Topic: Does the PS5 Digital really look better then the disk model?

So far I’m happy with my original disc drive PS5. The size is off-putting, and I do wish it were smaller, but the overall design has grown on me and I like the uniqueness of it.

As for the stand being sold separately in the new slim model, I think previous generations have always sold the stand separately, if I’m not mistaken. I have always had my consoles horizontal, so I can’t recall for sure but I don’t remember having a stand included for the PS2, PS3, or PS4. (PS1 couldn’t be placed vertical, but I do remember having to run it upside-down 😂… ah, memories…). The PS5 is a whole different animal, I realize, because even horizontal placement requires a stand, but Sony have always considered placing your unit vertically as a upgraded ‘privilege’. 😄( At least we don’t have to buy memory cards anymore to save our games.) And honestly, the PS5 is fairly stable when placed vertically, even without a stand. I know it’s not recommended, but it would take significant force to knock it over. Not that I’d trust it, but I’ve stored it vertically temporarily without the stand attached.

@Kidfried Considering some games are 1080p and under with FSR upscaling used and still can't deliver a 'locked' 60fps (Jedi Survivor) on PS5 now, games that certainly aren't at the same Visual Quality settings as the best PC's with much higher RT settings for example that rely on DLSS to upscale to 4k to achieve a 60fps (Cyberpunk) I doubt a 'Pro' would offer that much of an upgrade.

Take the PS4 Pro (or XB1X that had a much bigger upgrade over its base hardware) - you got more performance/Quality options but ultimately you still had 'higher' Graphical settings or higher frame rate modes that still weren't able to offer 'both'.

I know you think that 4k/30 or say 1080-1440/60 is what you get so a pro would do 4k/60 or 1080-1440/120, but you'd probably 4k/60 (at the same visual Quality as PS5 performance mode) and a 4k/30 mode with higher Visual settings (including 'better' RT) and less DRS/FSR upscaling artefacts and maybe a 1080-1440/120 fps mode.

Also, if a PS5 'slim' with all the reductions in manufacturing and distribution costs is still around £500, how much do you think a PS5 Pro would cost with any 'meaningful' upgrades would be on the market for? The PS4 Pro and XB1X were both £200+ more than the Base hardware - which at the time were both 'Slim' designs (PS4 Slim and XB1S). £500 is a 'premium' price point for Console hardware - it was around the Price both Pro and XB1X launched at. £300 is the price of Switch, Series S and Steam Deck (entry tier) and was about the Price of Console launches - PS3 was 'ridiculed' for its price at launch - which was about the price we are paying today for PS5's/Series X hardware with £200-£300 being the 'ideal' price for a Console.

Much more than £500 and you are pushing into 'PC' type territory that doesn't have the same 'locked' ecosystem that commands at least a Sub service to access 'online' functionality and the Games are cheaper too despite the fact that you can get much better performance AND Visual Quality than Consoles and you are not 'limited' to just the Games that those Consoles can play - thanks to emulation, Back Compatibility and the 'open' nature of the PC platform. You can play many Nintendo, Sony and MS as well as Sega, NeoGeo etc console games as well as games that won't be playable on modern Consoles.

A modern console can run 'old' games at 4k/60 today - games that may have struggled to hit 1080/30 at the time. However, with 'better' hardware, Devs use that to push things further - more objects, better lighting (inc RT), less Pop-in, higher LoDs, better particles, higher Physics (less clipping) etc etc. With PC's leaping further and further ahead, Devs are pushing beyond what current hardware can deliver - hence DLSS/FSR aiming to upscale and even add artificial 'frames' to create the illusion of a 'native' high frame rate game when its running much worse in reality. If you get a 'Pro' Console, it won't guarantee you get every game at 4k/60 - considering the way games 'run' on PS5. UE5 isn't that 'performant' on PS5 so you'd need quite an upgrade for a PS5 to make that much difference...

@BAMozzy this makes me think back to a crazy idea, a PS branded Laptop or Desktop. I'd love them to do this instead of a pro. It wouldn't be an actual pc with windows or anything, it'd still be just for the PS ecosystem, but just focused on more performance for a higher price, of course. Cheaper than a dedicated gaming PC, but more than any console ever released.

I'd love to see what they could come up with if they just had a desktop amount of space to fill, or from a design standpoint a Sony gaming laptop would probably just look really nice

@Ravix Consoles these days are pretty much a locked ecosystem 'PC' with their own bespoke OS they control. The difference is the design of the plastic box. Asus, HP or any 'PC' builder could make a PC designed more for the Living Room instead of a Desktop or Laptop. They can use a 'single' Chip design too - as we see with some products on the Market - like Asus RoG Ally for example. Console also support K&M and Monitors too so its literally a 'locked and 'branded' PC in a Console format.

The issue with 'locked' ecosystem is that it limits you to what that ecosystem offers and why they can charge for 'online'. If you are spending say £700 on a 'Pro' console or say £1000 for a decent PC, you'd save the difference quite quickly on Game Prices and not paying PS+ to play online. You have access to a much larger Library and a multitude of different vendors - from Steam, Epic, MS etc to all the other retailers selling Digital PC games - that 'competition' keeps prices lower than Consoles which limit who you can buy from - you can ONLY buy from Sony Store on PS or MS store on Xbox. You can also play old PS1-PS3 games via emulation - not 'forced' to play via PS+/streaming

Sony did have their own PC brand - Sony Vaio - but I believe they sold that off around 2014 as they were somewhat 'over-priced' for the Specs and ultra competitive market so pulled out of the PC space.

PS5 PRO Slim pictures leaked -

@BAMozzy but why are consoles much weaker than PC then if the only difference is the design of the two boxes ?? i wouldn’t say they’re virtually the same because of just how much more you can do and plug into a PC . hell , the only reason console can be played on a monitor is because monitors have HDMI ports now. you pretty much can hook anything with HDMI

@nomither6 They are not 'much' weaker - they are built to a much cheaper cost that actually punches above its price point because they can make money from its 'locked' nature and longevity.

You try building a PC from scratch to match a PS5 or Series X. Even if you save money by buying some used or 'basic' (not expensive or branded quality) parts, you'll struggle - let alone Software you'd need - Windows isn't 'free' - its usually bundled in when you buy a built PC or Console. I say the price of a Console. but you also get a £50+ Controller and Decent HDMI cable in the box too - and warranty.

All that simple plug and play, that UI and its bespoke OS meaning games just work and that 'performance' for that much is why Consoles succeed. But they are basically a PC in a box. The ONLY thing that really makes them 'different' from most gaming PC's is that PC's have separate CPU and GPU but on Console, they build both into one chip. Its 'custom AMD' CPU/GPU cores and being designed as a 'single' chip, has better efficiency, lower latency etc to punch above their 'specs' would suggest.

From a hardware perspective they are technically the same but are 'locked' which means that they ONLY allow you to do what the Platform holder wants you to be able to do, even what they are happy for you to see, hear or do on their platform. If Sony wanted you to be able to buy and play Steam, MS or Epic games on their Hardware, they won't necessarily get the sale in their store, won't have you playing what they allow (think of censorship and/or protecting you as Playstation player). The difference is really the fact the PC is an 'OPEN' platform so is expected to do multiple tasks, a Console is fixed spec for gaming as its locked to Gaming by the Platform manufacturer to provide a 'consistent' spec for a duration of time so devs have a easier task of 'optimising' their game to fit in that consistent spec, where as PC gamers have to optimise games themselves because there is no 'consistency' in specs.

@BAMozzy All consoles since 8th generation have released with outdated hardware , the last time a modern console was on par with a modern PC was the xbox360 back in 2005 , and that lasted about 2 years. Consoles today are still using 30fps because it cant run high resolution and high frames at the same time , nor multitask like a PC can . The only reason console sells is because of the conveniency & price, not the actual hardware itself, it also used to be simplicity, but PC have come along way and that’s no longer true .

“ You try building a PC from scratch to match a PS5 or Series X.”

• I actually bought a prebuilt & it runs laps around my PS5 , lol .

“Even if you save money by buying some used or 'basic' (not expensive or branded quality) parts, you'll struggle”

-Had my PC since sep 2022 & have had absolutely zero struggles or issues . any game that had a problem , a quick google search and settings change fixed it for me.

“- let alone Software you'd need - Windows isn't 'free' - its usually bundled in when you buy a built PC or Console.”

-What ? the only thing i seen windows put a price on was MS word , hahaha; i haven’t spent a dime on windows.

“I say the price of a Console. but you also get a £50+ Controller and Decent HDMI cable in the box too - and warranty.”

IMO consoles are overpriced, especially the PS5 in particular , no where near worth the $500 , the series X - maybe, but the ps5 is arguably the worst playstation to date with barebone features or lack thereof and feels more restricted than the ps4. the launch ps3 was well worth the price , the ps5 is a joke compared to it. The dualsense while ergonomically phenomenal, is cheap and flimsy with a terrible battery life.

as for the rest of your comments , i don’t get what’s your point , it’s kind of like a broken record - console is extremely limited , i get it . in the near future i really don’t see a point in them much longer if PCs become just as convenient

@nomither6 I think he was talking more about cost, as far as getting a comparable gaming rig, especially when you start adding the cost of the extra items needed to game and run the thing. As in, you’ll struggle to get a comparable complete PC gaming package for the same price as a console. I’m just clarifying, I’m no expert, so I’m not saying you didn’t pay $500 or less for your PC and the controller, cable, and operating software. Maybe you did.

@Th3solution i mean to get a console setup -

ps5 plus tax - $540
a 4k 120/144hz - about 350 - $400
dualsense - $70
ps plus year sub - $80
a single ps5 game - $70

thats about $1,160 and thats not even factoring tax for all of them. thats a rip-off in my opinion and way overpriced for an inferior experience and unnecessary pay to play online scam

edit - also when i bought my pc , the only thing i needed to buy was a monitor since you can use virtually any controller on pc and even connect your pc to a tv if need be.

@nomither6 Try building a PC for $540 that will play games at the same quality/performance as a Console. You can't on just the hardware - let alone adding a K&M or Controller, whatever games you want to play etc - just the 'PC' alone will cost you more before you add on whatever 'extras' you might want.

Practically every home has a TV these days so that is a non-issue. The whole point is that Consoles connect to a TV because every home has one, you don't 'need' to buy a new TV just to game. I know PC's can connect to TV's too but whatever you choose to connect to a TV, the TV is household essential these days. Dualsense comes in the box too.

Yes I know that over time you can save money per game and don't have to pay a Subscription for 'online' but the initial outlay is higher on PC to get the 'same' Quality gaming. A £500 PS5 will beat what PC you can build with £500. Things like Game Price and Sub fees are down to the 'locked' nature of Consoles - 3rd Party Publishers have to pay a Licence Fee and lose money to the Platform holder as they are the retailer too so prices are higher to get their money.

I used to build gaming rigs years ago and was one of those idiots who looked down on consoles as inferior.

Online shooters were my main thing so a good connection and decent FPS were the holy grail,
i spent years chasing my tail at great expense as new must have hardware came out, faster graphics cards, faster processors and RAM etc, i eventually tired of this never ending upgrade expense and switched to console, if you take the PS3 it was 13 years before the PS4 came out, to build a gaming rig that would have been superior to the PS3 would have cost a lot of money back then then when you add on the cost of upgrades over the next 13 years to keep it up to date it gets into silly money territory.

At the end of the day its horses for courses if you must have a PC because you believe its the ultimate gaming experience go for it, if you have a decent TV/monitor that can show what the PS5 can do and dont want to spend a few hundred pounds more for a gaming PC i honestly dont think you would be disappointed with a console.

I dont play online shooters now but the fact console owners play on a level playing field was a big plus for me.

@nomither6 I wish my TV only cost that much 😅 , but yeah like @BAMozzy says I wouldn’t consider the TV as part of the start up cost.

Also if I’m being nit-picky I’d say a more comparable price would be the digital-only PS5. (I don’t think most PC’s have a 4K BluRay Drive). So the digital unit is $450 now, although they’ve been $400 for the last three years. And so subtracting the value of the DualSense and HDMI 2.1 cable, the comparable base unit costs $320. So through my lens, one would need to get (or build) a base PC unit for around $320 to be comparable.

And to clarify, I don’t want to sound like I’m being contentious. People are free to weigh the pros and cons and game however they want. In fact a couple weeks ago I was asking a friend who has both a gaming PC and a PS5 about how I might get into the PC world. He offered to help me build one but I don’t think I will.

Definitely there’s a point to be made about free online and also Steam being a better marketplace and slightly cheaper. Although, strangely, PC versions of new games aren’t always cheaper - FC24 is $70 on Steam, but Lords of the Fallen and Baldur’s Gate 3 are only $60. So I guess it depends on the game.

There’s also a point to be made that your PC does a lot of other things like word processing, running spreadsheets, emailing, and a million other non-gaming things. For me though, I have an old Mac desktop that just sits on my desk and almost never is used. I can do 90% of my PC needs on my phone, so I just don’t really need a home desktop computer. I do use a PC all day at work…

Which leads me to a couple things. A lot of people (like me) are working on their PCs all day and the last thing I want to do is get back on a PC when I get home. I want to sit on my couch and escape. I know, I could hook up a PC to my big 4K OLED TV in the living room and still game on the couch with the full suite of TV amenities, but it seems cumbersome. Do people actually leave their PC hooked up to their living room TV? I guess @Max_Headroom would be good to ask. I assume serious PC gamers want their rig streaming through the best TV and best place to game, but how does that work? Do you have a little table in front of the couch to put your mouse and keyboard on? Do you leave it hooked up there when you need to use the computer for non-gaming things like doing your taxes, sending emails, or writing a research paper for school? I can’t wrap my head around that. I have always assumed PC gaming is done on a monitor at a desk with a headset on. I could be wrong.

And to bring it back full circle for the subject of the thread - is there anything uglier than having a big PC hooked up to your entertainment center? 😂 No matter how big and ugly the PS5 is or the Xbox, both would look miles better than a big PC box sitting prominently in your living room.

All I meant is that I'd probably stupidly buy a PS branded giant desktop if they made one, that was actually just a big console, like a pro, but with even more comparable PC performance, but still locked to the PS Ecosystem. The debate it kicked off, I can't even be bothered with 😅😅😅

When i was into shooters i had the gaming PC set up in a proper PC unit with a sliding shelf that had the keyboard and mouse on it the PC was hooked up to a decent size monitor on top of the unit at head height (when sat down) so basically sat at the desk like you would in an office, i dont think using a PC with a keyboard and mouse in the living room hooked up to a massive TV would work for shooters give me a proper desk set up every time, i still use the desk set up for my PC (non gaming PC) and play the PS5 through the same monitor at 2560x1440.

@Th3solution Oh PC does even more than tedious office work , it’s the true all in one entertainment machine - nothing like watching a movie while waiting in lobbies or listening to live streams and playing a game on the same screen . or finding cool emulators playing across multiple generations & game changing mods , more in-game settings to customize, custom servers with FREE ONLINE by the way , being logged in & connected to all of my social apps & gaming accounts and interacting and receiving notifications - one minute i’m in a facebook group chat , the next im minimizing to discord , then i’m pulling up twitch and watching a friends stream all while spotify is playing music in the background and steams running a game. also - using a dualsense when i feel like it or using an xbox controller when i feel like it - or hell , even a Steering wheel if i wanted too! i use PCs alot for projects so i’m on them a lot too , but i can still slouch on my bed when playing a game if i wanted to since the pc is in the bedroom . I use my phone when i’m out of the house , but at home ? man i tell you PC does everything , it’s hard for me to even watch netflix in the living room because all the apps are on PC too, lol!

i know i went on a tangent , but PC is still new to me & i think it’s amazing , i haven’t been blown away with gaming since the ps3 era and when i tried PC i had the same feeling again. you made good points but i gotta say that you get what you pay for , i don’t think anyone’s feeling ripped off if they ever invest in a gaming PC, but i feel console is too expensive for what it offers or lack thereof. ultimately all console has is the conveniency of “plugging & playing” and some exclusives but i just don’t think that’s enough in todays time, it just seems outdated . i’ll always have a console or consoles around though because conveniency is all it needs i guess.

i still miss when consoles had features & more social aspects and customization

" i don’t think anyone’s feeling ripped off if they ever invest in a gaming PC, but i feel console is too expensive for what it offers or lack thereof"

You may not feel ripped off but when your gaming rig wont run the latest games at full settings you will end up going down the upgrade rabbit hole if you have the spare cash and know how great if you dont you are better off with console.

I have a decent monitor 2560 x1440 and the PS5 games look brilliant on it i also have a good spec PC but its not a gaming spec PC so for i dont use it for gaming, if the PC breaks i have my laptop (also not gaming spec) if the PS5 breaks i still have my PC/laptop, back in the day PC shooters were all i played so free access to servers was a big thing having to pay to play is a bit of a bitch but you do get free games every month and possibly more stuff than last time i was online with a PlayStation, i now dont bother with shooters so dont have PS+

Having searched they have indeed changed a lot since last time i looked you still get three games free on the basic package but then things get interesting -

For someone who uses the PS5 as their primary console, the Premium PS Plus tier ticks all the boxes. It offers all the features from the above tiers (400 games with PS Extra) while still building upon it and offers even more. Of course, due to just how much it includes, you should expect to pay slightly more for the service, but you'll be getting your money's worth within its high-quality offerings.

Provides all the benefits from Essential and Extra tiers
A catalog of beloved classic games available that can be streamed (on a PS5, PS4, or PC) or downloaded from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP generations.
Time-limited game trials
Up to 340 additional games to the library
PS3 games available via cloud streaming

@Max_Headroom i think the mediums changed to where the average PC nowadays will be decent enough to run most games, highest settings? maybe not, but what would you say console game settings are equivalent to? like @th3solution helped me realize - theres merits to be had with console, i get that & respect your preference. it really just depends on the type person in the end.

the deals you mentioned with PS plus is fine & all, my issue is that they took online away from me as well and put a price on that, PS plus used to be separate.

@nomither6

This demonstrates what i was saying, back in the day i chased my tail always wanting my gaming rigs to play all games at top quality but i am now happy with how the PS5 looks so do not give PC gaming a thought.

I sold my old monitor and *bought the best monitor i could afford to show off what the PS5 can do the difference between my old monitor at 1080p and the new one at 1440p (2560 x1440) is really noticeable and as i also use it for the PC it was worth the upgrade, i dont know how it would compare to a high end computer but that doesn't bother me as i am never going to compare the two side by side.
*i would have gone 4k but monitors are still silly money

So you can buy the slim with the drive or buy it without then add it later at more expense, the question is why would you do that?

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