Spec Analysis: Sony's surprise PlayStation 5 tech reveal

From Eurogamer: "Sony has revealed the first specs for what system architect Mark Cerny refers to as its 'next-gen console' in a fascinating interview piece for Wired. It confirms the key technologies in place for the new hardware, the exciting news that solid-state storage will take centre-stage in the new machine and - perhaps best of all - the fact that the next Sony platform will feature backwards compatibility with current market leader, PS4. Will it be called PlayStation 5? Sony isn't saying, but it does seem like the obvious choice."

[slavish0]

Wow seems like m$ forced their hand. I guess they want to get the info out before m$ more power system gets announced at e3 😲

[AspiringProGenji]

How? It will take more than power for MS to overtake Sony.

[_SilverHawk_]

Ps5 sounds amazing so far and it sounds like it'll rival my PC. Hopefully it'll be powerful enough to run games like star citizen without any compromises. I'm looking forward to that game and the ps5 first day. I cant even imagine what the last of us 2 will look like on ps5. If its doing ray tracing and 8k resolution then it'll be powerful and probably a bit expensive. Doesn't matter though since I'm an adult who works for a living so I won't get upset if someone says in order to get a ps5 you might need a second job or work harder.

[bouzebbal]

High quality single player exclusives is what I want!!!
We might see tlou2 death stranding and ghost of Tsushima cross gen games!!
Gonna be sweet

[darthv72]

I am curious about the SSD. What capacity it might have. I mean in the PC world, SSD generally are more expensive in relation mechanical counterparts of equal size and even more so if they are higher capacity. The fact he says it will be a custom SSD leads one to believe this may not be a system you could swap the drive on. Unless they made it where it is using an M.2 drive (or surface mount flash storage) and an additional SATA connector to use for internal expansion.

No doubt you would be able to add more external storage. Im sure they have tested load times running various forms of storage attached.

[Ceaser9857361]

If not less The next Xbox will be similar to the PS5.. They can't make it more powerful than the PS5 because of the Price... Unless MS is planning to make a huge loss which I doubt. Because I doubt if anyone will invest on a 700-1000$ Console.. PS5 will be around 499$ and it will perfect..

[Smokingunz]

That's not smart on sony's part, now Microsoft now what they are working with and can adjust their console lol

[abstractel]

Not true WickedLester, if you look at PS4 exclusives they outperform the Xbox One. It's not subjective, it's a fact. Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted 4 both achieved on a technical level what would have to have been scaled back on the Xbox One so that the average person could see the difference.

I don't know which machine will be more powerful at launch, as you all know developers worked with 4GB of RAM on the PS4 devkits for quite some time. Both companies have the ability to make their launch games very impressive and tweak the hardware for better performance in the last 6 months leading up to release.

It's tough developing for a new console that is generally shifting all the way up until the manufacturing deadline. Guerrilla Games did well with Killzone and we know how they killed it with Horizon Zero Dawn (the sequel that I would imagine will be a launch title -- for good and bad based on my reasoning.

Cross gen games can of course look quite a bit better on the next hardware, but designers are still limited to the game design choices that run on the PS4/Xbox One. The launch titles should and 99% most likely will look quite a big step up better.

I personally wonder what's going to happen with the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. Start one on current-gen and release the sequels on next-gen? Not sure I think that would be a smart move, but most likely that's what will happen,

[Tapani]

Sony gave MS the specs to match, and can do a last minute fine-tuning based on MS reveal at E3. Based on this, Sony could make a decision about launching in March 2020 with lower spec, or November 2020 with higher spec. I'm certain they have a two-scenario or even three-scenario set up based on what will be revealed by their competition as this is very basic business strategy. You see what your competition does and have plans to be better than them, and that is what this Sony reveal was about. Ball's in MS's court now, but something tells me Sony outmaneuvered them yet again by this subtle move.

[kneon]

@darthv72

The SSD may not be the main system storage, you could put in an SSD of say 25-50GB and use it as a cache. It would be transparent to the developer, they just read and write data as normal, but behind the scenes, the system could be caching frequently used items on the SSD.

[TheHan]

Lol you can say that about every console ever made. That’s just a dumb comment, of course it takes more than just Cash to get ahead in the console industry

[fiveby9]

I'm half expecting MS to go the opposite way from Sony. I think it's possible MS sees Stadia as a threat and may go all in on game streaming. They'll produce a console with decent high-end specs for local play but I expect they will talk a significant amount on xcloud. They won't beat Sony in any traditional console space. So the aim will be to change the game delivery model. MS's biggest problem is content. That is not something they can easily fix. They're a technology company, not an entertainment company. It's their Achilles heel.

[2pacalypsenow]

MS could announce it whenever they want and that wouldn't make a difference.

Who releases specs first has no effect on which one will be better.

[Smokingunz]

Actually it does, Microsoft can accustom their console tobe even better now.

[2pacalypsenow]

This gen proves again that power doesn’t really matter.

[FITSniper]

@Smokingunz

No. Hardware takes years of planning. With Microsoft already set to announce their console as well at E3, they can't go back to the drawing board and adjust. Otherwise they would have done that with the Xbox One once everyone found out the PS4 was more powerful.

The consoles at this stage are what they are.

[Master of Unlocking]

@ Tapani
FFS! Now that you say that it all makes sense! The real reason Sony is not going to E3 is precisely that! They're tasking Cerny with revealing their hand (a bit of it anyway, like a rough sketch)) before E3 by talking to a well-known publication like Wired, knowing fully well that Miky will read it and fine tune their design of the next Xbox based on what Sony have revealed about theirs, then Miky should reveal their hand to the world, including of course to Sony at E3 this year, and Sony can use that to fine tune the design of the PS5 and reveal their real hand at E3 in 2020. Sony won't get pressurized to reveal anything in turn this E3 since they announced quite some time ago that they 're not taking part in it this year, leaving Miky unable to adjust to Sony's non-existent E3 reveal. And by the time E3 2020 is upon us Sony know they can reveal the final specs of the PS5, it will be too late for Miky to alter anything in the specs of the next Xbox.

Clever, oh man, that is a clever move!

@ 2pocalypse now
True, but noone wants to be mocked for having what is considered an underpowered system, esp. the more we move into high-end PC-like console specs. Both Sony and Miky have experienced it (with the PS2 and the Xbox One resp.) and I bet neither eant to be in that position again.

[Ju]

Same is true for Sony, though. Initially the PS4 would have had 4GB GDDR, but they changed it last minute to 8GB to counter XBO's.

Sony did a smart move. First of all, what they showed was the "slow" model. My best guess is, the article is a bit older; I wonder when was the interview to begin with. I suspect this is related to the 1.5GHz Zen / 1GHz Navi 10 APU (2G16002CE8JA2_32/10/10_13E9) spill early this year (Cerny even mentioned he was running the "slow version"). And it makes totally sense to link this to the second APU leak which now has a 3.2GHz (boost) and a 1.8GHz Navi chip (ZG16702AE8JB2_32/10/18_13F8). Now everything can still change. Not the raw specs, but it can be tuned. If the release date is March 2020 (which I think it will be), then only minor changes can be made; based on target price, how much head room the design has, and so on. Obviously they almost doubled the clock from the early prototype. But the current iteration seems to be closer to a production version. So on the chip level I doubt much will change. But the amount of RAM can at any time. Bandwidth can probably be tweaked with minor clock adjustments and so on.

I am really curious what MS is going to do. They are hyping expectations that they will show their next box at this years E3; but in truth, it is again at least 6 months delayed after the next playstation - else we would have more developer leaks coming out. Its not like, MS developers are in bigger fear than Sony devs to spill information; if it is sparse it simply is, because there is nothing to report. If they go all out and announce a final Anaconda at E3, they are shooting themselves in the foot. That gives Sony maybe 3 months to respond - and if they must can delay to 11/2020 which would give them even more time.But they need a marketing splash ASAP and what else can they do but boosting about their next gen(s). I however believe, the Anaconda will barely if at all beat the PS5; especially with the price. And Sony will start full scale production for an early 2020 launch late Q3/19 or Q4/19 (3-6 month lead time to fill stock for a massive launch in March).

Funny enough I have been through this with the PS4 launch; being a developer, remembering we had PS4 devkits months before XBO, and what MS delivered was basically some sort of XBO speced PC instead. MS put wayyy to much focus into the XBO-X and now got caught pants down again with the PS5; blows my mind these geniuses didn't see this coming. Out of curiosity I would like to see their XBOX numbers and how they think they can sell this after the PS5 (and the Anaconda) releases. Dropping it to 299?

[Dragonscale]

@ju, thats wrong. they went with the 8 gigs of ram because Cerny persuaded Sony it was the best option, nothing to do with microsoft fgs.

[Eonjay]

Microsoft hasn't done anything. Don't be silly. Also there is a lot of info to unpack here.

[darthv72]

I dont know if MS forced anything. I mean Sony is said to have been working on this prior to the Pro releasing so if anything it may have been the other way around. Meaning MS got wind of something out of Sony (could be pro or ps5) and decided to invest in their own next gen level system (the X) but handicap it at the moment to keep things in check.

Given the choice between the two, the Pro represents the typical bump in performance that is akin to a mid gen upgrade while the X represents a generational leap over their previous entry. If they wanted... MS could remove the restrictions on X development and it would be capable of delivering games that could not be played on the base (or S) xbox one.

As it is, it is relegated to a sort of upscaling machine instead of having games it can call its own. Pro cant do that, especially if the X could make use of higher capacity UHD discs (something the Pro lacks but the PS5 will likely have). If the PS5 is double the Pro then it would be around 9-10tf in performance while I have a feeling the next xbox could be pushing 12tf or more.

But like others have said. Power means nothing if it doesnt have the right teams there to take advantage of it. sony's teams are more talented at optimizing their games for the hardware. MS side... not so much.

[Ju]

The X is just an expensive version of a Pro. There is no way the X could be "unlocked" to a level that it, e.g. would have games not possible on the other console (Funny thing, the Pro runs at 1440p usually with a better frame rate than the X which is often forced to 4k for no reason). It is just a more powerful mid gen upgrade which must have cost MS a fortune to build because they basically had to throw away the original One and redesign that whole thing. And yet, it's expensive and no next generation. The drive size doesn't matter. Most games install almost the same size day 1 patch anyway (both true, playstation and XBox). And now MS wants to do the exact same with a even more powerful, more costly machine? If the Anaconda goes for $500 you can dig a grave for the X. Well, if the PS5 release for under $500 you might as well.

I am pretty sure that the new APU leaked is a PS5 version (too close to the first). Could be Anaconda, too, who knows. But if it is, that is a 14tf piece (1800MHz Navi). If it is indeed the PS5, than I can't see how Anaconda can top this in any cost envelope.

[Srhalo]

Nice cut and paste... Are you doing an experiment to see which one gets more downvotes?

For science!

[crazyCoconuts]

There's usually a disadvantage to announcing first actually. Sony's MO this gen has been to wait until the last minute on announcements, so this announcement is interesting. They cleverly left specs out so in a way they're baiting MS a bit.
Anyway my $ is on MS staggering their main console out a year from now on to maintain the power niche, so 2020 for PS5 and 2021 for Xbox "next".

[DarXyde]

How's that power advantage working out for Xbox One S and Xbox One X against Switch?

[thexmanone]

Don`t care, i don`t play the Switch

[JackBNimble]

Don't bring handhelds into this

[Z501]

Facts.

[DarXyde]

thexmanone,

Why are you replying? No one asked you. I don't care about your opinion.

JackBNimble,

If you want to be taken seriously in this conversation, define "handheld", as you are using it. While you're at it, define "console". Humor me.

[Rude-ro]

We are long past hardware war.
Absolutely zero confidence in Microsoft’s ability to provide amazing games.
They will have to re-earn that.

[ocelot07]

Lol what have MS actually done to "force" Sony's hand? Xbox gets murdered in sales both Sony and Nintendo spite having the most powerful console.

It's not like Sony have revealed anything major. Other than having a ssd and based on AMDs Ryzen and Navi technology. No one knows what speeds the gpu or CPU are running at ect. For all we know both the ps5 and nextbox might have identical specs.

Microsoft could have double the performance of the ps5 but without exclusive games only available on the nextbox they are going to loose out to Sony again in terms of console sales.

[BehindTheRows]

Microsoft forced nothing. It's a very early peek at a machine that should, logically, be far along in development. Beyond that, Sony rarely, if ever, acts on impulse in regards to Microsoft.

Not sure how you reached that conclusion, to be honest.

[Dark_Knightmare2]

Of course the first comment as to be a fanboy one. MS didn’t force anything and if were being honest Sony did this to take some of the wind out of MS sails when they announce their console at e3 which a a lot of sites across the web are saying

[Flewid638]

That doesn't sound right. lol.

Microsoft has a fully 4K, 60fps console that's been out for a while.....and nobody ended up giving a shit. lol.
Sony will be fine, nor are they forced to rush.

[fr0sty]

1. No concrete specs for either system have been revealed, PS5 could easily be the most powerful console of the two. PS4 Pro also is the less powerful system currently dominating the Xbox One X, so we all know it isn't all about hardware.

2. Cross gen games won't necessarily have to come on different discs now that both systems are using the same architecture. Your same copy of Death Stranding for PS4 could easily work with PS5, maybe with a downloadable update that includes higher res textures, etc. This could really help with the issue we've always had of launch systems having rushed, poor quality launch titles.

3. As for the hard drive, I see there being maybe a 512GB to 1TB super high speed internal drive, and support for external drives as well. I imagine you'd need to swap out games that you currently want to play to the internal drive, i'm sure they'll have some seamless way to go about that (even using methods like ps4 uses that let you play parts of a game as files download).

[darthv72]

I can see Sony treating the 5 like the 2. Meaning it will support the previous games on lesser media (in this case PS4 bluray) while also allowing its own games to be on higher capacity UHD media. It's pretty much a given the system will support UHD bluray at upwards of 100gb.

Like i said above, not sure if you could change the hdd so much as simply expanding on it. If they are emphasizing so much on access time then you can almost bet it wont be the typical SATA type of drive we have been able to swap the last two generations.

[AdmGenAladeen]

Your comment is laughable. I doubt Sony even sees it as a competition anymore. They're so far ahead they could care less what M$ does. As far as M$ having even more power, well, you can squeeze a 572 in a 82 Chrysler Lebaron but at the end of the day it'll still be an ugly "I wouldn't be caught dead in it" piece of garbage.

[rainslacker]

LOL. MS hasn't forced Sony in any way shape or form this gen at all. Quite the opposite. All these times that Sony was in trouble in the face of MS's awesome new things they were bringing which would let them win this gen, and Sony didn't react. Not once. BC, nope. Cross play, nope. New more powerful console....oh, Sony was actually first there, making it more likely that MS reacted, because they seemed like they were still designing the thing when Sony was already releasing theirs. MS VR announcement....nope. About the only reaction was maybe adding downloads to PSNow.

Just like last gen before the reveal, Sony made a surprise conference where MS had to reschedule it's reveal press conference. And Sony hasn't even given some key details about the specs, and whatever MS does, even up to a full reveal at E3, Sony has time to counter, because they already said it's not releasing in 2019. Look at the timing before E3. It's not much different from what Sony and MS had scheduled from last gen. A few more weeks or so. MS is now the one that has to react, and decide how to message their next console, when they haven't been able to even get the message of their current console across yet.

[Muzikguy]

MS has some people so fooled. I don't get it, but whatever. Damn, I'm getting excited for this new system and got way too much of a backlog as is 😂

@bouzebbal

That would be awesome getting cross gen games. I hope they come quick then I'll.just.gey those for the PS5 instead of the current system.

[TheSaint]

MS can have all the power in the world, games are what matter as amply proven by this gen.

[nowitzki2004]

Sony is on cruise control. MS is trying to figure things out.

[mark_parch]

I'm just glad it's back compat with ps4

[shinoff2183]

Cant really say that cause the switch is less power then xbox one, and the xbox one is taking a beating from switch.

[bluefox755]

Lol...you can't be serious?

[Projekt7]

I’m pretty curious just how close the hardware will be between Sony and Microsoft. Their basically working with the same company and technology. I’m an equal opportunity gamer. I try and collect every system from every gen. Also upgrade Pc components every two years or so. As long as it makes sense I’ll be buying both of them. Every system has that one game I just gotta have. I’m just wondering though if they end up being pretty much clones of each other. The Sony and Microsoft that is. I mean hell the Switch is the least powerful right now and you couldn’t pry it out of my hands lol. It will be interesting to see the final specs for both systems on paper, then which one actually uses what it’s got.

[UnholyLight]

Okay I like Microsoft but this is just full on blinders man, take them off and open your eyes a bit.

[Jin_Sakai]

“Wow seems like m$ forced their hand. I guess they want to get the info out before m$ more power system gets announced at e3”

The one I can play The Last of Us: Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding, Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 on is the console I’ll be picking up.

Powerful hardware just lays the groundwork for developers and Sony Worldwide Studios will impress. PS5 will be PS4 all over again.

[supes_24]

I swear, you Xbox fan boys might as well be Pc gamers cause all you talk about it power. You know that power is useless if all you have is Crackdown 3. We’re talking gaming machines, gaming

[trooper_]

It depends on what the power's used for. Microsoft can have all the power on their next console but if they have nothing to show for it, then it's useless.

[AspiringProGenji]

Whatever they do, it will be a solid console with quality games and I'll be there to get mine

[Neonridr]

BC apparently matters now :P

Glad to see my enormous backlog of PS4 games will still be able to be completed on the PS5, lol

[2pacalypsenow]

No, but since the PS4 and PS5 will share similar architectures, its much easier than emulating the PS3.

[Neonridr]

oh definitely, my comment was most certainly in jest. It's a good thing at the end of the day, BC is not essential, but it's always welcomed.

[2pacalypsenow]

That's how I feel about it.

[Sophisticated_Chap]

I just don't think Sony has the software engineers to make PS3 backwards compatibility happen....oh well.

[2pacalypsenow]

@Sophisticated_Chap

Oh they do, it’s just not worth the time and $ to invest in it.

[Ceaser9857361]

Sophisticated

"I just don't think Sony has the software engineers to make PS3 backwards compatibility happen....oh well."

Man! this dude.. Sony really did hurt you real bad this gen... Cheer up Man... Hope MS does something to keep you happy this gen... Lmao!...

[AspiringProGenji]

Nobody in this thread:

Neonridr: BC apparently matters now :P

[Neonridr]

I just remember the amount of flak MS got for introducing it for the XB1. And the common defense was nobody wanted BC, and that they only wanted to play new games on their machines. I for one am super happy I can play my PS4 games on the console.

[Silly gameAr]

@Neonridr

I think most of the flak MS got for BC, was because them and their fans were treating it like a must have feature that puts the Xbox miles ahead of any competition, like it was something new and revolutionary.

[AlphaCentyros]

@Neonridr

Also, MS offered BC because there were no games being released on XB1. So it makes sense that they got crap for it at the time.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Neonridr - ms copped flak and rightly so for 'focusing' on BC and other bullet points as opposed to creating new ips.

[kayoss]

@Neonridr
The difference between MS and Sony. When this gen started, none of the systems had any backward compatibility. BC had to be implemented which means people have to do work to get it to work. I myself (and many others) rather MS focus on compelling games vs trying to get BC on the xbox one. Sony was focused on releasing good games (which they did) so the majority of PS4 owners didnt care for BC. But now the new Gen is about start, and Sony will have BC built in when the console is released. Im all for it. BUt if they were to release the PS5 without BC and tell us that they will work on it later, i would be against it.