Before you can even plug in the PS5, you’ll have to learn how to install its plastic stand. While the console can stand vertically on its own, Sony recommends using it for both orientations. And once you handle the console, it’s easy to see why. The PS5 is just too precarious when it’s standing up without a stand; all it takes is a light brush from a child or pet to send your $500 console crashing to the floor. And if it’s sitting horizontally, the system wobbles like an enormous egg, which also makes me worried it’ll eventually roll off my table. So the stand makes sense — but I don’t have to like it.
It screws onto the bottom of the console if you’re standing it up, or slides into the back if it’s going horizontal. Sony includes an instruction sheet that’s relatively clear, but I’ll be honest: That’s the last thing I want to look at when I just want to play some games. In horizontal mode, I also found that the stand slipped out easily if I needed to adjust the console, or pull it forward a bit to plug in some cables. There’s nothing securing it to the system; it just bites into the rear of the console, making it appear as if it’s floating in the air.
I won’t harp on this too much, but I’m sure Sony could have come up with a design that didn’t feel so overcooked. The PS4 and PS4 Pro were just angular slabs of plastic. But they felt solid, and it didn’t take an IKEA instruction sheet to figure out how to put them in my entertainment center. I’ll be honest, I had a hard time figuring out the right way to lay the PS5 on its side, since there’s no visual indicator of where the top and bottom is. I was baffled that Sony’s engineers could overlook such a simple usability flaw.
Once you figure out the puzzle of the PS5’s stand, you just need to flip it on, go through the setup process and start downloading any required updates. And unlike the Xbox Series X, you can actually play something without waiting for a download and installation. Astro’s Playroom ships with every system, and it’s a smart way to get you used to the DualSense’s capabilities. I was also pleased to see that downloading games from Sony’s store was far faster than with the PS4. Over my wireless connection, it sucked down a 40GB game in around 50 minutes.
Home>>Theatre>>The PS5 is a worthy 4K gaming machine with some next-gen titles you’ll actually want to play. You’ll just have to get used to its unique design.
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