PS5 - Is Netflix 4K?

We already know that Netflix is available on the PS5. If you need some help getting hold of it, check this out. Otherwise, this guide is all about is Netflix 4K on PS5 so you can take full advantage of the app's quality.

So we're going to dive deeper today, and find out about the performance of Netflix through your console. Specifically, whether or not you can watch Netflix n 4K through your PS5, and what the quality is like.

And then we'll see whether using your PS5 is potentially the best way to watch Netflix (or not). So break out the popcorn, turn off your mobile phone (unless you are using it to read this) settle down, and start reading to find out is Netflix 4K on PS5.

Is Netflix 4K On PS5?

Netflix themselves confirm that the PlayStation 5 will support UHD content. Without getting bogged down in the technical differences between 4K and UHD, to all intents and purposes, the PS5 will play Netflix in 4K. Provided the content itself is offered at that resolution. You'll need an internet connection of 25mbps or faster, and obviously, you'll need a 4K television set as well, to enjoy the full benefits of the picture quality.

In terms of the quality of the image? Well, if you're watching 4K content on Netflix through your PS5, connected via a good quality HDMI to your 4K television, the quality should of the images you see should be top-notch. There really wouldn't be any difference in quality terms between watching Netflix on your console, and other streaming devices, such as an Apple TV, a Roku box, or a Fire Stick.

• Read More: How To Change Netflix Region Without VPN

Is It Better To Watch Netflix On PS5?

This is a slightly trickier question to answer, because it really depends on what you mean by "better". There will certainly be advantages in terms of ease of use. You won't for example, have to faff around with changing inputs, potentially waiting for your other streaming device to power on, and finding the other remote. But while saving time is nice, there are potentially other things to consider.

Research by the Natural Resource Defense Council has investigated power consumption by the PS5. In their report, they state that when streaming video:

these consoles can draw 10 to 25 times more electricity than using streaming devices to watch the same show.

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/noah-horowitz/latest-game-consoles-environmental-winners-or-losers

The console consumes an estimated 30-70 watts, significantly more than alternative streaming devices. The PS5 scored particularly badly, drawing between 68-70 Watts when streaming from Netflix. This was terrible even in comparison to the Xbox Series S, and estimates for the Series X. They also noted that if the console isn't switched off after turning off the television, then the PS5 will continue consuming power at this elevated rate for an hour or more.

The upshot

You might be reading this and thinking, "so what?". But there are really two points to consider here. The first is the additional environmental impact your binge-watching will have, if you stream Netflix through your PS5. And secondly, if you don't care about trees and turtles and other things beginning with 'T', is the impact on your wallet.

Think about it: it might cost you 25 times more energy costs to watch Netflix on your PS5, than through another streaming device. Over a year, that's going to add up. You might as well start setting fire to banknotes.

Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to watch Netflix through your PS5 is a personal one. From a quality perspective, it won't diminish your viewing experience. But from an environmental and financial standpoint, it may not be the best choice.