When Sony’s PlayStation debuted in December 1994, it was a big deal. Its use of compact discs made it the first console to sell 100 million units, and its games like Twisted Metal, Crash Bandicoot, and Tekken were popular with gamers. It signalled a change in the industry away from cartridges, and it also led to the development of the handheld PlayStation Portable (PSP). Since then, the PlayStation brand has grown to include three more consoles, a portable game device, a media center, and online services.
The PS5 is the latest console in this line, and it’s a clear step up from its predecessors. Its DualShock controllers have a new design that’s slimmer and more ergonomic, with a more pointed tip and broader lines than the previous generation. The PS5 is a faster machine, too, and it supports 4K video playback and high dynamic range content. Its processor, meanwhile, is twice as strong as the PS4’s, and it can handle more teraflops (floating-point operations per second) when graphics are enabled.
In 2023, Sony released updated models of the PS5 that are 30% slimmer and have more storage space than their original counterparts. The PS5 can still run many of the games that came out for the previous consoles, and backward compatibility is also available. Subscribers to the PlayStation Plus service can access a curated selection of games, and those with the premium plan get access to an extra Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, too.