PS5 new features: 7 things the PS5 can do that your PS4 can't


The PS5 is now just a mere month away. Following months of speculation, reveals, and internet-breaking pre-order battles, gamers will finally get their hands on the next-gen console when it launches on November 12 (or November 19 for some countries).

While it might now be too late to pre-order a PS5 for its release date, retailers have indicated stock levels will increase in the run-up to Christmas.

However, whether you've managed to secure a PS5 or not, there's a lot to look forward to with the next-gen console. Here are our top seven features you can only get on the PS5.

READ MORE: From PS1 to PS5: How the PlayStation “defined a whole new genre”

Better Cooling

One of the largest complaints about the PS4, especially from those who still use a Day One PS4, was the sound of its cooling fans when attempting to play some of the latest titles such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Luckily, Sony has attempted to minimise the engine-like sound of its next-gen console, using both a huge 120mm cooling fan and heat sink. The PS5 also uses liquid metal cooling for the PS5's SoC (system on a chip).

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With dust often building up in the PS4's cooling fans, Sony has also introduced dust catchers in the PS5, as shown in its teardown video. These dust holes will allow players to vacuum out the dust that has built up in the console, hopefully reducing any cooling issues they may have.

These features look to have done the job, with Japanese outlet 4gamer, who had a hands-on with the PS5, stating "the exhaust was gentle, and I could hardly hear what seemed to be the rotating noise of the fan."

READ MORE: PS5 Controller Easter Egg reveals hidden detail on the underside grip

HD Streaming

You could stream gameplay from the PS4 onto Twitch directly, but there were very few customisation options. As such, many streamers instead turned to PC gaming for streaming, making use of specific streaming software such as OBS.

With the PS5, Sony has attempted to enhance its streaming options via the 'Create' button and PS5 HD Camera, which will allow you to stream in 1080p direct to Twitch. The HD Camera, which costs £49.99, can also remove the background.

4K Compatibility

While the PS4 Pro allowed for 4K video, the base PS4 was not 4K compatible, meaning 4K was underutilised in the previous generation of console gaming.

With the PS5 and next-gen console launches, 4K will soon become the norm, with Sony allowing for 4K gameplay when developers choose to implement in.

Not only will games be available in 4K, but the PS5 supports 4K streaming from apps such as Netflix, and also includes a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive (aside from on the Digital Edition), creating an unmatched entertainment hub.

READ MORE:Will you need a 4K TV for PS5?

Ray Tracing

Coupled with improved graphical fidelity, the PS5 will also support ray tracing technology.

Ray tracing allows for better simulations of light, with light becoming a much more dynamic element that can interact with the environment in different ways, creating a better looking, more realistic, visual output.

Previously, this was only available for PC gamers, but with the PS5 utilising RDNA2 technology, it has now made its way over to consoles, being utilised in games such as Marvel's Spider-ManRemastered.

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The Spider-Man Remaster marks a significant improvement on its PS4 version thanks to ray-tracing

Reduced Loading Times

Given the PlayStation 5's whopping 825GB SSD storage, it's no wonder that the PS5 will see loading times significantly reduced.

"Blink and you'll miss it," was how PlayStation's Mark Cerny described the PS5's loading. After months without gameplay, we've recently been treated to some previews of the PS5 running next-gen titles, with minimal load speeds.

In this video below of the upcoming Godfall, players could jump from the load screen to gameplay in just 7 seconds!

With PS4 games such as Grand Theft Auto 5 being notorious for incredibly delayed loading, or utilising the trick of elevators or sliding through gaps as a way to hide the loading, we're hoping this beefed-up SSD may see the end of loading times for good.

READ MORE: PS4 trade-in for PS5: Where can you trade in your PS4 and DualShock controller?

3D Audio

With the latest Tempest 3D AudioTech, PS5 owners will be able to immerse themselves in the game's environment. Players will hear sounds differently depending on where they are stood in-game and how far away they are from an object.

To apply this practically, players will be able to identify when footsteps are above or below them, hopefully making Call of Duty: Warzone'squestionable footstep audio a thing of the past.

However, 3D Audio has only been confirmed to support the following titles so far, although we're hopeful that as the next-generation of consoles become the norm, this list will grow:

  • Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
  • Playroom
  • Gran Turismo 7
  • Returnal
  • Destruction AllStars
  • Demon’s Souls
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Sackboy: A Big Adventure
  • Horizon Forbidden West
  • Resident Evil Village

Exclusive Games

Okay, so exclusive gamesmight not exactly fit into the definition of a feature, but it is definitely one of the main justifications for upgrading to a PS5.

While Spider-Man: Miles MoralesandHorizon Forbidden Westwill also be available on the PS4, other upcoming PlayStation exclusives such as Demon's Souls, Gran Turismo 7, Returnal and God of War: Ragnarokwill be available exclusively on the PlayStation 5, making use of the console's improved hardware.

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If there's any reason to invest in a Sony console, the plethora of upcoming Sony Interactive Entertainment titles exclusive to the PlayStation 5 is a pretty good one.

READ MORE: All the latest PS5 news!

For more articles like this, take a look at our Next-Gen page.