The story of PlayStation dates back to the time when there were no smartphones in the world, in 1994, with the launch of PlayStation 1. My first encounter with PlayStation happened at a game parlour back in 2008 when I was eleven years old. That small shop, the smell of Maggi (yep, they served it), a black DVD player like a machine, a black controller I was dying to hold, with a price tag of INR 50 per hour to play Tekken 5, was how I first met my heroes like Jin Kazama, Yoshimitsu, King, and more.
And the journey went on from there to exploring Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Metal Gear Solid 4, and more. The only dream at that point in time for me was to own a PlayStation where I don't have to worry about the hours played or how rough I am going on the controller. Back to the present, PlayStation 5 is ruling the market and has been annihilating the competition without any mercy. Whether we talk about games or we talk about the performance, we hardly can see a console competing with the likes of the PS5.
And after a wait of almost two decades, I finally purchased my first PlayStation, the PS5, for myself. Now, just to give you a background, I've previously had a gaming laptop clubbed with a Power A Xbox controller, and the experience was decent. But, it could never match what you or I can feel on a console, that too on a PlayStation 5. On that note, after using the console for six months and playing a lot of games on it, here is my PlayStation 5 review. I will talk about almost all the aspects of the console that matter in the long run.
PlayStation 5 Review : Sony Went All Guns Blazing In Design For Sure
As soon as you pull the PS5 out of the box, you will be unable to ignore the design statement Sony has packed with it. See, it is a console, not a smartphone, so obviously it is big in size. Now, I have the PS5 Slim, which is a sleeker version and looks a little smarter than the PS5 fat for sure.
The console has white panels on each side with slashes in an aesthetic manner, clubbed with a black center spine and curves that can outclass a calendar model. If you are getting the disc edition of the console, just like me, then expect a little more weight because of the drive. Going into statistics, the PlayStation 5 Disc Editions measure around 358x96x216mm, and it weighs around 3.2Kg.
But accommodating it alongside your gaming monitor or TV could be the easiest of things to do if you have a large cabinet. This was not the case with the PS5 Fat variant because it was lengthier and bulkier, due to which a lot of people faced issues in setting up the bad boy. Setting it up is as smooth as butter, as you just need to plug in the cables and go on with your console. One piece of advice from me as a gamer will be to have a decent TV or a monitor because the real feel kicks in when the console gets cozy with the screen.
PlayStation 5 Review : Hardware Specs
For those who are unaware, PlayStation 5 Slim is not an upgrade over PS5 fat in terms of performance. The only difference is the size and weight of the two, and yes, storage too. Coming to the specs, the PlayStation 5 Slim is powered by an 8-core AMD Zen 2 that offers a clock speed of up to 3.5 GHz. And we also get to see the AMD RDNA 2 graphics processing unit (GPU) along with expanded storage of 1TB SSD, which is also an upgrade over the PS5 Fat, which ships with 825GB SSD. Sony did the storage expansion because of the ever increasing size of the games these days.
With these kinds of hardware specs, it is pretty clear why there is no competition in the market for the console. The Xbox Series X, the closest competitor of Sony's PS5 Slim, fails to outclass the Sony offering according to the comparison on versus and community reviews as well. The PS5 Slim thrashes down the Xbox Series X in all major aspects like quality of exclusive games, backwards compatibility, controller ergonomics, non-gaming apps, operations, GPU clock speed, number of USB ports, and whatnot.
PlayStation 5 Review : Performance
One thing I loved the most about the Ps5 was its loading times. It gets ready to play the best games in seconds, and that's something I fall in love with every time I push the power button on. Starting with the performance, you will experience most of the games at 60 frames per second. And the games run without lag, which is something all gamers crave and admire. The SSD of the console makes all the operations seamless - from fast travels, game transitions, to boot-ups and restarts, everything feels on point.
Now, ray tracing is available for a lot of games, but you will definitely witness a frame drop after switching it on so the best thing to do is adjust it according to your needs. But yes, the frame drop is not that visible, to be precise, at least not in my experience. The Sony console ships with some of the best settings, and one of the most liked features is the Rest Mode. Whether you want to download long games or charge your DualSense controller, or just get going with remote play, the Rest Mode is the OG with which you can do all of that. And the storage of the console can also be expanded, which is something you will need if you store games on the device instead of collecting Game CDs like Pokémon.
Coming to the performance, if you are an avid gamer and sit for long hours while gaming, then purchasing the PS5 could be one of the best decisions for you. In my tenure, the PS5 Slim stays unbeatable and miles away from exhaustion with almost no noise. If you have a decent audio setup or if you have a TV that has great audio output, the PS5 noise will vanish in thin air. As for me, the first game I played on my PS5, and completed as well, was Ghost of Tsushima, and the journey was one which reminded me of why gamers need a PS5 in the first place. Late-night gaming sessions, the urge to kill every last Mongolian soldier, and getting fully engaged in the story were the things that you can only feel on a powerful console, as it has the power to back those things.
PlayStation 5 Review : UI Features And Backward Compatibility
I've reviewed, used, thrashed, loved, and an endless number of devices until now, and the one thing which makes or breaks the deal for me is the User Interface. In this case, Sony has nailed it completely. The Home Screen layout is simple, sorted, clean, and customizable. You have two main sections - Games and Media. What's more is that if you use the PS5 primarily for gaming, then the first screen you see will open game titles, and if you use it for entertainment, then you will land first on the Media section.
And pressing the PS button when you are on the home screen will take you to a world especially crafted for you - yes, I am talking about the control center. And Sony has done justice with that name for sure - here, you get to see everything from Download & Installs, Sound Settings, Controller Battery Status, Party/Chat Options, Game-related shortcuts, and more. If you want to exit a game, just tap the PS button and jump out of it. You can always close it later. And nothing is going to kill your gaming sessions until you face a power cut. And the UI remains responsive irrespective of the task, no matter how big of a game you are downloading, or you are updating the whole damn software of your console.
All hail Backwards Compatibility, as this is one of the features that made PlayStation 5 the god of consoles. In technical terms, the PS5 Slim can run most of the PS4 games via disc. You can expect better loading times, stable frame rates, fewer stutters, and unmatchable responsiveness while playing PS4 games on PS5. And yes, for PS4 games, you can also use the DualShock controller, but that will not work with PS5 exclusives.
PlayStation Review : DualSense Controller
PlyaStation 5 is a powerful console and is king for sure - in that case, consider the PS5 DualSense controller the kingmaker. From my first experience with these small beasts to the latest one, I've never felt tired. DualSense skyrockets the immersion by taking you directly inside the game, where you feel like you are not just playing it, you are living it. In terms of design, the controller is larger than the DualShock 4 and Xbox controllers. As for the feels, the handles feel thicker and easy to grab, the triggers feel easily clickable, and the buttons are always under your grasp.
The Haptic Feedback in the controller feels like something straight out of heaven. The vibrations are not the motors buzzing randomly; instead, it enhances the gameplay by showing up at the right time and explaining to you why they are present in the first place. And for the adaptive triggers, while playing GTA, riding a vehicle or shooting from a weapon, the triggers adapt and make it easy for you to focus on wreaking havoc. The built in speaker is not just for show, but it actually works, and it works wonders. Shooting a goal in EA FC Sports 26 feels more alive because the sound of the ball hitting the net comes from your controller. The same happens when you get a call in GTA and other games have used it well too.
And how can we forget the touchpad? It brings a lot of things to the table, from motion control support to menu adjustment in some games. The recently launched Ghost Of Yotei opened up more gates for the use of the touchpad, as users can also light fire with the same. All in all, I can never imagine getting the same experience on my PS5 without the DualSense controller in my hand.
On A Concluding Note
The PlayStation 5 Slim is a monster, and there is no doubt in that. After spending almost six months with it, I can say that's not a machine or a console anymore - that's a part of my life, a pal you look forward to while fighting the regular life battles. It's not just an escape for me but a ritual to grab the DualSense as soon as I get home and spend an hour (minimum) on office days. So, whether you are looking for a classic gaming experience, or you want to get started with gaming, or you want a console that can go on for ages with proper support from the makers, PS5 should be at the top of your list for sure.