Sony PlayStation’s official YouTube channel streamed an hour-long reveal about the upcoming PlayStation 5 or PS5. Lead system architect Mark Cerny took the dais and offered video game fans and tech junkies a load of valuable information regarding the new console’s specifications, architecture, and capabilities. It was a little technical in some aspects. But anyone who has seen the live stream will agree that Sony its PS5 will create some waves. Cerny did not reveal what the new console would look like. But he talked at length about the console’s Solid State Drive (SSD), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and 3D Audio.
So, here is a comprehensive list of all the things that Mark Cerny revealed about the PS5 in the presentation.
Table of Contents
Full Specifications Are Now Available
The new PlayStation 5 is going to be an incredibly powerful machine. It will offer gamers and developers a different platform to play video games. It aims to revolutionize the gaming industry. Earlier models of the PlayStation operated their GPU and CPU at a fixed frequency. The PS5 will change all that by introducing a variable frequency CPU and GPU, which will allow it to perform at a much greater speed – unmatched by present technology. Here is a list of the complete specifications of the Sony PS5.
- CPU: 8x Zen 2 cores at 3.5 GigaHertz
- GPU: 10.28 Teraflops at 2.23 GigaHertz
- GPU Architecture: Custom RDNA 2
- Memory/Interface: 16 GB GDDR6
- Memory Bandwidth: 448 GBPS
- Internal Memory: 825 GB Solid State Drive
It was noticed by many that the GPU of the PS5 will run up to 10.28 Teraflops, which is quite less powerful than the upcoming Xbox Series X, which is designed to run up to 12 Teraflops. However, it is still a major leap forward from the PS4, which only run up to 4.2 Teraflops. Additionally, the PS5’s GPU has 36 CUs which will run at a cap of 2.23 GHz. But as these units will run at variable frequency, the console can optimise its speed according to what is necessary.
The Solid State Drive
Cerny did an in-depth analysis of the new SSD that the PS5 will boast and its implications. He stated the SSD will allow the PS5 to load games 100 times faster than the PS4 currently can, operating at the most optimized level. He also stated that the team had worked very hard to ensure that nothing impact SSD effectiveness. According to Cerny, Sony collaborates multiple game developers and all of them requested that they put in an SSD. With an SSD in the picture, development studios can engineer legacy PS4 games and brand-new PS5 games within one month only. The bandwidth of the new PS5 SSD will be 5 GBPS, which is a massive leap forward from the PS4’s 50-100 MBPS.
This massive upgrade in bandwidth means that load times will become virtually non-existent when the PS5 hits the shelves. Another implication of the huge bandwidth is that upgrades and patches will download and install in virtually no time.
A prominent feature Cerny offer is that the PS5 will be able to load 2 GB of data in 0.27 seconds. But the PS4 can load 1 GB of data in 20 seconds. This means that the PS5 is going to be a hundred times faster than the current generation of gaming consoles, all due to its revolutionary new SSD.
PS5’s revolutionary new system architecture and SSD will also provide game developers with more freedom while designing. That means that games will be able to load textures and detail in no time, and lagging will effectively become a thing of the past.
Backward Compatibility
One of the most exciting things that Cerny confirmed was the PS5’s powerful backward compatibility feature. He went on to claim that the PS5 will be able to play all the 100 top PS4 games at launch. These games include Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Fortnite and FIFA 18. The reason why Cerny displayed some reticence while making this claim is that Sony has to performance-test each of these games individually against the PS5. For quite a few, the boost provided by the PS5 is too much to take on. However, the problem was solved immediately as Cerny said that gamers would be able to switch between Legacy PS4 and PS4 Pro modes on the PS5 console. This means that backward compatibility will be a permanent feature of the PlayStation 5, and will allow gamers and game developers to do exciting things.
External Hard Drive Compatibility
With this new feature, gamers will be able to expand the memory banks of the PS5 by using external Solid State Drives that will be available for purchase separately. Cerny confirmed that the PS5 will be compatible with a ton of third-party SSDs. But, as expected, he advised gamers that the best results were to be had if they stuck to SSDs certified by Sony itself.
Also, you will be able to play backward-compatible games from an external SSD on the PS5 console itself. This means that external SSD will act as a memory bank for your legacy PS4 titles and also expand your PS5’s current memory and capability.
Tempest 3D Audio
Cerny devoted quite some time of his hour-long soliloquy to describe what the PS5’s audio would be like. He said that Sony developed proprietary technology for this called Tempest 3D Audio that would provide gamers with an immersive gaming experience unmatched by anyone else. He stressed that the audio capabilities would be best experienced if headphones are worn. However, the technology is still being perfected and continuous firmware updates will make the entire PS5 gaming experience an immersive and enjoyable one.
Quite a few PS5 beta games might be announced within the year itself. When the PS5 finally launches, it will completely revolutionize the world of console gaming. Hence, that’s a piece of good news for all the gamers out there. ENJOY YOUR GAMING!
