PC, Xbox, Playstation, or another console? The war of video game systems has been ongoing for years, and there are arguments for all sides. Our tech author Jan Hartmayer grew up with PC gaming from a young age. It was all the more surprising that he has now acquired a PS5.
For me, gaming as a hobby has been a constant companion since I was a child. However, I spent most of that time on a powerful PC. Of course, there were the occasional console sessions at a friend’s house, but I had never really considered buying a PS5 because:
- Games are just so damn expensive compared to the discount deals on Steam. For example, Saros costs 80 euros new, while Steam often has major titles like Star Wars Outlaws reduced from 70 to under 20 euros, which also cost 80 euros at Sony (via Playstation).
- Online gaming requires a paid subscription.
- I already have a PC that is stronger than any PS5.
Nevertheless, I am very interested in Sony’s exclusive titles like Bloodborne, the Demon Souls remake, or the newly released Saros. These are all games I would love to play. However, I need a PS5 for that. Long story short: Eventually, my curiosity about the titles became too great, and I impulsively bought the Pro version of the console.
Learn more about the exclusive features of the PS5 in Sony’s official announcement:
Surprise: The console is good
I was honestly extremely skeptical and biased regarding the device. But once set up and tested, I quickly realized that my concerns were unfounded. The games ran smoothly, looked great on a large OLED TV, and the Dual-Sense controller felt comfortable in my hand.
Especially the additional functions of the Dual-Sense impressed me: The haptic feedback is great, and the built-in speaker enhances certain scenes. For example, boss battles in Demon Souls were an audiovisual delight, and I really absorbed its atmosphere. I also know that supported titles like The Last of Us can deliver these functions on PC, but I experienced them actively for the first time.
My only difficulties were the differently mapped buttons on the controller. I often misclicked and fell to my character’s death. This was simply due to the fact that I was used to the Xbox layout, as I’ve been playing many games with a controller on PC for years. But even that got better quickly after a short time, and after a few hours of gaming, the problem was nearly completely gone.
I was surprised by the size of the console, which stands at about 40 cm tall, I had somehow imagined it to be “smaller”.
Conclusion: It was worth it, but…
The PS5 has completely impressed me in terms of performance, accessibility, game quality, and comfort, but there are some things that still bother me even after about 40 hours of testing:
- The already mentioned price of games and the subscription costs for multiplayer
- Lack of mod support
- Additional costs for a drive, since the PS5 Pro comes without one.
- Game titles are exclusively available for the PS5
Therefore, while I am glad to have bought the console to enjoy exclusive titles that I would never have been able to play otherwise, I also welcome the change of pace of relaxing on the couch with some gaming. But I have been a passionate PC gamer for as long as I can remember, and no console will drive that out of me any time soon!
I am also used to things like cheap games on Steam and free multiplayer, the absence of which bothers me. Therefore, I will probably never fully switch from PC to PS5, but I have gained a better understanding of console gamers.
Now I can even understand why some gamers prefer the PS5, even if I personally do not. But I am not the only one on our team who has made the leap. Shooter expert Dariusz was tempted earlier this year: I am currently playing a shooter that is so good that I want to buy a PS5 for the new game from the studio
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