A Regular Review: PlayStation 5 (PS5)

Welcome to the next generation. What is up, internet? Welcome to a regular review. A subsegment focused on the latest and greatest in the gaming industry. For this review, I will be covering a brand-new console and game. I know I said this console section wouldn’t be a regular thing. But since the PlayStation 5 has been a hot commodity and I’ve had one for over a month now, it would be hard not to talk about it. Without further ado, here’s my review of the PlayStation 5.

What Is It?

The PS5 is Sony’s newest home console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, which I said in my review, “can fit in the palm of your hand” (can I site myself?), it is a large console in both design and space. The size is less than enjoyable, but the exterior design is a beauty in itself. The console introduces a new controller and accessories such as a PS5 camera, charger, headsets, and media remote.

So, What’s Good

The Controller

Okay, let’s start with the device you’re most in contact with, the PS5 controller. I love the controller’s weight and the small details, such as the PlayStation button icons as a texture on the handles. The controller uses a haptic feedback feature. The feature adds several vibration motors and a trigger effect to feel the tension of the pull of every button press.

When I was playing Spider-man: Miles Morales, the game didn’t use the feature entirely. However, I did play the pre-installed tech demo, Astro’s Playroom. That game ultimately uses the ability of the controller. I felt every wire grab, every bow drawn, and every footstep in Astro’s Playroom. Long story short, try it out between playing 2K21 and Spider-man (Look at that, review-ception).

Another good thing about the controller I had to mention was adding a USB type C port on the controller. The controller is also compatible with play on the Nintendo Switch (somehow, the Switch always sneaks into my articles). This brings up the question if I play Switch with a PS5 controller, does that mean I can play Xbox Series X with a PS5 controller too? (Videogame blasphemy!)

The Performance

One of the things I looked forward to in next-gen gaming was the new internal storage. Both PlayStation and Xbox removed their regular Hard Drive (HDD) for a Solid State Drive (SSD). SSD makes the systems load faster even when there’s no power for the people who don’t know. The best in-game example was in Spider-man: Miles Morales. In last generation consoles, if you fast travel, there would be a Spider-man cutscene on the train waiting. Now, if you fast travel anywhere on the PS5, a couple of seconds later, you’re there. I never saw any loading bars nor any texture pop-ins while playing. As a mostly console player, that was incredible to see.

In terms of resolution, I can’t say much about it. Unfortunately, I didn’t play this game on a 4K TV at 60 frames per second. So, I can’t mention the quality of the console. All I can say is from manual and certification; the PS5 is capable of up 8K gaming with 120Hz (my new TV cannot come any sooner).

The UI

This positive is easily a biased layup for PS5. Before getting a PS5, I primarily played on the Xbox One. One of the biggest annoyances I had with the console was the UI changes all the time. Throughout the whole console cycle, Xbox couldn’t decide what they wanted their home menu to be. Especially for the media section, they couldn’t even decide which direction should everything else should go (I wish that were a joke, but it’s not).

So, imagine my surprise when I saw the PS5 home menu. All my games, lined up in a row, and my gaming and media sections are in separate tabs on the screen’s top. I could complain about how many buttons I need to press just to turn off the system. However, jumping from Xbox’s confusing UI to PS5’s, gave it full points, in my opinion. The PS5 is a gaming console, first and foremost, and Sony clearly understands that. Can you add extra media features? Of course, but that should not be the primary reason you get a PS5.

Then, What’s Bad

The Size

Like I said earlier, this console is gigantic. Too gigantic. I honestly have no idea what to compare to the size of the PS5. The best idea is the volume of 2 Xbox One S’s combined. To me, it’s a little large for my taste. I understand the size is for better air ventilation, and no question, it’s the quietest PlayStation I have heard since the PlayStation 2 (another positive in performance). But don’t be surprised if I start looking forward to the slim version already.

The Availability and Delivery

This console came out on November 12th, and people are still having a bidding war over who can get one. Sony should have known how massive the demand was gonna be for it. It was like this for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. I know I should give a pass on Sony because of COVID. However, if orders are being canceled until 2021, scalpers buying in mass and selling them at 50-100% increase, and scammers are ripping people off with only pictures of the new consoles, then Sony should have been prepared for this debacle.

Final Thots

So, here’s the rundown for all the skimmers:

Positives	Negatives
The controller is futuristic.	The size is massive
The performance is spectacular.	Sony needs to “be greater” to stop the scammers/scalpers.
The UI is welcoming.

Overall, the PS5 is a great console. But right now, as of Fall 2020, I can’t recommend it. Between most games being available for the PS4 and scrappers flipping these consoles for double the price, I don’t encourage people to get it. In all honesty, unless gaming is in your job description, I see no reason to get it. That’s why I say wait next year once Sony is better stocked and scrappers are doomed to sell their copies at a loss.

Release Date: November 12th, 2020
Price: $499.99 (Physical), $399.99 (Digital)
Recommendation: Wait Until Next Year (Or When They’re Back in Stock)

Thank you for reading my article. I know this one took a while, but I wanted to take my time with the reviews and not rush. Click the like button and comment. If you enjoyed it, make sure you follow my site’s Twitter @_UrgeGaming for updates on new blog posts.

Update. I will be migrating the website from justurgegaming.com to urgegaming.com later this month. Both domains will still be available until New Years’ Eve. After, urgegaming.com will be the only website accessible.