It’s the gaming console everyone is desperate to get their hands-on and that’s exactly what we did when we got up close and personal with the hugely-anticipated PlayStation 5.
The next generation gaming console goes on sale in Australia on November 12 for $749.
Tech Guide had a hands on session with the PlayStation 5 and the new controller.
The first thing you’ll notice with the PlayStation 5 is the size which dwarfs the most recent version of the PlayStation 4.
It is 39cm tall when stood upright which means its 39cm wide when rested on its side.
The console flares wider at the top to allow greater airflow but it also adds to the width – or height if it’s sideways, in your entertainment unit.
It will be a tight squeeze in your equipment rack or your entertainment unit but it will fit – just.
If you take a really close look at the PlayStation 5 you’ll notice the surface of the console has a very interesting texture.
This texture is made up of millions of circles, crosses, squares and triangles – the PlayStation symbols – all over the console.
The PS5 has 16GB RAM and an 825GB SSD (solid state drive) and is powered by the X86-AMD Ryzen eight core 16 thread processor.
The optical drive can play 4K UHD disks, Blu-ray and DVD and is also backwards compatible with PS4 games on disk as well.
The PlayStation 5 also supports the faster Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) wireless standard which is used by the latest routers and mesh wi-fi systems.
Moving to the Dual Sense wireless controller, the first time you pick it up you can feel that it is slightly heavier than the PS4 controller. It weighs 280g.
We could tell right away as we have the PlayStation 4 controller in our hand every day and then you PlayStation five controller was slightly weightier.
The controller also has this same texturing as the console itself with the tiny PlayStation symbols everywhere. It helps players get a better grip on the controller.
The basic layout is still the same with the thumb sticks, directional keys and buttons but the big changes are with the triggers.
These triggers are adaptive which means a developer can offer different functionality and various levels of pressure full the player.
To get the hang of the new controller we played the Astro’s Playroom game which offered levels to showcase all the various functions.
This included the adaptive trigger which allows users to put pressure on the trigger itself and then hit an entirely new level if they continued with that pressure.
Think of it like an accelerator that once pushed all the way unleashes a Turbo boost.
But at other times the trigger works exactly the same way as it does now.
The vibrations that come from the controller are also a lot more subtle and accurate and more detailed.
The controller offers different vibrations depending, for example, on the type of surfaces you happen to be walking on and whether you’re flying through the air or driving a vehicle.
Tt’s this much larger range of vibrations and reactions that makes the PlayStation 5 controller a lot better than the PS4.
The trackpad on the top of the controller is also super sensitive and allows players to interact with the game in entirely new ways.
One example in the Astro’s Playroom game was the character putting on a new space suit and we use the trackpad to pull up the zipper.
There is also a microphone aboard the PlayStation 5 controller as well as a speaker (there was a speaker on the PS4 controller as well) which means you can be playing online with your buddies and be able to talk to them without having to wear a headset.
The microphone also opens up a function where players are required in some games to blow into it to create different reactions.
There is also a six-axis motion sensing system onboard so you can rotate items in the game in your virtual hands just by rotating the controller.
Also onboard is a USB-C port for charging.
PlayStation 5 Launch Day Games from SIE Worldwide Studios
– Astro’s Playroom (Japan Studio) – pre-installed on PS5
– Demon’s Souls (Bluepoint Games / Japan Studio) – $124.95
– Destruction AllStars (Lucid Games / XDEV) – $124.95
– Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games) – $94.95
– Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition (Insomniac Games) – $124.95
– Sackboy A Big Adventure (Sumo Digital / XDEV) – $109.95
The following accessories will launch alongside the PS5 console:
– DualSense Wireless Controller (standalone) – $109.95
– PULSE 3D wireless headset – with 3D audio support and dual noise-cancelling microphones $159.95
– HD Camera – with dual 1080p lenses for gamers to broadcast themselves along with their epic gameplay moments $99.95
– Media Remote – to navigate movies and streaming services with ease $49.95
– DualSense Charging Station – to conveniently charge two DualSense Wireless Controllers $49.95.
The PlayStation 5 goes on sale on November 12 and will be priced at $749. The PS5 Digital Edition (without the disk drive) will be priced at $599.
