All eyes are currently on the PS5. Sony’s newest console has been turning heads not just for its incredible power and graphical fidelity, but also for difficulties obtaining it and potential changes to scalping law as a result of its scarcity. With all that media attention, there’s plenty of information circulating about the PS5, but there’s also plenty you might not know. We’ve gathered 10 interesting facts about the PS5 that you may or may not have been aware of.
1. You don’t need a headset to chat
Unlike previous PlayStation consoles, you don’t actually need a headset to chat with your friends on your PS5. The DualSense controller has a built-in microphone, so all you need to do is join a party and you can talk to people without connecting any external hardware. Of course, the mic isn’t the greatest in the world, so it might pick up surrounding noise or interference. We’d still recommend getting a headset, but it’s great that one isn’t required for talking to buddies.
2. You’ll be able to install parts of some games
Some PS5 games, according to Sony’s Mark Cerny, will allow you to choose which parts of them you want to install. This is exciting when it comes to games like Call of Duty; players could choose only to install the multiplayer components, thus not clogging up their hard drive with a single-player campaign they’re never going to touch. Conversely, if a multiplayer mode feels ancillary or tacked-on, you could elect only to install the single-player campaign of a game, drastically cutting down on install time.
3. It’s got 5.5 times as many teraflops as the PS4
The original PlayStation 4’s GPU boasted 1.84 teraflops, a measurement by which computing power is discerned. Of course, PS5 teraflops absolutely dwarf those of the PS4; the base PS5 model has a GPU that’s capable of 10.28 TFLOPs, which makes it around 5 and a half times more powerful than the base PS4. Of course, the PS4 Pro is a more powerful machine, with a 4.2 TFLOP GPU, but the PS5 more than doubles that power. Suffice it to say that if you have a PS5, you have a very powerful machine indeed.
4. You can stream PS4 games on your PS5
Thanks to Sony’s rather impressive Remote Play feature, it’s possible to stream PS4 games on your PS5. You’ll need to connect both consoles up to your Wi-Fi network, but if you’re struggling for storage space, this is a great solution. You can also stream games onto your phone, which is pretty amazing provided that you have the right controller to pair them with. Of course, you could stream PS4 games onto your PlayStation Vita, but that would require you to own one in the first place.
5. PS4 games play better on PS5
Unlike the PS4 Pro, which has a manual Boost Mode you need to enable if you want to take advantage of its improved tech, the PS5 will automatically “remaster” your PS4 games and make them look all shiny and new. To do this, it uses artificial intelligence, so all you’ve got to do is pop a PS4 game into the disc tray (or fire one up digitally if you don’t have the Disc Edition) and watch as Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, or God of War benefit from the PS5’s improved graphical tech.
6. The next major Final Fantasy game is a PS5 exclusive
Amid all the hubbub regarding next-gen consoles and the scarcity thereof, you might have missed that Final Fantasy XVI is going to be a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Announcements that both it and Demon’s Souls would be coming to PC were subsequently scrubbed, meaning that for now, at least, the next major instalment in arguably the most famous JRPG series of all time will be playable only on PS5. Not a bad reason to pick the console up, eh?
7. It makes Cyberpunk 2077 look and play better
As part of the aforementioned machine learning AI PS4 game enhancement, playing a PS4 copy of Cyberpunk 2077 on your PS5 will significantly improve your experience. It’s not going to work miracles; this isn’t a native version of the game for the new machine, after all. However, it should smooth out some of the rougher edges that players complained about at the game’s launch. If you did buy Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 and didn’t seek a refund, a PS5 is the way to experience the game.
8. The Create button isn’t just the Share button
On the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller, there was a Share button that allowed you to quickly create videos and screenshots of the game you were playing. The DualSense’s Create button is the Share button on steroids. It doesn’t just allow you to capture, but also to edit the things you’ve made without needing to switch windows. It’ll also let you upload footage straight to video sharing services or share with your buddies. Experienced an unforgettable moment? Use Create to make it that much better.
9. 1440p isn’t supported
Bad news for anyone hoping to play their PS5 on a PC monitor: 1440p resolutions aren’t supported by the console. You’ll either have to play in 1080p or 4k, and there’s no in-between. Sony says this is because it wants to emphasise playing the PS5 on a TV, and we can sympathise with that; a pokey PC monitor likely isn’t the way to experience the grandeur of the PS5. However, if you do have a 1440p monitor, you’re unfortunately out of luck.
10. It’ll soon support 8k
Barely anyone currently has a commercially available 8k TV; they’re pretty expensive, and most content is filmed or created in 4k anyway, so there’s no real point in adopting the tech this early. However, soon, it’ll overtake 4k as the dominant display mode, and so you’d hope your console would be able to keep up. Happily, the PS5 will support 8k resolution, although don’t expect the silky-smooth 60fps it can manage at 4k. Perhaps that’ll be a matter for the hypothetical PS5 Pro.