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The PlayStation 5 is an old console, although it doesn't feel like it, but that doesn't mean it's got any worse since release. It handles everything you throw at it with ease, the UI is well-designed and the controller is simply excellent.
The Good
- Handles a variety of games with ease
- Dualsense controller is a revelation
- INZONE H9 headphones pair well with the experience
The Not So Good
- Games are sometimes prohibitively expensive
Need-to-knows
- DualSense Controller is utterly brilliant
- Console is reliably brilliant across multiple game types
- Pairs well with the Sony Bravia 8 TV
I’m not sure why, but the PlayStation 5 still feels like it came out last week.
I’ve just googled it, and Sony’s next-gen console is actually almost exactly five years old.
Since then, we’ve seen the escalation and eventual demise of a global pandemic, the unrelenting rise of artificial intelligence, and countless geopolitical shifts that have resulted from the COVID-19 fallout, multiple wars, and a global ‘red alert’ on climate change.
Although we still haven’t got GTA 6.
We’ve even had a new version of the PlayStation 5, too – the PS5 Pro, which arrived this time last year with better graphics and AI-powered upscaling technology.
I know I’m sometimes late to the party with my reviews, but this is pushing it – even for me.
There’s a good reason for this, though. I’m a 45-year-old dad who used to play a lot of computer games throughout his childhood, teens, and twenties. I fell out of love with gaming shortly after, and have barely touched it since. Now, I have a PS5. Finally. And a really nice TV to play it on. I’ve even got one of those gaming headsets with a mic, and everything.
I think it’s time to give you some thoughts from an old-timer on modern gaming, isn’t it?
At a glance
| Specification | PS5 Disc Edition | PS5 Digital Edition | PS5 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc Drive | 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray | None (disc drive add-on available) | None (disc drive add-on available) |
| Storage | 1TB SSD | 1TB SSD | 2TB SSD |
| CPU | 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2 | 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2 | 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2 |
| GPU | 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU | 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU | 16.7 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 + 2GB DDR5 |
| Ports | 2× USB-C, 2× USB 3.1, 1× Ethernet, 1× HDMI 2.1 | 2× USB-C, 2× USB 3.1, 1× Ethernet, 1× HDMI 2.1 | 2× USB-C, 2× USB 3.1, 1× Ethernet, 1× HDMI 2.1 |
| HDMI Output | 4K 120Hz (HDMI 2.1) | 4K 120Hz (HDMI 2.1) | 4K 120Hz / 8K (HDMI 2.1) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 7, Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Weight | 3.2kg | 2.6kg | 3.1kg |
| Dimensions (H × D × W) | 14.1″ × 8.5″ × 3.7″ | 14.1″ × 8.5″ × 3.14″ | 15.2″ × 8.5″ × 3.5″ |
Why I fell out of love with gaming
I remember the exact moment I fell out of love with gaming. I was playing Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PlayStation 3 in 2008. I’d bought it because of the furore surrounding its release; it was, apparently, one of the best games ever made.
IGN even suggested that it ‘shatters the proverbial bar, becoming a technical, cinematic and gaming standard that future action and stealth titles will be judged by’.
The only thing it shattered was how much I enjoyed gaming.
It was awful.
The actual gaming mechanics of Metal Gear Solid 4 were great. At times, it was genuinely breathtaking and exhilarating. The problem was that it often took hours to actually get to those good bits, because MGS4 was infested with lengthy and incredibly boring cutscenes.
You can’t play cutscenes. Worse still, I’m yet to encounter a cutscene in a computer game that isn’t teeth-itchingly badly written and even more poorly acted. They are always irreversibly hideous.
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I just wanted to play that game, but Konami had other ideas. And, for me, it was enough. I’d experienced similar frustrations with similar titles and the mounting patches, updates, and paid upgrades gradually seeping into gaming back then was so far from the good old days of SWOS (if you know, you know) that it wasn’t long before my PS3 began gathering dust.
Have things changed in 2025 with the PS5? A bit. But there are some seriously exciting green shoots of recovery for yours truly.
What I’ve learned from the PlayStation 5
I’ve only had the PS5 for about two weeks, so the following observations are very much off-the-cuff and the result of relatively short bursts of gaming.
I’m a dad. I run a business. I’m trying my best here.
1. The gamer inside me is still there
Good news: Metal Gear Solid 4 only appears to have left some relatively minor scarring. Now that I’ve got a controller back in my mitts, I can confirm that the gamer inside me is alive and well.
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He’s just a bit older, wiser, and healthily jaded. This gives me a different perspective on gaming (I’m far more likely to laugh as my opponent nets their sixth goal than I am to hurl my controller at the TV), but it also means I have vastly different desires when it comes to playing games.
I now immediately reach for the ’skip’ button during cutscenes (thank god that exists), and I’m far more interested in titles that enable me to dip in and out during brief moments of respite from life. My initial experience of the PS5 is that, while it’s not exactly the Nintendo Switch 2, it can still satisfy those requirements.
This is extremely good news.
2. Pair it with a great TV and it looks STUNNING
My PS5 is connected to a 55-inch Sony Bravia 8. This is last year’s OLED model, and it is utterly lovely.
It should come as no surprise that the PS5 pairs beautifully with a Sony TV, but what I like the most is that I haven’t changed a single setting on the TV itself. I just ran through a simple setup process when the PS5 was first connected to it and, well, everything looks perfect.
On that note, boy, have consoles come on. I know this makes me sound about eleventy million years old, but you have to remember that it has been about 15 years since I last regularly played console games. The lighting, frame rates, atmosphere, and sheer scale of games are breathtaking. And I don’t even have the PS5 Pro.
3. I’m still rubbish at FPS games
I’ve always been a fan of first-person shooters. I even like Call of Duty, which I believe is now akin to admitting you were partial to the Backstreet Boys in the 90s.
The first game I bought for the PS5 was Battlefield 6. Given the hugely positive reception it has received, and how much I remember enjoying a previous version in the franchise, it was an obvious purchase.
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It is, predictably, brilliant. And I am, predictably, horrible at it.
There’s nothing more humbling as a 45-year-old guy than being immediately shot in the face by a 12-year-old as soon as you respawn. For the 86th time.
It’s great fun, though.
4. I’m still rubbish at FIFA (sorry, ‘FC’)
I’ve spent many hours with my mates laughing uncontrollably as we played each other at FIFA. Playing one-handed while attempting to quickly take a bite of pizza is a skill I’m proud of having mastered, and those sessions are easily my favourite memories of gaming.
We haven’t done it for a while, though. And everything has changed. FIFA is no longer called ‘FIFA’. It’s called ‘FC’, for some reason, although it mercifully still has all of the licensing for the proper clubs and players.
The second game I bought for the PS5 was FC25 (yes, I know it’s not the latest version, but I’ll explain my reasoning later). And it’s really, really good – particularly when playing real people online.
I am, however, still awful at it. I have moments of brilliance, but they are fleeting, and I’m far more likely to get smashed 0-6 at home to Southampton as Arsenal than I am to knock up a five-game winning streak.
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The latter happened last night, and I did the usual thing of trying to observe how my opponent was attacking to see if I could work on a solution to my awfulness – until I realised that it was my defending that was the problem.
It’s great fun, though.
5. Headphones make a huge amount of sense (without the mic)
Sony was kind enough to send me a pair of INZONE H9 II headphones to pair with my PS5. They’re basically a pair of XM6 headphones with a different casing and a detachable mic. And I’d never buy them personally.
This isn’t because they’re rubbish. They’re awesome. It’s because I’ve always assumed gaming headsets to be for people who are actually good at computer games and who can actually spend hours playing them. I am neither.
I’m in a privileged (although hard-won) position, though, which means Sony’s generosity has enabled me to experience something I would have continued to overlook. And it’s brilliant.
I have a full 5.1 audio setup at home, and as much as I’d love to crank it up for my fleeting gaming sessions, I also have a family, and one of them goes to bed at 7PM. The INZONE H9 II solve this problem by providing superb audio and the illusion of surround sound.
If you’re wondering, no, I haven’t used the mic. I’m 45. And I’m scared of the kids who play these games online.
6. Game menus are impossible to navigate
I had to Google how to start an online match on FC25 last night. This isn’t the first time, either – I did the same thing with FC24 when I briefly tried it on the Xbox Series X earlier this year.
Battlefield 6 is even worse. The menu system is infested with ads for paid upgrades and packs, and what appear to be themed events. I think. Once again, please remember that I’m 45 and have no idea what’s going on.
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In both instances, I just wanted to play the bloody games. Give me an obvious menu item – ‘Play online’, or similar. Please. Why are modern games so hard to get up and running?
7. The DualSense controller is incredible
I haven’t looked, but I’d imagine there are billions of Reddit threads containing arguments about which console, out of the PS5 and the Xbox, has the best controller. It’s a battle that’s about as boring as Android vs iOS, but you’ll be glad to hear I can settle it immediately.
The Sony DualSense controller that comes with the PS5 is the most ergonomic, feature-rich, and enjoyable games controller I’ve ever held in my hands.
It even emits sounds.
The graphics and sound design inherent within these latest consoles is one example of how far gaming has evolved, but so too is the PS5’s controller. It’s an utter joy to use.
8. Games are expensive (but there’s a solution!)
Battlefield 6 cost me £60 from Amazon. It’s £69.99 on the PlayStation Store. FC26 is the same price. There’s a version of Call of Duty Black Ops 7 you can pre-order for £99.99.
One hundred quid for a computer game.
This makes my job irritating and expensive. To get some meaningful content out about the PS5, I need to get my hands on some games, but it’s clear that if I want to test out a bunch of the latest titles, I’m going to have to sell one of my arms. And that’ll make playing those games much harder. Even with the pizza training.
There is a way around this, though. Instead of buying FC26, I opted for FC25 with the assumption that it wouldn’t be that much different and there would still be people online to play. The latter is definitely true, and I’m not currently experiencing any FOMO having bought last year’s game for £20.
There’s also a very generous free title on the PS5, called Astro’s Playroom, which is a fully-fledged platformer that doubles as an introduction to the console and the DualSense controller. It’s awesome.
It’s clear, however, that gaming is now a bigger investment than it ever used to be – particularly if you have the time to keep up with playing the latest stuff.
Thankfully for my bank balance, I don’t.
9. My son is nearly ready for computer games
My son is three-and-a-half years old. He’s too young to grab a second controller and beat his dad at FC25, but he is showing an interest in the PS5 and its DualSense controller.
This currently extends as far as running around in Astro’s Playroom and leaping continually to his death off the edge of the playable area, but it makes him laugh, and I’m loving watching him gradually understand the relation between his controller inputs and what happens on the TV.
I’m pretty sure that, by the time he’s 4, he will be knocking six goals past me on FC25.
I hope so, anyway.
10. I can’t wait for GTA 6
May 2026. That’s when we’re apparently getting GTA 6.
That’ll be over 12 years since GTA 5 came out. Incidentally, that was the only title that briefly clawed me away from my self-imposed ban on gaming. Like so many people, I was so excited about its release that I could barely sleep, and it wasn’t a let-down. GTA 5 remains one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had – and I know I’m not alone.
The expectations for GTA 6 are, obviously, sky-high. I don’t envy Rockstar Games on that front. The consequences of releasing a dud, or even a game with too many irritating bugs, are unthinkable after over a decade of waiting.
I’m pretty confident that this means we’re in for one hell of a ride with the next instalment, and now that I’ve finally seen what the PS5 is capable of, I’m even more excited for its arrival.
I just hope I can find enough time to play the damn thing!
Final thought (for now)
This feels like a new era for me. I’m back in the gaming seat. Finally.
There’s just one big difference: time. Or lack of it. I will never have the time I had for gaming when I was 15. That puts a greater emphasis on bite-sized gaming sessions and the PS5’s ability to deliver them. The only exception to that rule will be GTA 6, but that’s still some way off.
Do I feel like I’ve missed out over the last few years?
Nope. But it’s good to be back.
5 Comments
Cut scenes!? Clearly you’ve not played anything by Naughty Dog. I recommend The Last of Us part 1 and Uncharted A Thief’s End. Story driven masterclasses they are, and so are the cut scenes. Trust me 🤩
Reading about someone coming back to PlayStation after 15 years really hits that nostalgia nerve. Gaming changes fast, but that feeling of wanting meaningful, competitive experiences stays the same. I had a similar moment with Dota 2 – returning after a long break and realizing the game is still amazing, but the grind feels way heavier when you don’t have endless free time anymore. That’s when I looked into options like https://eloboss.net/dota2-boosting . For me, it wasn’t about shortcuts for bragging rights, but about getting back to a level where matches are tactical, intense, and actually fun again. Once I was there, playing felt rewarding instead of exhausting, which is honestly what keeps me coming back.
Reading about someone coming back to PlayStation after 15 years really hits that nostalgia nerve. Gaming changes fast, but that feeling of wanting meaningful, competitive experiences stays the same. I had a similar moment with Dota 2 – returning after a long break and realizing the game is still amazing, but the grind feels way heavier when you don’t have endless free time anymore. That’s when I looked into options like https://eloboss.net/dota2-boosting . For me, it wasn’t about shortcuts for bragging rights, but about getting back to a level where matches are tactical, intense, and actually fun again. Once I was there, playing felt rewarding instead of exhausting, which is honestly what keeps me coming back.
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The PlayStation 5 review nails it—15 years later and the jumps in speed, graphics, and power are huge. Fast loading, sharp details, and a controller that actually feels good all make this the console to grab. It’s the kind of hardware that makes every game session feel fresh and exciting.
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