PS5: Consoles, DualSense Controllers and Headsets Sorted

The PS5 launched on November 12, 2020 in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America and South Korea, and worldwide a week later, according to the console's encyclopedia entry. It followed the PlayStation 4, which Sony announced in April 2019 as the next step. I like that the whole thing started as a launch week and ended up as a piece of living room furniture.

What I find interesting about the PS5 is how much of the story is in the small hardware choices. The Digital Edition launched with 1 TB of storage and was later reduced to 825 GB, which is the sort of detail worth checking before you buy. Sony also sells the disc version, so the first decision is simple: do you own discs, or do you not.

Start there with the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Console at 825 GB, or the PlayStation 5 Console at 1 TB if you want the built-in Blu-ray drive. The Certified Refurbished Digital Edition and the Certified Refurbished disc console are Sony's own refurbished slim units, and each ships with a controller. The Slim Digital Edition with 1 TB SSD is the roomy option for a big library. The Marvel's Wolverine Battle Yellow bundle is the loud one, with yellow and black covers, and the 1 TB bundle with an extra DualSense is the one for couch co-op. If you already own the digital model, the detachable Disc Drive adds a drive to Digital Edition and Pro consoles. Check which model you have before you order anything.

Controllers are where you feel the difference every night, so hold one if you can. The DualSense was praised at launch for its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and those are the two features I would test first: a good game makes the trigger push back, and you notice it within a minute.

The Midnight Black DualSense is the one that hides in a dark living room, while the White one with the blue light bar edge matches the base console. The Cobalt Blue is deep and sober, the Volcanic Red is glossy with black sticks, and the Galactic Purple brings matching face buttons. I would pick the color of the thing I am going to stare at the longest.

The limited editions are for fans. The Marvel's Wolverine pad has yellow claw-slash graphics and yellow buttons, and the Marathon Limited Edition is white with neon green accents and lettering on the face. They are fun, but check that you want the print, since it is the whole point.

The DualSense Edge in Midnight Black is the serious one, with swappable stick modules, back buttons, tunable triggers and a carrying case. What I would skip: the Edge if you mostly play slow single-player games on the couch. The standard pad does that job well, and the extra remapping only shows up in fast, competitive play.

Sound changes a console more than a new shelf ever will, so I would sort this page by where you play. The PULSE Elite Wireless Headset is the over-ear option, with planar magnetic drivers, a retractable boom mic, AI noise rejection and about 30 hours of battery. It comes in white and in Midnight Black, so match it to the console or the pad.

The PULSE Explore Wireless Earbuds are the small version, also with planar magnetic drivers and a charging case, in white and in Midnight Black. I would reach for these when someone else is watching television, or when you are playing on the Portal in bed. Both lines use PlayStation Link, so plug in the adapter and check the connection before you go on a long trip.

The PlayStation Portal Remote Player, in white and black or Midnight Black, has an 8 inch LCD and streams PS5 games over Wi-Fi using Remote Play. It is a window onto your console, so the test is your home Wi-Fi: try it in the room where you would use it before you decide.

The Access Controller is a round, customizable pad with changeable button caps and a joystick, built to make play more accessible. The DualSense Charging Station docks two pads at once, and honestly it is the accessory I would be happiest to own. What I would skip: a second headset if you already love the first.

I would decide in a specific order, and write it down before I open a single box. Pick the console model first, disc or digital, and check the storage. Then choose the controller, because that is what your hands will notice, and then add sound, the Portal or the dock only when a real gap shows up in how you play. A charging dock and one good headset cover most households. Everything else can wait until the first month tells you what is missing.

The PS5 started with a launch week in November 2020 and turned into the thing the whole room gathers around. Buy for that room and you will be fine. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together What To Put On An Empty Console Table and Console Table Height And Depth.