In this article, we will address common technical queries about the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, including graphics settings, SSD upgrades, disc drives, offline usage, 3D sound and Dolby Atmos, HDMI audio glitches, parental controls, the PS Portal handheld device, and the PSVR2 headset.
What versions of the PS5 are available and how much do they cost?
There are three versions of the PlayStation 5. The cheapest is the PS5 Digital Edition, which comes without a disc drive and costs around 440 euros. The standard PS5 with a disc drive costs 550 euros and is currently the only way to load PS4 and PS5 games from a disc or play film discs.
The PS5 Pro is sold only without a disc drive for roughly 800 euros. It runs the same games as the cheaper models but slightly improves the graphics of most PS4 and patched PS5 titles. Its SSD storage has been increased from 825GB to 2TB and can be expanded further with a compatible M.2 SSD module. While the main processor runs just ten percent faster, Sony has boosted the theoretical performance of the graphics unit from 10.3 to 16.7 TFlops. This allows for somewhat higher resolutions and frame rates, as well as potential ray tracing effects.
Anyone wanting to benefit from the PS5 Pro’s slightly enhanced graphics should connect the console to a modern, high-quality 4K TV. The Pro model’s power consumption is around 230W under load, which is a little higher than the standard models at around 200W. Its fan noise is also a bit louder but stayed just below the tolerable 1-sone mark in our tests.
To play online with a PS5, you need at least a PlayStation Plus “Essential” subscription. It costs 9 euros per month or 72 euros per year. Each month it also grants access to three additional older catalogue titles, for as long as your subscription is active or until the game’s publisher withdraws the licence.
PS5 Pro
How does the improved graphics performance of the PS5 Pro translate in practice?
Existing PS5 games require a patch to take advantage of the PS5 Pro’s extra power. Sony’s online store now lists more than 90 PS5 titles that benefit from the Pro model’s enhanced graphics capabilities. Typically, these patches allow higher and more stable frame rates and higher rendering resolutions, which, combined with AI-driven upscaling, provide more detail.
In many games’ graphics options, you can often choose between a quality mode or a performance mode. Quality modes usually target 30 frames per second (fps) and use the longer rendering time to increase the dynamically adjusted resolution and add certain ray tracing effects.
Performance modes, meanwhile, typically run at 60 fps and appear notably smoother—particularly evident when rotating the in-game camera around your character. A few games, such as The Callisto Protocol, offer a third “balanced” mode at 40 fps. To use this, the PS5 must be connected to a TV that supports a 120Hz refresh rate; the console then generates a new frame for every third image.
In practice, 60fps performance modes generally deliver steadier visuals and a better overall feel. The graphical differences between 30 or 40Hz modes are often minor and only noticeable in side-by-side comparisons, while the higher frame rate has a clearer impact on gameplay.
Titles that see a particularly strong boost on the PS5 Pro over the standard model include Hogwarts Legacy (ray-traced reflections), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (improved resolutions), and Dragon’s Dogma 2 (higher frame rates). Black Myth: Wukong is also visually stunning, even on a standard PS5.
Additionally, the PS5 Pro automatically upgrades the resolution of nearly all PS4 games if you enable “Improve PS4 Game Picture Quality” under “Screen and Video” in the PS5 settings. The PS5 Pro then uses PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) to upscale the image resolution. Some PS4 games, such as Days Gone, can end up looking very close to native PS5 titles.
However, PSSR is still a relatively new upscaling method that can struggle with certain content. For example, finely detailed vegetation like grass and trees can cause increased flicker and noise. If you notice these effects, consider turning off PS4 enhancements or the PSSR upscaling in PS5 games.
Alternative upscaling methods, such as AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR 3), often handle these challenging scenes better. So far, only a few PS5 titles, like Star Wars Outlaws, let you switch between these two upscaling systems.
Disc Drive, SSD, and Offline Mode
Disc Drive
Is it worth adding a disc drive?
In theory, you can add a disc drive to the Digital Edition and the PS5 Pro by purchasing Sony’s external drive (with a list price of 120 euros). In practice, these drives are rarely available and, if found, are often sold at significantly higher prices. The drive allows you to install PS4 and PS5 games from a disc onto the internal SSD, but you’ll need to insert the disc each time you start the game so the console can verify the copy protection.
Physical game discs have the advantage of being something you can give as presents or resell used. In contrast, digital download licences are permanently tied to a single PlayStation account and cannot be transferred.
Since Sony offers the PS5 Pro only without a disc drive and has restricted the sale of external drives, it seems the company is pushing towards digital distribution. If a future PlayStation 6 lacks a disc drive entirely, only digitally purchased games (with backward compatibility, if provided) would remain playable. Disc-based games would no longer work.
The drive can also play DVD, Blu-ray, and UHD discs, though it doesn’t support audio CDs. Film playback generally works without trouble, but picture quality may not match the best dedicated UHD players, which often support advanced formats like Dolby Vision for compatible TVs—formats the PS5 does not output.
Upgrading the SSD
How many games fit on a PS5’s SSD, and how can you upgrade it?
Storage requirements vary from game to game, typically falling between 50 and 100GB, though some titles exceed 250GB. A standard PS5 can therefore hold around a dozen games, which isn’t much in practice. A PS5 Pro can handle around 25 to 30 games.
You can expand the console’s storage by adding an M.2 SSD of up to 8TB. The module must support a read speed of at least 5.5GB/s and conform to specific form factors that Sony details on its website 999. Installation is straightforward and takes about five minutes.
PS4 games can also run from an external USB hard drive, but it’s too slow for PS5 games. You can temporarily store PS5 titles on a USB drive, though you’ll need to copy them back to the internal SSD (or re-download them from your PS account) before playing.
Offline Mode
Can a PS5 be operated completely offline?
For a PS5 with a disc drive, it’s theoretically possible but not very practical. Most disc-based PlayStation titles require substantial updates from the manufacturer after release. Each time you launch a game, the console checks for a new version online and installs it automatically.
Once you have downloaded an updated, bug-fixed version, you can indeed play offline 101010. Any PlayStation account holder can designate one PS5, one PS4, and up to two PS3 consoles as primary, allowing digital purchases to be launched without an internet connection. On the PS5, go to “Users and Accounts” in Settings, then select “Console Sharing and Offline Play.” This lets anyone using that console play installed games without the purchaser being signed in. On other consoles, the purchaser must be online to access their digital library.
Account owners can remove primary console status via their online PlayStation account settings if they lose access to the actual hardware. However, this can only be done once every six months.
Parental Controls, 3D Audio, and Fixing Sound Issues
Parental Controls
How do I restrict PS5 access for children?
Parents should create separate accounts for themselves and their children, then restrict the children’s accounts under “Family and Parental Controls” in the PS5 settings. You’ll use the PlayStation smartphone app (Android/iOS) both to manage PS5 accounts and to authenticate as the family’s head.
First, make sure your children cannot make unrestricted purchases from the PlayStation Store. Games can be bought not only with credit card, direct debit, PayPal, or supermarket voucher codes, but also via mobile phone billing—just a phone number and SMS verification. You can also block access to the PS5 browser, online communication with other players, and the creation of new PS5 accounts.
You can set age restrictions for games and films, and allow exceptions on a case-by-case basis if your child requests it. Note that official age classifications mainly focus on violent content. They do not take into account potentially addictive game mechanics often found in free-to-play games like Fortnite. If you anticipate issues, you can also schedule daily time slots or overall playtime limits for each weekday via the PS5 settings.
3D Sound
What is the PS5’s 3D audio all about?
For audio through a TV or ordinary stereo headphones (plugged into the small jack on the controller), you can enable 3D audio output in the PS5’s sound settings. When using your TV speakers, the console uses the controller’s built-in microphone to measure the room’s acoustics and apply a pseudo-3D effect.
For headphones, you’ll go through a short setup process. Based on how you perceive various test tones, the console selects binaural filters and adds a bit of reverb to create a similar pseudo-3D effect.
A 5.1 or Dolby Atmos setup with overhead speakers, however, produces a noticeably better surround impression. In the PS5’s sound settings, set “Audio Format (Priority)” to “Dolby Atmos.” The console will encode all its audio into Dolby Atmos for output via HDMI to compatible soundbars or AV receivers.
While many games support surround sound for 5.1 or 7.1 speaker setups, relatively few deliver genuine 3D audio that also utilises ceiling speakers. Which ones do so is rarely apparent from their store listings—you usually have to try them out. Among the titles we tested, Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and Alan Wake 2 all featured impressive 3D audio. Capcom’s modern Resident Evil instalments and various Sony first-party titles also include Atmos support. Many other releases, however, do not use height channels at all.
HDMI Overload
I sometimes hear crackling in the speakers like a Geiger counter. How can I fix it?
Chances are the HDMI connection to your AV receiver is being overloaded. First, update the receiver’s firmware—this solved the issue on our Denon AVC-X4800H. Use the shortest possible HDMI cables certified for at least 8K at 60Hz (or higher). If that doesn’t help, go to “Screen and Video” in the PS5 settings, then lower the “Transfer Rate” by −1 or −2. This reduces the colour bit depth and thus the HDMI data rate. The crackling typically disappears, though you may notice slight banding in foggy or gradient-heavy scenes.
PlayStation Portal & PSVR2
PlayStation Portal
Can I play on the go with the PlayStation Portal handheld console?
The PlayStation Portal doesn’t run games locally—it streams them over Wi-Fi from either a PS5 console or Sony’s servers in the cloud. Cloud streaming requires the Premium subscription tier at 17 euros per month or 152 euros per year, and grants access to over 200 older titles, including only a few PS5 games. Sony’s “PS Remote App” (for smartphones and tablets) currently streams only from your own PS5, not from the cloud.
With a solid Wi-Fi connection (ideally in the same room as your router), latency and streaming quality are generally good. However, walls or interference from neighbouring networks can cause lag or dropouts, leading to missed inputs or freezing.
These constraints make the PS Portal less ideal for competitive online games. It’s also not ideal for titles with finely detailed menus or text that becomes harder to read on the smaller screen.
VR Headset
Is buying a PSVR2 headset worthwhile for VR gaming on PS5?
Compared with its predecessor, Sony has significantly upgraded the PSVR2. The OLED displays offer more vibrant colours, and the “screen-door effect” is almost gone due to the higher resolution. The headset tracks its surroundings independently (no external cameras needed) and requires only a single long USB cable to connect to the console.
However, the fundamental ergonomic challenges remain. The PSVR2 must be adjusted tightly against your forehead and the back of your head, which can cause headaches after about 20 minutes. You must also align the optical system precisely, which can be tricky for glasses wearers, who may notice blurry edges if it’s not perfectly positioned.
The biggest drawback is the limited game library. It’s much smaller than the lineup for the original PSVR, with which the new PSVR2 is not backwards-compatible. Many newer VR titles, controlled using the new hand controllers, involve complex movements to switch weapons or reload magazines. Consequently, PSVR2 often suits short, active experiences rather than extended, relaxed sessions. Several colleagues’ initial enthusiasm has waned, and their headsets are now collecting dust.
