Playstation 5 in the test: what the PS5 can do and for whom it is worth buying it

Instead of improved graphics or a controller with new functions, the first thing you notice about the new Playstation 5 is its size. But a closer look at the console shows that it should be worth, at least for some gamers, to make room in the TV cabinet for Sony’s new console.

The Playstation 5 will be on sale from November 19th. As announced by Sony, it will only be available online on the day of release on Sony’s sales partner websites. With the crown pandemic in mind, the company asked customers not to go to local stores in hopes of getting a console there.

The price for the console is 499 euros or 399 euros. Depending on whether buyers opt for a model with or without a Bluray unit. Those who opt for the latter model must purchase the games in purely digital mode.

Anyone who tries the Playstation 5 will particularly notice three new features that set the console apart from its predecessor. These are the aspects that interested buyers should particularly consider when evaluating whether Sony’s new console is useful for them.

1. The graph

Unsurprisingly, the graphics of a new console are superior to the previous model. It’s the same with the Playstation 5 with 4K resolution, 60 frames per second and ray tracing technology. Even in the early games it became clear that the console had more to offer than the Playstation 4.

This can be seen with more dynamic lighting through ray tracing in “Spider-Man: Miles Morales”. Or in a higher field of view, when players, standing on a skyscraper, look into the distance. It can be seen in the particles of gigantic explosions or the voluminous plumes of steam blowing from the subway ducts. This advantage in terms of graphics power makes the worlds seem more alive. However, there should be no graphical jumps, as in the case of switching from Playstation to Playstation 2.

2. Loading times

The Playstation 5, on the other hand, makes a very big leap in terms of loading time. Because here it comes close to what gamers might still know from cartridge-based consoles like the Super Nintendo: you can just start playing. The new specially developed SSD hard drive allows, for example, to start “Spider Man: Miles Morales” cold in less than ten seconds, to access the menu screen, to select a save point and to find yourself in the game world. It takes less than two seconds from the game menu to the open world.

The sometimes minutes of waiting, looking at the loading screens with more or less useful tips are no longer necessary. The Playstation 5 does not have a “Quick Resume” feature like the Xbox Series, which allows you to quickly switch between games. However, this is bearable with these loading times.

3. The controller

The new DualSense controller of the Playstation 5 sits very comfortably in the hand. It’s only slightly larger than the Dual Shock 4, has the same arrangement of controls, and is easy to use with small and large hands.

But two aspects make it stand out: the haptic feedback ensures that the controller’s rumble function is much more differentiated. Through the different strengths and the position of the respective vibration in the controller, the experiences in the game can be perceived more clearly.

Additionally, there are adaptive activation buttons which give different levels of resistance. There are a number of situations where Dual Sense can make a difference, such as when braking hard or lifting a heavy object. The new controller isn’t a revolution in game design, but it does offer interesting accents that can make a game experience more complex.

In principle, the old Dual Shock 4 can also be used with the Playstation 5. It only works if the “PlayStation 4” games are played on the new console. This is basically possible, because Sony’s new console is backwards compatible with PS4.

Disclaimer: At this point we cannot describe all the details of the Playstation 5. We are not yet authorized to write about Playstation Store, Playstation Plus, Playstation Now or about multimedia functions. At this point we could only play two games for the Playstation 5: “Spider Man: Miles Morales” and “Astro’s Playroom”.

New user interface functions

The user interface of the Playstation 5 has not changed radically in terms of appearance and usability. Playstation 4 users will quickly find their way. But there are new settings and features that are primarily concerned with usability and accessibility. We present some of the new features in more detail in the following series of images:

The console and its connections

First of all, as mentioned, the console is great. 40cm high, 26cm deep and 9cm wide at the widest point. It weighs 4.5 kilos.

The console can be positioned horizontally or vertically and comes with a foot that must be fixed in both cases. The installation is very simple. Depending on the mode, the console glows blue or orange, for active or standby.

It’s gratifying that the console makes barely audible noises. Where Playstation 4 (Pro) fans still produced a lot of volume, there is almost silence here. What functions should a TV have and more details about the new console are shown in the following series of photos:

Both the version with and without Bluray drives are equipped with the SSD specially developed by Sony. This actually offers 667.2 gigabytes of storage. That’s a little less than the PlayStation 4 Pro, which could store 862 gigabytes of data.

The main thing about a console – games

Of course, the attractiveness and relevance of a new console either goes or wanes with games. Before this meeting, we were able to play “Spider Man: Miles Morales” and “Astro’s Playroom”. When the console is released, “Demon’s Souls” and “Sackboy: A Big Adventure” will also appear as PlayStation-exclusive games, as well as some cross-platform games that we will discuss later.