After not being able to get a PS5 in 2020 due to buying a (at the time) $1,700 dollar PC gaming rig. The way my friends spoke about it was basically saying that the PS5 was a pipe dream. So I finally got one in the beginning of May to play God of War Ragnarok, Spiderman Miles Morales, Gran Turismo and Spiderman 2. After installing and setting it up it is 100% worth the hype and praise for a 500 dollar console. It runs beautifully at 60fps on all of my games I purchased, and even on games like NBA 2K and Madden having those frames and performance boosts can make or break your competitive games.

What I also love the most about it is 2 things, one is having a optional security passcode for each time you turn on your PS5 and logging in. Even though I use it only in my house it helps when uninvited guests come over and try to play your console without permission. And the 2nd thing is that the gameplay capture system on board has been greatly improved from the PS4. You can now on the fly record or snap clips from up to a 1 hour ago, and now you can snap as little as 10 seconds, to 15, 30, 1 minute, 5, and then 10 minutes and beyond. The footage is also crystal clear surprisingly at 1080P 60FPS with your choice of upping to 1440P or 4K. Huge step up from the PS4 as a content creator, YouTuber, or Streamer.

I also love the new PS5 controller! It is such a step up from the PS4 controller that I loved and they made improvements. Firstly the battery lasts 3 to 4 times longer than the PS4 controller battery, has an onboard mic in the controller and toggle mute button that I didn't even find out until a couple nights ago. And it also features an almost engraved Playstation button pattern for the controller shell, and has adaptive triggers that will enhance gameplay and adjust depending on the game you're playing.

I've also purchased 3 PS5 Dualsense Edge Pro controllers for my games I play competitively on console and each controller I can set up to my exact liking and have up to 4 profiles on each. Just simply plug in run the software update and you're good to go. Will come in handy when I have friends over and we fire up fighting games or sports games. And the best part, is how it captures the PS3 era with specific games playing a theme to it on the home screen when you hover over your game.

Overall, it is a great console and makes me wish I could've gotten it sooner before I switched to PC gaming. I always been a PlayStation kid since the original Sony PlayStation, all the way up to the PlayStation 5. And each console has not let me down. I genuinely feel like a kid again unboxing my new PlayStation for the first time. And I'm already loving the exclusives that PlayStation has to offer along with recommended modern titles like God of War and Need For Speed. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to save New York from Rhino and Sandman with Peter Parker and Miles Morales!

Sony has hit the mark again with the PlayStation 5 Slim. This updated version of the iconic console retains the powerhouse performance of the original PS5 while delivering a sleeker, more compact design.

The first thing you’ll notice is how much lighter and more space-efficient it is compared to its predecessor. The white finish is modern and clean, seamlessly blending with any entertainment setup. Despite its smaller size, it still packs the same incredible performance, handling high-end games with stunning graphics and smooth frame rates thanks to its custom SSD and cutting-edge hardware.

The Slim model also introduces improvements in energy efficiency, making it quieter and cooler during extended gaming sessions. It’s a thoughtful touch for gamers who prioritize sustainability and comfort.

Setting it up is a breeze, and the refined design of the DualSense controller remains a standout feature. The adaptive triggers and haptic feedback immerse you in gameplay like never before, enhancing the experience whether you’re exploring vast open worlds or engaging in fast-paced multiplayer action.

Another highlight is the option for a detachable disc drive, offering flexibility for both physical and digital gamers. It’s perfect for those who value having options without committing to a single format.

In short, the PS5 Slim delivers everything fans loved about the original in a more streamlined and efficient package. If you’re looking for a console that combines style, power, and practicality, this is the one to beat. Highly recommended for both new and seasoned PlayStation enthusiasts!

I was forced to upgrade after the HDD up my Playstation 4 died. Other things seemed to be going wrong with the PS4, too, like the disc drive wasn't able to read game discs sometimes.

Maybe Sony just puts cheap blu-ray drives into these things, because right out of the box, the PS5 is already struggling to read discs, too. I think they want people to buy all-digital games nowadays, which is more convenient, but there's a whole host of ownership and consumer rights legal problems with that I'm not comfortable with.

Even if you want digital games, the hard drive on this thing is pitiful. I'd filled it all the way up to max in barely three days. You can plug external HDDs in, but good luck finding space or power for that, and that's going to be another $50-$100 on top of this $500 console.

By default, the console is also always recording video of your gameplay. Whatever internal storage is in this device is going to get worn out quickly -- this is what killed my Playstation 4, afterall, and with this being an SSD, it might die of old age even faster than the PS4 did. I'm sure Sony loves the idea of planned obsolescence though.

Menus on the device are better in some ways and worse in others. One step back is that the Playstation 5 no longer lets you sort games into folders. You just have to scroll through a giant list of whatever's available until you find what you want to play.

It's nice you get PS5 versions of a lot of PS4 games but the system to handle that is frustrating. Not all PS5 games can see PS4 save data, so there are a few games where loading up the enhanced PS5 version makes me start over from the beginning of the game. Other games are weird about it -- Spider-man 1 made me upload my PS4 save file to the cloud and then download it in the PS5 version, and Sonic Frontiers PS5 could load my PS4 save just fine but it didn't carry over any of my unlock progress.

Also the device is just ugly as heck. It's shaped weirdly, sticks out like a sort thumb, and doesn't really serve any purpose besides being an eyesore.

But the games look nice and load very quickly, so at least there's that. At $70 per game, they'd better.

Everyone knows what it is and what it does. Have to say though, the controller really is something else - how we went this many years of gaming without anyone taking a serious look at the main way we interact with the games is beyond me, but it really is a leap from the previous generation.

The home UI on the Sony machines is still a bit unweildy compared to the Xbox but by no means difficult or unituitive, just not quite as familiar as others.

The load times on this new unit are remarkable; the SSD upgrade from the original model is really worth the increase in RRP.

It is louder than I was hoping or expecting, but that's not to say it's actually loud, more that it's noticeable. But if the price for effective cooling is that every now and then during a (very fast) loading screen I hear a low whirring, I'll take it.

Physically the new "slim" PS5 - which is not actually its offical name, for an obvious reason - is not that slim, nor is it markedly smaller than the previous PS5. It is technically 30% smaller across all 3 dimensions and does fit into more entertainment units, but it won't make you stand back and say "blimey that's a little thing isn't it?" Where previously a PS4 slim, an Xbox One X, and Switch all fit linearly, there is now a vertical Xbox, a Switch rotated 90 degrees, and a new PS5. At least they've toned down the egregious wings.

Overall I'm glad I went for the new model over the discounted old model, because all the little improvements in size, load times, cooling, etc., as well as the knowledge that this unit is a little more future-proof, are worth the extra cash.