The PlayStation 5 has gotten a lot of praise since its release. Gamers love the console’s 4K output and lightning-fast load timer. However, the PS5 console isn’t faultless. We’ll look at some pretty good reasons to avoid it in a moment. Unfortunately, many people aren’t talking about these. For instance, PlayStation 4 owners may not see the PS5 as much of an upgrade, especially if they have the Pro version. Similarly, the Xbox Series X is also impressive.
First-party titles like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart show how amazing the system is and what it’s capable of. But many new games aren’t taking advantage of this extra power as developers still support the previous generation. On top of that, high prices and low supply are driving away potential customers.
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1. Finding the New PlayStation 5 is Hard
Despite the PlayStation 5 console coming out in November 2020, you probably won’t find a console sitting on a store shelf. Game consoles usually see high demand at launch, especially through their first holiday shopping season. However, the PlayStation 5 release was riddled with unexpected problems, from chip shortages to a slow supply chain, not to mention incredibly high demand for video games.
For years gamers waited for the latest consoles from Xbox and PlayStation, but the Covid-19 pandemic greatly impacted their release. Because of social distancing measures, most stores sold the consoles exclusively online. Customers didn’t line up outside stores to purchase the new console on release day. Scalpers also compounded the problem by using bots to buy these consoles and then reselling them for a profit.
Many thought that PlayStation 5 stock would improve after the holidays, but that didn’t happen. Two and a half years later, the PlayStation 5 is still a pretty hard find on store shelves. If you do want to pick up a PlayStation 5, your best bet is to check online at major retailers regularly. For instance, Amazon commonly has the console available to order.
2. PlayStation 5 is Too Expensive
Another reason to avoid the PlayStation 5? It is just too expensive. Let’s face it. Upgrades aren’t always cheap. It makes no sense to spend upwards of $500 on the PS5, if you already have a game console like the PlayStation 4 with new games.
The PlayStation 5 costs $400 for the model without a disc drive, and the one with a disc drive is $500. You can play physical games, which are often cheaper than digital ones, and watch DVDs and Blu-rays. If you don’t fancy using physical media or worry about discs getting scratched, then it may be better to save the $100.
Xbox Series X, in comparison, costs the same as the PlayStation 5 with a disc drive. However, the Series S, which also doesn’t have a disc drive but has limited power, only costs $300. Similarly, Nintendo’s popular Switch console is only $300 for the standard model. With all that in mind, Sony did hint at the fact they may raise PlayStation 5 prices in the future due to increasing costs.
3. PlayStation 5 is Massive in Size
Because PlayStation 5 consoles are rarely in stores, you probably haven’t gotten the chance to see one in person. If not, you will be shocked to find out it is massive. That’s not uncommon for new console launches. But they usually get smaller with later hardware revisions. While this is true of the PlayStation 5, some poor design choices only make the problem worse.
The PlayStation 5 console measures over 15″ X 10″ X 4″ in size. Weighing 14lbs, it’s among the largest home consoles ever released. To put that in perspective, it is slightly larger than the original Atari 2600. Keep in mind that the disc-less version is a little slimmer but still retains a large footprint.
The Xbox Series X is also pretty bulky and has an odd design choice. While the Series X looks like a brick, the PlayStation 5 is oddly shaped, with two massive wings. These may prevent it from sitting on a shelf. You probably shouldn’t avoid the PlayStation 5 just because it’s a little large. However, you should take its size into consideration when choosing a location because it needs ample ventilation.
4. PlayStation 5 has a Few Games
PlayStation 5 came out a few years ago and is yet to build a massive game library. New consoles usually have a few titles upon release, but things are even worse for the PS5. Game development takes years, and that’s why you will find a few games at launch. Plus, developers take time to shift their focus to the new hardware.
Developers are yet to exploit the new console’s power because they know that it takes time for the new console to build a user base. Once enough consoles have been sold, developers will usually stop producing games for the previous generation. But this hasn’t happened for PlayStation 5 owing to its small user base.
Compounding the problem of a few games on the PlayStation 5 is the fact that many studios shut down during the pandemic. Many companies had games in the works for the PlayStation 5’s launch but were forced to delay them. But if you don’t own a PlayStation 4, you will be happy to know that the PlayStation 5 will also play those games as well.
5. Not as Powerful as The Series X
Despite being a fairly new console in the market, PlayStation 5 isn’t the most powerful. Now, people started arguing before the PlayStation 5 and Series X came out about which is better. That is an argument for tackle, but the Series X is more powerful based on its hardware. However, both consoles pack some serious power, and the average user may never notice the difference.
- The fastest, most powerful Xbox ever
- Explore rich new worlds with 12 teraflops of raw graphic processing power, DirectX ray tracing, a custom SSD, and 4K gaming
- Make the most of every gaming minute with Quick Resume, lightning-fast load times, and gameplay of up to 120 FPS
- Powered by Xbox Velocity Architecture
- Enjoy thousands of games from four generations of Xbox, with hundreds of optimized titles that look and play better than ever
- Full-spectrum visuals and immersive audio with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
However, that hasn’t ended the debate about which console is better. Xbox and PlayStation have distinct first-party titles that aren’t available on the other device. Sony is well-known for games like God of War, The Last of Us, and Ratchet & Clank. Meanwhile, Xbox has games like Forza, Halo, and Gears of War.
Of course, there is always the Nintendo Switch, but that is a major step down in performance from even the PlayStation 4. But with all this talk of consoles, it’s important not to pass up gaming PCs, which offer limitless performance. If you want the absolute fastest experience with the best graphics, then you can’t go wrong with PC gaming. Plus, you can now play many PlayStation games on PC.
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