing to like this big impressive piece of tech. I’m still coming to terms on how massive it is. I assume Sony went for the statement piece of art in your living room/bedroom should be a PS5. Hidden in the front of the main console unit is a 3 USB-A, USB-C port, ethernet port, WIFI, eject (BLU-Ray) version and power button. The power button and eject button aren’t the same sizes so no more turning the console off by mistake.

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The next piece of kit you will want to get your hands on is the new PS5 dualsense controller. It has the same two-tone effect going on, the controller is slightly longer and slightly heavier than the PS4 controllers. It has a translucent d-pad and buttons, built-in mic, speaker, touchpad with RGB lighting, motion feedback, create button, options button, two dual shock controllers, longer L2 and R2 triggers with extra haptic feedback. A huge emphasis has been placed on the controller as being the next part of innovation for the PS5. The additional haptic feedback in the triggers that allow for touch-sensitive use of the controller means that this will allow for gamers and developers to use it. I will delve into the additional haptic feedback as part of reviews of the games. The charging port is a USB-C.

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How does the new tech fair up in the gameplay experience? Once I started the console, the sheer speed and quickness of every element of the console are impressive. The game boot times are drastically reduced and once the games started the loads are dramatically reduced. The console from boot to login is about 20 seconds and then seamless when logged in. To load Spider-Man: Miles Morales approx 15 seconds and very little noticeable load times. The console is a pure joy to play, the quickness and general responsiveness is what makes the PS5 a winner. The controller and extra haptic feedback make the whole experience more immersive and just consume you in the game. Sony has delivered on the next generation aspects of speed, design and the next era of gaming consoles. The next-generation games will take some more time to be developed and released but the speed and architectural improvements make this console a worthy purchase. The SSD, the 4K gaming and overall improvements are visible within seconds of turning the console on. Sound is clear and even more vibrant, all in all, the console is very impressive.

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