The PlayStation 5 features a custom
system on a chip (SoC) developed by
AMD in collaboration with Sony, integrating both the
CPU and
GPU. The eight-core CPU is based on AMD's
Zen 2 architecture and built on a
7 nm process, operating at a variable frequency up to 3.5 GHz. with 36 compute units running at up to 2.23 GHz, delivering a theoretical peak performance of 10.28
teraFLOPS. It also supports
hardware-accelerated real-time
ray tracing, a technique that simulates how light interacts with objects to produce more realistic lighting and shadows. The PlayStation 5 includes a custom "boost" system based on AMD's SmartShift technology. This system dynamically adjusts the CPU and GPU speeds depending on what the game or application needs, balancing performance and power consumption. The console's cooling system uses a double-sided intake fan that is in diameter and thick, paired with a large
heat sink utilizing a
heat pipe design that Sony claims has a "shape and airflow [which] make it possible to achieve the same performance as a
vapor chamber". A layer of
liquid metal between the chip and the heat sink improves
heat transfer. The console uses a 350-watt internal power supply and is designed to consume less energy while in rest mode compared to the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 5 includes 16 GB of
GDDR6 SDRAM connected via a 256-bit interface and capable of reaching a peak bandwidth of 448 GB/s. This
unified memory pool is shared between the CPU and GPU. The console has a new audio processing system called the Tempest Engine, which supports hundreds of simultaneous sound sources, compared to 50 on the PlayStation 4. The flash memory chips and
controller are soldered directly to the motherboard, providing 5.5 GB/s of raw bandwidth via a 12-channel interface. A dedicated decompression unit supporting
zlib and Oodle Kraken formats allows for typical throughput of 8–9 GB/s, peaking at 22 GB/s. An internal
M.2-format
solid-state drive (SSD) slot supports user-installed
NVMe drives up to 8 TB. SSD support was added in a system update in September 2021 following a public beta.
PCI Express 3.0 and earlier M.2 SSDs are not supported by PlayStation 5. Games must be installed onto either the built-in SSD or an M.2 SSD. However, to save space, developers may allow selective installation of features such as a multiplayer mode. External USB drives (up to 8 TB) are also supported; however, only PlayStation 4 games can be played directly from USB storage. PlayStation 5 games can be stored on an external drive but must be transferred to internal or SSD storage for gameplay. The standard model includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive supporting
Ultra HD Blu-ray, standard
Blu-ray, and DVD formats, but not
CDs or
3D Blu-rays. PlayStation 5 game discs can hold up to 100 GB of data, double the capacity of standard Blu-ray discs used for most PlayStation 4 games.
Form factor The PlayStation 5's
form factor was revealed during its June 11, 2020 presentation. Senior Art Director Yujin Morisawa led the case design, balancing aesthetics with internal volume and airflow requirements. The side panels are removable, allowing access to components such as the SSD expansion slot and the optional Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. Two dust collection channels are also accessible for maintenance. When in its vertical position, the launch version of the console with an optical disc drive measures high, deep, wide, and weighs . The digital edition is slightly slimmer at wide and initially weighed .
Hardware revisions Standard model Sony released a minor hardware revision of the PlayStation 5 in August 2021. This version, the 1100 series, features a smaller heatsink without a significant impact on cooling performance. The revision also eliminated the need for a screwdriver when attaching the console stand. As a result, the overall weight was reduced to 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) for the model with an optical disc drive and 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) for the digital edition. Another revision, the 1200-series, began shipping in August 2022. This version featured a die shrink of the SoC, reducing power consumption, allowing Sony to redesign the heatsink again, contributing to a weight decrease. The revised model with an optical disc drive weighs and the digital edition weighs .
PlayStation 5 Slim Sony announced revised models of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition in October 2023, with a release scheduled for November 2023. These models, colloquially referred to as the "PlayStation 5 Slim", are physically smaller and replaced the original versions of the system. The front USB-A port was replaced with a second USB-C port, though it still operates at USB 2.0 speeds. At launch, both versions included 1 TB of internal storage, but the Digital Edition was later reduced to 825 GB of internal storage. The revised Digital Edition was priced higher than the original; in the US, it was $50 more expensive. An optional Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive can be purchased separately for $80 and attached to the Digital Edition, making it functionally and visually equivalent to the standard model. following industry rumors since March 2024. Among other changes, the new console has three primary improvements: a GPU about 45% faster than that in the existing PlayStation 5, a
deep learning-based
image upscaling technology called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), and twice as fast ray tracing performance compared to the PlayStation 5. As a result, games optimized for the Pro are expected to support 4K resolutions at 60 frames per second. Games can be patched to access features of the Pro system, with 50 games expected to be ready with enhanced versions by the system launch. A Game Boost feature would also allow selected PS4 games to have improved resolutions on the Pro system, with about 8,500 such games set to use this feature at launch. The pricing of the PS5 Pro made it one of the most expensive consoles to be released when accounting for inflation, and the second most-expensive within the PlayStation line following the original
PlayStation 3 price of $499+.
Rolling Stone observed an "overwhelmingly negative" response to the console's limited increase of benefits.
Sports Illustrated mocked the price, with editor Dave Aubrey writing: "It feels almost cruel, in a climate like this, to try and convince people that the PS5 Pro, with its meager enhancements, is actually worth the money." Sony president Hiroki Totoki stated in an investor call in November 2024 that the company did not believe the high price had a negative impact on sales, since the Pro model was targeting hardcore users who are willing to pay more for high performance.
Internal storage reduction Starting in September 2025, the Digital Edition of the PS5 Slim was downgraded from 1 TB to 825 GB of internal storage, in an example of
shrinkflation. The disc drive edition was unaffected. The change occurred without announcement in Europe on September 13, 2025; without announcement in the United States on October 3, 2025; and with an announcement in Japan on November 11, 2025.
30th anniversary editions Limited quantities of the PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro, with gray cases and special branding, were released on November 21, 2024, to celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary. Similar branded PlayStation DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PlayStation Portal devices were also made available.
DualSense and DualSense Edge controllers The DualSense wireless controller for the PlayStation 5 was revealed on April 7, 2020. It is based on the prior
DualShock controller but with modifications influenced by discussions with game designers and players. The light bar has been moved to the sides of the touchpad. As an
Easter egg, the texture of the controller unit is covered in miniature versions of the four PlayStation button symbols (cross, circle, square, and triangle). The controller features a more modular design than the DualSense with replaceable stick modules, multiple control profiles and an option of relocating map inputs.
Additional accessories Accessories include a charging station for the DualSense, a new HD camera, and a media remote control. The Pulse 3D wireless headset is integrated with the PS5's Tempest Engine 3D audio technology. PS5 games can use the existing
PlayStation Move,
PlayStation Camera,
PlayStation VR Aim Controller, officially licensed headsets, and specialty controllers with official licenses like flight sticks and racing wheels.
PlayStation Portal PlayStation VR2 Sony announced the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5 in January 2022. A successor to the
PlayStation VR, the device consists of a headset featuring dual OLED panels capable of 4K resolution, HDR and 90/120 Hz refresh rates. It also includes two Sense controllers which have 14 embedded
IR LEDs for tracking, and haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, similar to the DualSense controller included with the PlayStation 5. The headset features
eye-tracking for
foveated rendering and in-game features in select games. Additionally, the controllers includes finger touch detection, used to render the position of the thumb, index and middle fingers to show on in-game models. Unlike its predecessor, it does not require external cameras for it positioning; instead, it uses four cameras inside the headset to track the headset and controller's position, using only the headset's USB-C cable to connect to the console. The headset launched on February 22, 2023, for $549.99 in the United States, €599.99 in the EU, and £529.99 in the United Kingdom.
Games available for the PS VR2 at launch included
Horizon Call of the Mountain,
Gran Turismo 7, and
Resident Evil Village. The headset is not compatible with
games released for the previous generation PS VR by default, requiring developers to update their games. The PlayStation VR2 released to positive reviews, but was later criticized for a lack of continued support. ==System software==