Your Guide to the PS5: Your Biggest Questions Answered

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 13, 2022 References

The PlayStation 5 remains one of the hottest gaming consoles on the market, with demand continuing to outweigh supply several months after its November 2020 release. Whether you are a proud PS5 owner, or still scouring your local retailers for the elusive machine, you likely have some lingering questions about Sony’s latest gaming console. We’ll break down everything you want to know about the PS5.

Question 1 of 6:

Why Is The PS5 Still So Hard To Find?

The pandemic has put a lot of pressure on the PlayStation 5. With so many people worldwide working from home, retailers have seen a massive surge in laptop and desktop sales. As a result, manufacturers have prioritized creating parts and components for such computers, slowing down manufacturing of consoles like the PS5. ^{[1]
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- Resellers have made matters worse. With PS5 consoles already in short supply, resellers have pounced on the opportunity to squeeze the market even further. Many resellers manage to scoop up large quantities of the PS5 as soon as it is restocked, and then sell them for double the retail price.

Question 2 of 6:

How Much Does The PS5 Cost?

There are two different versions of the PS5. The standard PS5 retails for $499, while the PS5 Digital Edition retails for $399.
- Because the PS5’s stock is constantly in flux, pricing tends to vary across different retailers and resellers. You may find a PS5 for much more than it traditionally retails for, so be careful in deciding how much the console is worth to you.

Question 3 of 6:

What Is The Difference Between The PS5 And The PS5 Digital Edition?

The PS5 has a disc drive, while the PS5 Digital Edition does not. Fortunately, the specs for the two consoles are the same. The key difference between the standard PS5 and the Digital Edition is that the Digital Edition does not have a disc drive, which explains why it is $100 cheaper than its counterpart.^{[2]
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- The Digital Edition offers a cheaper alternative for gamers who are not ready to shell out the $499 for the standard PS5. Physical copies of games are by no means a necessity in today’s gaming landscape, so the Digital Edition is a perfectly viable option.
- The PS5’s disc drive does afford you the ability to play 4K UHD Blu-Rays, which could make it a worthwhile investment.
- Keep in mind that digital ownership is not the same as physical ownership. If Sony suddenly decided to shut down its digital store, you would no longer own the games you have purchased there.

Question 4 of 6:

What Are The Best Games For The PS5?

Sony continues its streak of impressive exclusive games. The PS5 offers an extensive lineup of games, pulling from Sony’s past, present, and future. PS5 owners have pointed particular praise towards Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Godfall, and The Pathless.^{[3]
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- Most PS5 exclusives are still available on the PS4, due to the former’s limited availability. If you are interested in buying a PS5, perhaps you can test out some of its hottest games on your PS4 first.

Question 5 of 6:

Can I Play My PS4 Games On My PS5?

Playing PS4 games on your PS5 is easier than ever before. When the PS4 first launched in November 2016, fans were disappointed by the console’s lack of backwards compatibility with the PS3. Eventually, Sony updated the console to allow for backwards compatibility, but they are clearly not making the same mistake twice.
- The PS5 allows you to play any games you owned on your PS4. They will all be available in your Game Library. If you own the standard PS5, you can even insert your old discs directly into the console.
- If you stored your PS4 games on an external drive, you can simply plug that drive into your PS5 and play. The games won’t even need to reinstall on the new console!^{[4]
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Question 6 of 6:

What Is New About The PS5 DualSense Controller?

The PS5 DualSense is already regarded as one of the most innovative controllers in gaming. The DualSense improves upon the PS4’s DualShock 4 in a number of ways, introducing a vastly different design from the all-black aesthetic that has defined every previous iteration of the PlayStation controller.
- The DualSense is rounder and whiter than its predecessors, but it also improves upon them internally as well. Its most notable feature is its haptic feedback — vibrations and rumbles in response to in-game events — which is much more subtle and detailed than it has been in the past. The DualSense also has adaptive triggers that require different degrees of pressure depending on what action you are trying to perform.^{[5]
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- The controller also has a built-in microphone, and a brand new “Create” button that allows users to create and share gaming content with their friends and the public.
- While the DualSense’s battery life is an estimated 5-6 hours, PS5 owners recommend regularly charging the controller between sessions. Sony sells a wireless charging station for your controllers.