In this PlayStation 5 Review we take a look at what the new console has to offer and whether or not it’s worth buying. With the release of The Playroom Experience, PlayStation 5 now enables you to be your own DJ; where you mix music via a mixer and knobs and select from a wide range of pre-set playlists. It also provides a host of other features, bringing the highly customisable ‘VR’ experience right into your living room, so that you can enjoy TV from your couch without having to get up and put on any headphones.

Hardware wise, the new PlayStation 5 looks like nothing we’ve seen before – it’s smaller than the original PS3 console, with smaller ‘umbrella’ shaped cooling vents around the outer edges. In fact, many of the outer edges have been completely redesigned in order to prevent the dust build-up that’s become a problem for many consoles, which in turn leads to an increased number of maintenance issues (such as the need to constantly clean out the vents). Inside the new PlayStation, there’s little to distinguish it from the old model, with the same hard drive, processor and RAM being present and a similar layout. This is just as well, because the design is so similar to the old controller that it feels like an old friend rather than a new system. This is great news for anyone who’s invested in the older PlayStation, as it means that you don’t need to buy a brand new system in order to enjoy the benefits of the backwards-compatible games.

Speaking of benefits, there are a few major differences between the PS5 and its competitors, meaning that the newly-announced redesign could be just what you were looking for. Firstly, there’s no longer the infamous hot dog button – meaning that all of your usual buttons are still accessible, although the shape has been changed to make them easier to access. Secondly, the PS5’s remote doesn’t look any different to previous consoles – it’s still made of rubber and has the familiar rectangular shape that makes it easy to grip. The only major difference that we were able to see was that the remotes now have more buttons on them; they now seem to be more responsive and standard on all current consoles. This seems like a good thing, as it means that you shouldn’t have to take your time getting used to using the controller and instead can spend all of your time gaming without having to think very hard about what buttons to press next.

However, if there’s one thing that the PS5 is not going to have that the Xbox series does, it’s the option for wireless internet. Microsoft has long been a leader in the field of broadband, with the Xbox being one of the first consoles to utilise this technology. However, while wireless internet on the PS5 is likely to be a boon to gamers, it will not be as popular with internet users. Wireless internet for Xbox is a very strange concept, because it requires that you actually use your whole body, rather than just one hand. For those who don’t have a problem with moving their hands around, it’s strange to think that you have to do it to browse the internet. For others, however, it’s probably not an option that they will want to have.

Despite this issue, the new PS5 is still an exciting gaming console to own. It features a design that is far more modern than its predecessors and is already being referred to as “the rebirth of video gaming”. In addition to this, the main selling point of the console is likely to be the backwards compatibility with games from previous consoles. These are games that, for whatever reason, are not compatible with the latest consoles, allowing you to play them on your PS5 without any interruptions.

This feature is very important. It means that you’ll have access to the same amount of first-party exclusives that you had on your previous consoles. You’ll also find that the PS5 is easier to navigate than the outgoing model, which makes it feel like a truly transition console. In short, we can safely say that the first-party support and smaller form factors are big positives for the PS5. When all of these things are combined, the PS5 feels like it’s ready to take on the competition.