PlayStation 5 review: Meeting next-gen expectations

A PS5 standing on a table, with purple lights around it.

PlayStation 5

MSRP $500.00

“Sony’s PlayStation 5 is the next-gen console to buy this generation.”

Pros

  • Speedy hardware

  • Excellent game load times

  • Attractive design

  • Several enticing next-gen titles

  • New controller with enhanced haptics

Cons

  • Limited storage space on all models

  • Console is very large

The expectations for Sony as it went into the current console cycle were preposterously high. The PlayStation 4 was a rousing success, and gamers are anticipating the company will open new, previously unimagined possibilities with its next-generation system.

The PlayStation 5 not only met those expectations, it made them seem conservative. With lightning-fast load speeds and innovative (and captivating) changes to the DualShock controller, the PS5 sets the bar for the next generation of gaming.

initially reviewed the PlayStation 5 over the course of just under two weeks, but this review has since been updated in 2022. This review focuses on the larger $500 Blu-ray drive version of the console, but Sony says that is the sole difference between this model and its smaller $400 brother, the so-called Digital Edition. While we originally were only able to test a handful of games, we’ve since put the console through its paces via a string of exclusives and PS Plus titles. Nearly two years later, we’re still as high on the PS5 as we were at launch.

The hardware: It’s fast, and it’s huge

Playstation 5
Dennis Cortés on Unsplash

Sony, from the very beginning, has said the PS5 is about speed. But until you experience it, it’s hard to convey just how big a difference speed can make.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales loads in seconds — and once you’re in the game, you’ll never experience a load screen of any sort, even when you take the subway. Want hints and tips for the game that usually populate loading screens? You’ll have to find them somewhere else.

That optimization is also apparent in other Sony-published titles, like Horizon Forbidden West. It adds tremendously to the immersion factor of games, and it positively impacts the flow of the story in narrative titles. Jumping into games quickly is just as satisfying.

It’s interesting to note this perceived difference in performance stems from software, rather than hardware. Technically, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is the more powerful console, though the PlayStation 5 has an edge in storage performance. The Xbox lacks a strong exclusive library, however, and relatively few last-gen games take full advantage of the new console’s capabilities. This gives the PlayStation 5 a big advantage even two years on.

The PlayStation 5’s physical design can be a problem. It’s a honking big piece of hardware, and if you opt to place it horizontally, the stand (which is necessary to correct for the system’s curved sides) does not lock onto the back panels. As a result, you will have to worry about slippage if you’re adjusting the cables. You won’t want to put anything on top of it, either. Should you choose vertical positioning, you’ll have a mini-skyscraper near your TV, which, depending on