Road to NextGen 2020
The PS5 user interface: elegant, minimal and very, very fast
Sony delivers the best UI ever in a product it’s built, probably the best in its category too
Home entertainment systems are consumer products specifically built to offer video games and relevant services, yes — but the way they do that is extremely important to the overall experience of using them, day in and day out, for a very long time. Consoles tend to function in the exact same way from day one until they stop being used eight to ten years later, unlike e.g. smartphones, tablets or personal computers. So their user interface — the way they present, manage and use content and services — has to be as fluid and as modern as possible in order to stand that test of time.
The user interface introduced by the PlayStation4 in 2013 was a clear departure from the one offered by the PS3 because, well, times called for it. The one introduced by the PS5 in a few days is, at first glance, less of a departure compared to its predecessor’s. Consumers who own a PS4 will feel right at home with the new home screen, menus, options and general layout. But there are important changes anyone will pick up in the first few hours of using the PS5 and these deserve a closer look.
