PlayStation 5: Better graphics, haptic controllers and everything we know so far - CNET

The PS5 is coming. 

James Martin/CNET

After announcing its next-generation PlayStation hardware back in April, Sony has finally let players know when to expect its next console, the PlayStation 5. During a demo in May, it appeared Sony was gearing for the console to feature vast improvements from the PlayStation 4. 

The new console was rumored to have backward compatibility with the PS4, 8K resolution, support for discs and ray tracing. Price, a release date, games and details about user experience weren't elaborated on at the time. But Sony did allude to the new system offering an enhanced gaming community and a richer future in cloud gaming. 

Since then, we've gotten more details. Here's everything we know so far about the Playstation 5. 

When can we expect the PS5?

The Playstation 5 will be launching in time for the 2020 holiday season.

What's new about the PS5? 

The rumors around the console weren't too far from the truth. On Tuesday, Sony President and CEO Jim Ryan pulled back the curtain on the PlayStation 5. In a release, Ryan said he wanted to confirm the updates to fans. 

Graphics 

The new console will have improved graphics that use ray tracing, which is a new way of handling lighting effects in a game. The new tech will be supported by the PS5's GPU. 

Storage

Players will see a change in storage. The PS5's new solid-state drive will make it boot up games faster and take less time for games to load. In addition, the console will let users install a game's multiplayer or single-player campaign without installing a whole new game.

Controller

The PS5 is also getting a new controller that will ship with the console. Ryan says the new controller will adopt haptic feedback to replace the older "rumble" sensation. There will also be new speakers in the controllers and a USB-C port. 

"With haptics, you truly feel a broader range of feedback, so crashing into a wall in a race car feels much different than making a tackle on the football field. You can even get a sense for a variety of textures when running through fields of grass or plodding through mud," Ryan said in the release.

The controllers also incorporate adaptive triggers in the L2/R2 buttons. If developers choose, they can program resistance into the triggers so you can feel a "tactile sensation" of drawing a bow, accelerating a vehicle off-road, and more. It makes games more immersive overall. 

Green-tech

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In September, Sony also said its new console would be "greener." If 1 million players use the PS5's energy-saving feature, Sony said that it would save the equivalent of the average electricity use of 1,000 US homes. Both Sony and Microsoft said they were committed to making more eco-friendly video game consoles. 

Do we know about any games yet?

Not for PS5, unfortunately. Ryan did say that Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima are still coming out for PS4.  

How much is it going to cost? 

No set price has been revealed, but Sony has said that PlayStations could get more expensive if the trade wars between China and the US continue. 

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Written by: editor - Tuesday, October 8, 2019