Sony’s PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro raise many common questions—from hardware upgrades and picture/audio settings to child safety features. Below you’ll find answers on disc drives, SSD storage, offline modes, 3D audio, Dolby Atmos, HDMI quirks, parental controls, the portable PS Portal device, and the PSVR2 headset.
Console Hardware
Which PS5 Versions Exist, and How Much Do They Cost?
You can choose from three main PlayStation 5 models:
- PS5 Digital Edition – The cheapest option at around €440, sold without a disc drive.
- PS5 (Standard Edition) – Priced about €550, featuring an optical disc drive for PS4/PS5 game discs and film media (DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD).
- PS5 Pro – Retailing near €800, with no built-in disc drive. It plays all the same PS4/PS5 games but offers improved graphics power for many patched or optimised titles. It also comes with a larger built-in SSD: 2TB instead of 825GB. While the main CPU sees a modest 10% clock boost, the Pro’s GPU can deliver up to 16.7 TFLOPS instead of 10.3 TFLOPS.
Those keen on the PS5 Pro’s graphics uplift should ideally pair it with a high-quality, modern 4K TV. Under heavy load, the Pro draws around 230W (compared to ~200W for the other versions) and can be slightly noisier, though still within tolerable levels.
PS+ Subscription
To play online multiplayer on any PS5, you need at least a PlayStation Plus “Essential” subscription (€9 monthly or €72 yearly). Subscribers gain access to three free older catalogue games each month—though these may be removed if the licence expires, and access also ends if your sub lapses.
PS5 Pro
How Does the PS5 Pro’s Enhanced Graphics Perform in Practice?
Existing PS5 games need a patch to capitalise on the PS5 Pro’s extra performance. Sony’s online store already lists more than 90 PS5 titles that benefit, typically achieving more stable frame rates or higher resolution courtesy of the Pro’s improved GPU. Many games also allow toggling between “Quality” and “Performance” modes:
- Quality Mode often aims for 30 frames per second (fps), using the extra render time for dynamic higher resolutions and occasional ray tracing.
- Performance Mode usually targets 60 fps, delivering smoother action—especially noticeable when panning the camera around your character.
Some games (like The Callisto Protocol) even offer a 40-fps “balanced” mode, though you need a TV that supports 120Hz to run it. In general, the 60-fps Performance Mode feels more fluid, while the differences in visual fidelity between 30 and 60 fps can be subtle.
Patches for certain games (e.g., Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Dragon’s Dogma 2) enable higher resolutions or ray-traced effects on the Pro. Visually striking titles like Black Myth: Wukong also look even better on Pro hardware.
Boosting Older PS4 Titles
The PS5 Pro can also enhance almost all PS4 games if you enable “Improve Image Quality for PS4 Games” under Settings > Screen and Video on the console. It upscales via “PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution” (PSSR), letting certain PS4 releases like Days Gone look nearly PS5-level. However, PSSR is still evolving; it can sometimes produce flickering or noise with intricate vegetation. If that happens, consider disabling PS4 Improvement or PSSR-based upscaling for those games.
Some games also offer AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR 3) as an alternative to PSSR. In Star Wars Outlaws, for example, you can switch between them if you experience artefacts.
Disc Drive, SSD, and Offline Mode
Should I Install a Disc Drive Separately?
The PS5 Digital Edition and the PS5 Pro can, in theory, accommodate an external disc drive Sony sells for about €120. However, stocks are limited, and real-world prices can be much higher. Having a disc drive means you can install PS4/PS5 games directly from physical media. Each time you launch, the disc must be in the drive for copy protection.
Physical discs let you share, gift, or re-sell the games, which you can’t do with digital licences (those stay locked to your PlayStation account). But note: Sony offering the PS5 Pro only in a disc-free configuration—and seemingly limiting separate drive availability—signals they may want to steer customers towards digital downloads. If a future PlayStation console (say, PS6) omits a drive entirely, only digital games might remain backwards compatible.
Additionally, the drive can handle DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD discs for film playback. Audio CDs, however, are not supported. For movies, the picture is fine, though the PS5 can’t output Dolby Vision for Blu-ray, so a high-end standalone player may do a better job.
How Many Games Fit on the Internal SSD and How Do I Upgrade It?
Typical game installations range 50–100GB, though some exceed 250GB. On a standard PS5 (825GB SSD), you might hold around a dozen titles at once. The PS5 Pro’s 2TB SSD usually lets you keep 25–30 installed games.
You can install a compatible M.2 SSD up to 8TB (with read speeds of at least 5.5GB/s). Sony details the exact specs on its website. It’s a quick five-minute process.
PS4 games can run from an external USB drive, but PS5 games cannot. You may, however, move PS5 titles to a USB storage for archiving, then copy them back as needed.
Is an Offline-Only PS5 Setup Possible?
With the disc-based PS5 (or Pro plus disc drive), you theoretically can play offline once your games are installed and patched. But nearly every modern title requires extensive updates after launch, so you’ll likely patch at least once. Then, you can designate that console as your “primary” PS5—under Users and Accounts > Console Sharing and Offline Play—and the games you own digitally can launch offline without logging in, though obviously no multiplayer is possible.
Bear in mind that you can only de-register a lost or broken console from your account once every six months if you need to shift the “primary console” status.
Parental Controls, 3D Sound, and Fixing Audio Issues
Parental Controls: Restricting Kids’ Access on PS5
It’s best to create separate PlayStation accounts for yourself and each child, then adjust the kids’ restrictions under Settings > Family and Parental Controls. You’ll manage these via the PlayStation mobile app (Android/iOS).
Key points:
- Block purchases on children’s accounts so they can’t buy digital games or exploit phone billing.
- Restrict or disable the built-in PS5 browser.
- Lock out communications with strangers online.
- Enforce age ratings for games and movies, plus daily or weekly screen-time quotas.
Be aware that age ratings mostly focus on violence, not addictive or microtransaction-laden mechanics common in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
3D Audio: PS5’s Sound Approaches
You can enable 3D Audio for TV speakers or standard stereo headphones (plugged into your DualSense controller’s 3.5mm jack). With TV speakers, the PS5 uses the controller mic to measure your room’s acoustics and simulates 3D surround. On headphones, it mixes a binaural effect plus reverb.
For a proper Dolby Atmos setup, choose Dolby Atmos as the “Audio Format (Priority)” in Settings > Sound, and connect via HDMI to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver. Not every game uses the overhead channels of Atmos—some remain 5.1 or 7.1 only. But certain releases (Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Alan Wake 2, newer Resident Evil titles, and select Sony blockbusters) fully leverage height speakers.
HDMI Overload and Knocking Noises
If your speakers make a crackling, geiger-counter-like noise, your AV receiver’s HDMI link may be overloaded. Update the receiver firmware (for example, on a Denon AVC-X4800H) and use short, high-quality HDMI cables rated for at least 8K/60Hz. If issues persist, go to Settings > Screen and Video and drop the “Video Transfer Rate” to -1 or -2, lowering HDMI’s bit depth. That typically removes crackling but might introduce minor colour banding in foggy scenes.
PlayStation Portal & PSVR2
PS Portal: Can I Use Sony’s Handheld Console On the Go?
The PlayStation Portal handheld doesn’t run games natively; it streams them over Wi-Fi either from your PS5 or from Sony’s cloud servers (with a Premium subscription costing €17 monthly or €152 yearly). While local streaming from your console can be stable if you’re near the router, real-world Wi-Fi constraints may cause lag or dropouts—especially if you’re in another room or the signal is weak.
Competitive online games can become frustrating due to the latency in double-streaming. Also, small text in some titles can appear cramped on the Portal’s display. If you want a bigger screen or more stable performance, you might prefer the PS Remote App on a tablet or phone. But that app (so far) doesn’t stream from Sony’s cloud—only from your local console.
Is the PSVR2 Headset Worth Getting?
Sony’s second-gen VR headset improves upon the original: the OLED screens are sharper, the “screen-door” effect is practically gone, and inside-out tracking means no external cameras. Yet VR’s usual ergonomic downsides remain: you must secure the device tightly, which can cause discomfort after 20 minutes. The lens alignment can be tricky, particularly for glasses wearers, leading to blurred edges.
The bigger drawback is the smaller game library. Many titles aren’t compatible or must be re-purchased in new VR2 versions. The advanced hand controllers often require elaborate motions for reloading or weapon-swapping, making VR2 more suitable for short sessions of physical, intense gameplay rather than hours of casual exploration. Some enthusiasts find they rarely use it after the initial novelty fades.