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PS5 specs, features confirmed by GameStop

GameStop has reiterated much of what we already know about the PS5, but it's nice to see some extra confirmation.

What you need to know

  • GameStop has reconfirmed some specs and features in the PS5.
  • These include PS4 backward compatibility, 8K resolution support, ray-tracing, and more.
  • The PS5 is set to release Holiday 2020.

Considering Sony's relative radio silence, any news about the PlayStation 5 is welcome. This time the news come from GameStop, which recently put up a landing page for the PS5 on its website. The page details some specs and features set to be in the PS5. Though none of these are new and have been spoken about before in various interviews and events, it's nice to see some official confirmation from a retailer.

A few of the features GameStop mentions include:

  • Full 8K TV support
  • Bespoke 8-core AMD chipset
  • 3D Audio
  • Built-for-purpose SSD storage
  • Backwards compatibility with PS4 games/PSVR hardware
  • Ray tracing capabilities

GameStop also goes on to detail its 8-core, 16-thread CPU based on AMD's Zen 2 microarchitecture that is sure to impress the crowd. Though we don't know how many teraflops its GPU is — for reference, the Xbox Series X has 12 TFlops — we can still expect an enhanced GPU capable of delivering ray-tracing, which is a technique that more realistically renders light.

The next DualShock controller, as we learned previously, will support haptic feedback technology and adaptive triggers, changing the resistance you'll feel from L2 and R2 depending on what you are doing in a game. It'll likely be called the DualShock 5 and feature a design similar to that of its predecessor.

The PlayStation 5's menu will allow players to "see what is happening in a game without even booting it up." Players can also "see which multiplayer matches are available or what single-player missions you are on in the game," according to GameStop.

Sony has yet to fully unveil the PS5 despite rumors of a supposed February event happening, much like how the PS4 was revealed in 2013. With Sony pulling out of PAX East, GDC, and not attending E3 once again, it will likely hold its own showcase to reveal the console when it is ready.

The PlayStation 5 is due out Holiday 2020, with Godfall being a confirmed PS5 exclusive.


by Jennifer Locke