Sony reveals two PlayStation 5 consoles, including digital edition without optical drive

After months of speculation and delays Sony has finally taken the wraps off its next-generation PlayStation 5 (PS5) console. Decked out in white and black, Sony announced two versions: one with a 4K Blu-ray drive and another pure Digital Edition without an optical drive.

The two PS5 consoles look near identical to one another though the Digital Edition appears much slimmer than the regular model due to the exclusion of the drive. Like its predecessor, the PS5 can be placed either vertically or horizontally thanks to a stand that works for either orientation.

From the brief teaser video Sony showed at the end of the presentation, we could see that the top of the PS5 appears to have vents that help its dissipate heat. It also appears to have several USB-A and USB-C ports at the front.

Based on the specs revealed by Sony, the PS5 will run on a custom eight-core AMD Zen 2 CPU that is clocked at 3.5GHz and on a custom GPU based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture. It is also reported to have 16GB of GDDR6 RAM and will have a custom 825GB Solid State Drive (SSD) that Sony promises will result in faster load times in games.

On top of that, Sony’s PS5 is said to be able to run games in 4K resolution at 120Hz. It will also support 8K graphics but did not confirm the targeted frame rate. Sony is also placing a lot of emphasis on 3D audio, a feature that is said to deliver more immersive audio and sound effects when playing games.

Sony previously revealed DualSense controller back in April and it was the first hint at the PS5’s new design. Much like the previous generation DualShock controllers, the DualSense maintains the same layout for the D-pad and twin analogue sticks. It also carries over a centre-mounted touchpad like the PS4’s controller though it is not clear how games will take advantage of this. The livestream video also confirmed that the DualSense will have USB-C port on top and an audio port on the bottom for connecting headphones.

But apart from the reveal of the console itself, the other main highlight of the livestream were the games coming to the PS5. These include next-gen updates of existing franchises such as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,  Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7 and a Demon’s Soul PS5 remake.

The PS5 will also carry several exciting games from third-party developers including an enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto V from Rockstar Games, Ghostwire: Tokyo from Tango Gameworks/ Bethesda Softworks, Hitman 3 from IO Interactive and Resident Evil Village from Capcom.

Sony said the PS5 will support backwards compatibility, allowing it to tap into the PlayStation 4’s vast library of more 4,000 titles. The company added that backward compatible titles running on the PS5 will boast enhanced graphics and more stable frame rates.

Sony also announced new accessories for the PS5 that include a wireless headset, camera, media remote and charging dock for its new DualSense controller.

Sony only revealed the design of the PS5 during its livestream but it has not announced a firm release date or the price of each variant.

But given the release date of the new games announced, it is almost certain that we can expect the PS5 to hit store shelves by the end of 2020.

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