I Finally Got My Hands On a PlayStation 5
Here’s What It’s Like
Sony Interactive Entertainment, the producer of the PS5, has recently hit a sales milestone of 10 million units globally, making it the fastest-selling console in the company’s history. As someone who has been gaming since I was six years old with the PlayStation 2, I’ve wanted to get one ever since the announcement.
Unfortunately for my fellow gamers and I, there have been numerous impasses when it comes to buying one. For one, a computer chip shortage has slowed production.
For another, on Black Friday 2020, each GameStop around the United States was limited to only two consoles per store. Needless to say, this caused fights at numerous locations.
Because the console is in such high demand and rarely available in stores, retailers have been selling the console primarily online. However, online scalpers with bots typically buy the consoles faster than you can whip out your credit card, leaving those that want the console limited to eBay to pay hundreds of dollars more above the retail price.
Up until this point, I had given up on attempting to get one. With all of the above in mind, it seemed nearly impossible to get a PS5 without knowing someone in retail or spending a ridiculous amount of money from a reseller.
That is, until Wednesday, July 14th.
The purchase
On that day, I received an email from PlayStation with the subject line “Confirmed! Your exclusive invitation to order a PS5 console.”
My initial gut reaction was “oh great, another spam email.” I was used to receiving tons of emails from PlayStation and dozens of other retailers vying for my attention.
Most of the time, I ignored them when they came up in my notifications. But this was something different.
“We’re pleased to extend this opportunity to order a PS5™ console,” it read. “Starting from 12:00 PT on July 16 click the ‘Shop Now’ button below to enter the site.”
After doing some Googling and checking with the local guy at GameStop, I confirmed it was the real deal. I was given an opportunity to buy a PS5 directly from the manufacturer at retail price, and I took it.
The following Tuesday, the console arrived at my doorstep. I didn’t have to fight crowds at Black Friday, run the risk of not getting one this holiday season, or deal with potentially getting mugged as I exited a store after purchase. It was finally here, in my hands.
There was only one question on my mind, “how does it compare to the PS4?”
Performance and noticeable changes
The PlayStation 5 has a solid-state drive, which is currently one of the best things you can put inside a gaming PC. Performance-wise, it feels like a high-end gaming PC.
About a month ago, I wrote a review of the first 30 hours of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Since the game came with a free PS5 upgrade, it was the first game I tried out on my new console.
While I didn’t like the long loading times and framerate drops associated with its performance on my PS4 Pro, I maintained a steady 60 FPS on my PS5 with minimal framerate drops.
The game looked gorgeous in 4K on the upgraded hardware, so much so that I teared up a bit thinking about how far the technology has come for gaming and how much more detailed gaming worlds will be in the coming years.
The incredible thing about this system is that if I get tired of or need to take a break from a game, going to the home menu and selecting “Rest Mode” doesn’t turn off the game itself. The game stays loaded in your console, ready whenever you’re ready to come back to it without waiting for the disc to load.
I was able to jump right back into Assassin’s Creed Valhalla moments after I turned the console back on, and it makes me excited about other games I’ll be playing in the future.
The “Share” button has been improved from the previous console generation. Now, instead of saving the past 15 minutes of gameplay, holding the newly named “Create” button allows you to select just how long you want the clip to be, from 15 seconds to an hour.
The “Create” button also levels the playing field when it comes to streaming. Normally, most video game streams online are done through high-end gaming PCs, but with the “Broadcast” option available after tapping the “Create” button, you can stream your gameplay directly to YouTube or Twitch.
Speaking of streaming, I’ve found YouTube and Netflix load titles significantly quicker than my PS4 Pro. Additionally, if you’re still into movies on disc, the PS5’s disk drive supports DVDs, Blu Rays, and 4K discs, meaning you won’t have to buy a separate expensive 4K player for your home theater setup.
Final thoughts
At the risk of sounding cliche, the PlayStation 5 is next level.
It has ushered in a new era of gaming, one that I’m extremely excited to be a part of. While I don’t have many PS5 titles, my experience with the upgraded version of Valhalla gave me a glimpse into the potential of what this console is capable of.
If you’re fortunate enough to receive an email from Sony about buying a PS5 and you want one, there is no better way to avoid the hassle of traditional buying methods. I’m looking forward to this year’s holiday season, the new games it brings, and when I get to experience the latest God of War title.
