Choosing Between PS5 Models

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Only buy the PS5 Digital Edition if you don't own physical PS4 games and never plan to buy PS5 games on disc.

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The standard PS5 model with a disc drive costs $100 more, but you'll easily save more than that over the life of the system on used games, disc sales, and so on.

3

As of October 2021 there are no major revisions to the PS5 hardware. We'll likely see a slim version and special editions later on, if waiting for those is worth it to you.

PS5 Hardware

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On its rear, the PS5 has sockets for the power cable, HDMI output, Ethernet, and two USB-A ports. Use the USB ports to connect external storage or charging cables.

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On the front of the PS5, you'll find a USB-C port and another USB-A port, as well as two buttons on the standard PS5. The Power button is closer to the bottom of the system, while Eject is above it.

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Use the USB ports to connect external storage or charging cables.

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When the PS5 is turned on, the lights on top are white. While in Rest Mode, they're orange. The lights turn off when the PS5 is fully shut down, and pulse during boot-up and shutdown.

8

You can orient the PS5 horizontally or vertically. Whichever you choose, use the PS5's stand to secure it in place.

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If you connect an external drive and format it for use with the PS5, you can use it to play PS4 games. External drives can hold PS5 games for later transfer to system storage, but you can't play them there.

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You can also connect flash drives, without formatting them, to store screenshots, videos, and save data. The PS5 can also play media from a USB drive.

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The PS5 has an internal slot for adding a compatible M.2 SSD. Installing one of these gives you more room to store PS5 titles.

The DualSense Controller

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The PS5's controller has adaptive triggers, meaning that their resistance dynamically adjusts depending on in-game actions.

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You can tweak the intensity of the triggers, as well as other controller options, at Settings > Accessories > Controllers.

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Your DualSense controller contains a microphone. When you're using it, the adaptive trigger intensity is turned down to reduce unwanted noise.

15

Press the small minus-shaped button under the PS button to mute your microphone (built-in or external). The light will turn orange when you're muted. Hold the button for a moment to mute all sounds.

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The center-front of the controller is a touchpad. Scroll your finger on it to move around map screens and similar. Pressing the touchpad in is also a button, similar to Select on other consoles.

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Use the Share button, to the left of the touchpad, to take screenshots and videos of your gameplay. This button also lets you open and browse the media library.

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Head to Settings > Captures and Broadcasts to change the behavior of the Share button, as well as change capture options like automatic trophy clips and video quality.

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You can connect and use PS4 DualShock 4 controllers to your PS5. However, they only work for PS4 games; you cannot play PS5 games with PS4 controllers.

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If you want to play with headphones, simply connect a standard 3.5mm cable to the jack at the bottom of your controller.

21

Hold the PS button on your controller for around 10 seconds to turn it off and save battery.

PS5 Basics

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To install the latest system updates, head to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings. You can have your system install them automatically on this menu, too.

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Your PS5's home screen shows your Games library by default. Use the Media tab at the top to switch to apps like Netflix and Spotify.

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If the game you want isn't in the list of recent apps, select your Game Library from the far right side. Here, you can browse all your games, whether installed or not.

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Head to Settings > Users and Accounts > Users to add other profiles to your console.

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Take advantage of the Search icon at the top-right of your home screen. This makes it easy to find any game you own, look up games on the PS Store, and find other players.

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Under your avatar at the top-right of the home menu, you can review your own profile, see trophies, and make yourself appear offline.

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Press the PS button on your controller to open the quick menu, which contains useful shortcuts to common functions. Press the Options button on your controller to customize it.

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On the quick menu, use the Game Base icon to see what friends are doing and create parties.

PS5 Games

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The PS5 is backward-compatible with nearly all PS4 games. Simply insert the PS4 disc (if you have the standard PS5) or download the game from your digital library.

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Visit the PlayStation Store from the home screen to purchase digital games. There are regular sales to check out; digital titles are convenient because you can start playing right away.

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On the standard model PS5, buying discs can allow you to save money on in-store sales or by borrowing from friends. If you have the PS5 Digital Edition, you're limited to digital purchases.

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When you buy a cross-generational game from the PlayStation Store, check to confirm you're getting the PS5 version. Each title is clearly marked with a PS5 or PS4 tag.

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PlayStation Now is Sony's game streaming service. This lets you access a library of titles for a monthly cost. Give it a try if you're interested in the games on offer.

35

Astro's Playroom is a free pack-in title with the PS5. It's worth playing, as it's a fun time and shows off the features of the DualSense controller well.

PlayStation Plus

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PS Plus brings you a lot of benefits, including online multiplayer, several free games each month, access to top PS4 titles in the PS Plus Collection, and cloud storage for your game saves.

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Subscription cards regularly go on sale around Black Friday and the holiday season, so waiting to renew your membership can result in savings.

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If you have enabled the option under Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play, other users on your system can enjoy online multiplayer and access to PS Plus games too.

The PlayStation App, Website, and Remote Play

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Download the PlayStation App for Android or iPhone to buy games, download purchased titles to your console from anywhere, message your PSN friends, and more.

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Browse the PlayStation Store on the web for many of the same benefits. You could buy a game while at work and have it finish downloading before you get home.

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Your PS5 supports Remote Play, which lets you stream games from your console to a phone, tablet, or computer. See the Remote Play page for details.

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While it's not an official website, signing up for PSPrices is a great idea. It's a handy service for discount notifications and lets you keep track of your wishlist.

Miscellaneous PS5 Tips

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Keep an eye on how much storage you have left at Settings > Storage. You'll see any expanded storage you have here, and can manage what you have installed (including deleting parts of some games).

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Head to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets to choose default options for all games, like inverting the Y-axis.

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One option on that menu lets you choose between Resolution and Performance modes. Resolution sacrifices some fancy visual effects, like ray tracing, to run the game at a smoother frame rate.

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You can see how long you've spent playing each game by selecting your profile icon at the top-right of the home screen, then going to Profile > Games.

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If you're bothered by some notifications or want to prevent them from appearing in certain situations, go to Settings > Notifications.

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To control what your PS5 can do when it's in Rest Mode, and choose how long before your console and controller turn off automatically, visit Settings > System > Power Saving.

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By scrolling down below a game's icon on the home screen, you'll see cards that let you jump into various game activities quickly. Hit Square to launch into one.

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Visit Settings > Users and Accounts > Link with Other Services if you want to share video clips to YouTube, stream to Twitch, listen to Spotify while gaming, or send screenshots to Twitter.

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Under Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy, you can control what data you share with other players and with PlayStation.