Hey friend! You‘ve probably heard the hype about the PlayStation 5. Sony‘s latest and greatest console captivates with stunning visuals and lighting fast load speeds. However, as a fellow gaming enthusiast, I suggest pumping the brakes before rushing out to snag one. Despite the PS5‘s obvious appeal, there are some drawbacks to picking one up today. Let‘s examine 5 key reasons you may want to wait.
Overview of the 5 Reasons
Here‘s a quick rundown of the areas we‘ll cover that present challenges for a PS5 purchase currently:
- Availability: PS5 stock remains extremely constrained even 2+ years post-launch
- Pricing: High cost is tough to justify as an incremental upgrade for PS4 owners
- Size: Massive physical footprint causes headaches fitting into your set up
- Game Library: Small selection of must-have PS5 exclusives available so far
- Power: Xbox Series X offers better performance in benchmarks
Reviewing factors like these now prevents feeling let down by your purchase decision later. Especially given the PS5‘s premium price point, ensuring the timing aligns with your needs is key. Now, let‘s explore each area more closely…
1. Finding a PS5 in Stock Remains a Challenge
You didn‘t misread that subheader – despite releasing in November 2020, actually locating PS5 stock continues to be extremely difficult. Let‘s examine why:
- Global chip shortages stemming from pandemic supply chain issues severely hampered production
- Sony has fallen short of PS5 production targets nearly every quarter since launch
- Scalpers using bots to sweep up limited inventory further restrict retail availability
These constraints have severely limited PS5 stock compared even to past console releases where shortages were common.
| Console | Launch Year | Approximate Units Sold in First 2 Years |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 4 | 2013 | 20 million units |
| Xbox One | 2013 | 10 million units |
| PlayStation 5 | 2020 | 12 million units |
As you can see, the PS5 lagged behind its predecessor‘s sales pace when accounting for typical launch demand growth in the games industry.
Sony warns supply will remain tight through 2023. So purchasing a console will require immense luck or overspending from resellers. Avoid the stock headache unless you absolutely must have one now.
2. The High PS5 Cost May Not Seem Worthwhile
The PS5‘s $399 Digital Edition and $499 disc drive model represent quite the premium over previous PlayStation consoles:
| Console | Launch Year | Launch Price |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation | 1994 | $299 |
| PlayStation 2 | 2000 | $299 |
| PlayStation 3 | 2006 | $499/$599 |
| PlayStation 4 | 2013 | $399 |
| PlayStation 5 | 2020 | $399/$499 |
For this elevated price tag, PS4 owners gain modest graphical improvements and faster load times. Much of the PS5‘s power remains untapped in cross-generation titles.
Factoring in add-ons like the $549 PSVR 2 headset or $219 for 1 TB SSD storage expansion increases costs further. Given lackluster inflation, you may want to postpone this major gaming investment. Take time saving up while the system matures.
3. Finding Room for the Massive PS5 is a Challenge
I‘m not exaggerating when I say the PS5 is an absolute behemoth. At 15.4 inches tall, 10.2 inches deep, and 4.1 inches wide, it dwarfs pretty much every console ever made. Compare it to the svelte PS4 Slim measuring just 11.3 x 10.4 x 1.5 inches.
The PS5 looks gigantic even next to the original chunky PS3 from 2006:
- PS3: 12.8 x 11.4 x 2.2 inches
- PS5: 15.4 x 10.4 x 4.1 inches
Good luck fitting this PS5 banking into your media center! You‘ll need a ton of clearance above and around it thanks to the giant heat dissipation fins. Hold off until you‘ve sorted adequate space or future hardware revisions shrink it down.
4. Lack of Must-Have Exclusives Now
Where are all the amazing next-gen only experiences that justify a premium PS5 purchase? With cross-generation game support, the PS5‘s launch catalog comprised mostly prettier PS4 titles. There still aren‘t many compelling exclusives you can‘t play on a PS4.
Here were the slim pickings for must-have console exclusives in the PS5‘s first years:
- Demon‘s Souls
- Returnal
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Compare that to the PS4‘s bash of bangers across its initial years:
- Killzone Shadow Fall
- Infamous Second Son
- Bloodborne
- Uncharted 4
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- God of War
- Marvel‘s Spiderman
You aren‘t missing much playing on PS4 while awaiting a must-own library to develop. Save your cash for now.
5. Raw Power Favors the Xbox Series X
In the battle of sheer graphical horsepower, the Xbox Series X achieves victory. Microsoft designed their flagship with a 12 teraflop GPU vs the PS5‘s 10.3 teraflops. Early analysis confirms around a 10-15% power advantage for Xbox.
Here‘s how the consoles stack up:
| Spec | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X |
|---|---|---|
| GPU (Teraflops) | 10.3 | 12 |
| CPU (GHz) | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 825 | 1,000 |
While not game-changing today, the extra overhead provides headroom for Xbox exclusives to widen the visual gap down the road. If you want the highest fidelity next-gen experiences, Xbox comes out on top in raw performance.
I get the PS5‘s appeal after breaking down these areas. At its best, Sony‘s console delivers truly next-generation gaming experiences. However, issues around availability, pricing, size, game libraries, and power all present practical reasons to hesitate on upgrading now.
By just waiting 6-12 months, many of these factors may align far better with a purchase. Hang tight for supply to ease, more console-defining exclusives to launch, and discounts to bring price within reach!
Let me know what other PS5 topics interest you. Happy to continue the conversation and weigh the pros and cons together. Game on, my friend!
