Everything you need to know about the PS5: Price, specs, games, and more

Digital Trends

4 days ago

Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles had a rough start to the generation. They launched under unfortunate circumstances, with both a global pandemic and supply issues making them difficult to get for months after launch. Thankfully, around five years into the generation, and with all eyes looking at what the PS6 could be, the PS5 is easily accessible and hitting its stride with amazing upcoming video games. This is the most popular console on the market, but if you don't have one yet, you might not understand why it is so popular over the Xbox or Nintendo Switch 2. I'll run down all the biggest points you should know about the PS5 if you're looking to pick one up, including the price, specs, games, and more.
PS5 specs
Dimensions 19.6 x 7.1 x 16.8 in or 17 x 6.5 x 13.8 in for the Slim Weight 10.54 pounds or 7.06 pounds for the Slim Color Black and white CPU 3.5GHz Custom Zen 2 GPU 10.28 TFLOPS 2.23GHz Memory GDDR6, 16GB Memory bandwidth 448GBps Storage 825GB SSD or 1TB SSD for the Slim Optical drive Yes 4K Yes HDR Yes Ports Includes USB and NVME slot Online subscription PS Plus Price Digital: $450 Disc: $500 Slim Disc: $500 Slim Digital: $450 Digital Trends review 4.5/5
There are two base versions of the PS5 on the market right now: the PS5 and the PS5 Slim. There's also the PS5 Pro, but that's such a unique case that I'm going to give that its own section later on. The Slim is basically just the newer model of the original PS5 that has no performance boosts, just a bit more memory, and a smaller form factor. There are still digital and disc versions for each to pick from, depending on whether or not you want to purchase physical games or use its Blu-Ray player.
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In terms of raw power, the PS5 is the strongest home console on the market. You can check out all the chips and terraflops if you like, but the PS5 games with the best graphics speak for themselves. Even games that are available on both PS5 and Xbox Series X tend to look and/or run better on the PS5. And there's no competition when comparing it to the Switch 2.
PS5 design
There are two main design options for the PS5, depending on whether you're looking at the base unit or the Slim. There's also a slight difference if you opt for the disc vs. digital versions, but that's splitting hairs a bit.
The original PS5 is ugly. Some people might like its strange aesthetic, but most people agree that it is a big eyesore and stash it away out of sight wherever they can. The revised design of the PS5 Slim is slightly better, but still not something most people would want to display. It is thankfully a good deal smaller, plus it has a nice divide in the faceplate so it isn't a solid block of color, but still has the same general shape.
PS5 price
You have a lot of different models and types of PS5 to pick from at various price points. The lowest you will pay right now is $450, which is the cheapest option out there for this level of power. You can get a Series S for less or a Switch 2 for the same price, but all PS5 models outclass those two in power.
If you want a disc drive, you will be looking at a $500 investment for a new system. Of course, now that they have been out on the market for so many years, you should be able to find a used or discounted one fairly easily.
PS5 controllers
The standard DualSense controller is the best PlayStation controller yet. It has all the functionality of the old DualShock 4, plus haptic feedback and adaptive triggers that make games that much more tactile. The stick and button layout is all unchanged, including the parallel sticks. If you loved any previous Sony controller, you will love this one too.
For enthusiasts, there's also the DualSense Edge. While a bit on the pricy side, it does allow for more customization options and adds back paddles. The one universal downside on the PS5 controllers is their battery life. The base DualSense lasts only around 8 hours, give or take depending on the game, while the Edge actually dies faster despite the higher price.
PS5 games
Every major third-party and indie game is present and accounted for the on the PS5. But it gets even better, because now most former Xbox exclusives are also on PlayStation in addition to Sony's own first-party games that can't be played anywhere else. That only leaves Nintendo exclusive games as the only segment of games missing from the library. With all that taken into account, the PS5 easily has the most robust and wide selection of games.
Special mention has to go to its own exclusives, though. These are some of the best PS5 games, with games like Spider-Man 2, Death Stranding 2, and Demon's Souls all being some of the best the console has to offer.
PS5 Pro
PlayStation 5 PlayStation 5 Pro CPU 8-core AMD Zen 2 @ 3.5GHz 8-core AMD Zen 2 @ up to 3.85GHz GPU 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (Variable Frequency) 16.7 TFLOPs, AMD Radeon, RDNA graphics engine Memory 16GB GDDR6 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Internal Storage Custom 1TB SSD 2TB SSD External Storage NVMe SSD slot, USB HDD NVMe SSD slot, USB HDD Video Output 4K at 120Hz, 8K 4K at 120Hz, 8K Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 7 Price $500 $700
Just like in the PS4 generation, Sony released a mid-generation upgrade called the PS5 Pro. You can compare the specs above, but the main thing to note is that it has the exact same CPU but a better GPU. What this means is that the Pro can push graphics further, but not necessarily make more complex games. What this mostly looks like is allowing you to play games without having to pick between performance or quality mode and instead getting the best of both worlds in one. It isn't a huge leap, and if you don't have a TV that supports those higher graphics anyway then it would be a moot point, but it is a solid option for the most hardcore enthusiasts.
PlayStation Plus
Sony's competetor to Game Pass is the three-tiered PlayStation Plus service. The Essential tier gives you three 'free' games per month, the ability to play online, and cloud saves. Extra adds in a catalogue of PS4 and PS5 games to download, and the Premium tier gives you access to PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 (via streaming) games on top of it all. Here's how much each one will cost at the time of writing:
Essential – $80 per year
Extra – $135 per year
Premium – $160 per year
Essential is the easiest tier to recommend, but if you're new to PlayStation or know you will take advantage of having access to all these games, even if you aren't fully in control of what is added or removed, then the Extra tier offers great value. Premium has the least broad appeal, but if you enjoy retro games or want to revisit childhood classics from the early PlayStation days, this is the easiest way to do it.