The PS5 is set to launch later this week, and there are some things all new owners should know before turning on their systems.
Much like the PlayStation 4, the PS5 will run hot. According to reviews, outside temperatures can reach 47° celsius, or 116° fahrenheit.
- Check out our PS5 review
- PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Which console is best?
According to a blog post by PlayStation, ventilation is key. Here's the company's official guidance on setting up your PS5:
- Place the console at least 10 cm (4 in) away from a wall surface.
- Do not place on a carpet or rug with long fibers.
- Do not place in a narrow or cramped space.
- Do not cover with cloth.
- Do not allow dust to build up on the vents. Use a cleaning tool such as a vacuum cleaner to remove dust buildup.
There were other bits of information included in the blog post as well. Most notably, The PS5 DualSense controller will be available in other colors, sometime after launch. Unfortunately, there are no plans to release new colors for the PS5. But YouTuber Dave2D was able to customize his review unit, noting that the removable side panels do adhere paint very well.
Every PS5 will come with a DualSense controller, USB Type-C cable, HDMI cable, power cord, and a vertical/horizontal base attachment. All PS5’s will have the game Astro’s Playroom installed.
Some games will also allow users to pick and choose which parts to download. If there’s a popular shooter that everyone’s playing, users can potentially choose to install the multiplayer portion alone and forego the single player. That’s a really handy feature given that the PS5 will only have 667GB of usable storage. And because Sony’s new console requires use of its super high speed SSD, PS5 games cannot be loaded onto external media like a USB flash drive or external hard drive. PS4 games can be loaded on to external media, however.
Luckily, there will be options in the future to expand the PS5’s internal storage.
Users with surround sound setups will benefit greatly from the PS5’s 3D Audio processing. Sony has put more research and development into expanding the PS5’s audio capabilities to make games more immersive. According to Sony, “even simple channel-based audio will have additional dimensionality thanks to PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech.”
Sony does say that it’s new PULSE 3D wireless headset can take full advantage of the PS5’s 3D audio. For those that don’t have a surround sound setup, TV speaker virtual surround sound won’t be available at launch, but will arrive in a future update.
Audio formats supported:
- Dolby Digital (max 5.1ch)
- Dolby Digital Plus (max 7.1ch)
- Dolby TrueHD (max 7.1ch)
- DTS (max 5.1ch)
- DTS-HD High Resolution Audio (max 7.1ch)
- DTS-HD Master Audio (max 7.1ch)
- AAC (max 5.1ch)
- Linear PCM (max 7.1ch)
As for audio on the controller, Sony claims that the DualSense will feature a built in speaker that has a higher sampling frequency and “acoustic improvements.” It should be a step up from the tinny sounding speaker found in the PS4’s DualShock 4.
The PS5 DualSense controller will also have a microphone, with noise cancelling, and voice dictation. This can allow people to forego having to use an onscreen keyboard.
Input latency has also been optimized on DualSense when compared to the DualShock 4. This is good news for shooting and fighting games fans.
The PS5 is set to launch November 12th in the U.S. and November 19th in the U.K. Be sure to bookmark our where to buy PS5 guide for the latest updates on availability.
