Article 59K1Q A parent's guide to buying a PS5

A parent's guide to buying a PS5

by
Jennifer Locke
from Latest from Android Central on (#59K1Q)

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Don't know where to start? We're here to help.

A new console generation is here, which means a lot of people will be buying a PS5 over the holidays. If you're unfamiliar with PlayStation or Xbox, this can be an intimidating process. And even if you know your way around a gaming console, there are still a few things you may want to know beforehand. We'll walk you through everything you'll need to know about buying a PS5, setting it up, and more.

Because the PS5 doesn't release until November 12, we won't have full step-by-step instructions on setting it up yet. We'll update this with more information as soon as we can.

Jump to:Where to buy a PS5

The PS5 will release on November 12, 2020, alongside the PS5 Digital Edition, priced at $499 and $399, respectively. Though you can buy a PS5 right now ahead of its release, and stock is hard to come by, no matter where you look. If you haven't already pre-ordered a PS5, be on the lookout at retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and GameStop. Stock is coming and going in waves, so it'd be smart to sign up for email or text notifications at whichever website you're looking to buy from.

Coming soonPS5

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$499 at Amazon$500 at Target$500 at GameStop

Get your hands on it before it sells out

PS5 is the place to be for exclusives like Spider-Man and Horizon Forbidden West. Get yours before they sell out. The standard PS5 boasts a disc drive so that you can play 4K Blue-ray DVDs and use your physical PS4 games through backward combability. This comes at a higher price tag than the Digital Edition.

All-digitalPS5 Digital Edition

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$399 at Amazon$400 at Target$400 at GameStop

Get your hands on it before it sells out

Cheaper than the standard PS5 but lacking a disc drive, the PS5 Digital Edition can still deliver the very best exclusives entirely digitally. You may not be able to play physical games, but the future is digital anyway. The PS5 Digital Edition features an 825GB SSD.

Setting up a PS5

Without having a PS5 yet, it's impossible to say what the set-up process will be like once you turn it on. Regardless, you'll likely be asked to create or sign-in to an existing account, which is pretty simple on PS4. I can't imagine it being more difficult on PS5.

When it comes to physical space, you'll want to have a fairly large open area for the PS5 to fit. Its dimensions are 15.4in x 4.1in x 10.2in, so it's not exactly the smallest. Thankfully it can stand up vertically or lay on its side horizontally, so you have some room to work with. The PS5 shouldn't be wedged anywhere; it won't receive a decent airflow. I'd recommend having a couple of inches of space on either side of it and above when you place it on your entertainment center.

Transferring data to PS5

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The PS5 will allow you to transfer your data over from PS4 with a Wi-Fi connection. We'll provide a step-by-step guide on how to do so when we learn more. When it comes to games, you can also transfer them over via Wi-Fi, or you can use an external hard drive.

Why you should get PlayStation Plus

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PlayStation Plus is a premium subscription service that Sony offers with 1-month, 3-month, and 12-month memberships. Subscribers get access to online multiplayer, free games, cloud storage, exclusive deals, Game Help on PS5, the PlayStation Plus Collection, and a lot more.

Game Help is a new feature for PlayStation Plus on PS5 that will allow them to access hints and guides for specific parts of games. The PlayStation Plus Collection is another new benefit coming to PS5 that grants members access to a library of PS4 titles for free.

Upgrading your PS5 storage

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Sony designed the PS5 so that people can take off the side panels and swap out the SSD internally. You will also be able to connect external hard drives using a USB cable.

What to do when the PlayStation Network is down

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Just like when your internet goes out, the PlayStation Network can go down as well. When this happens, you probably won't be able to play any online multiplayer, access your digital games, or browse the online store. Usually, the situation is out of your hands, and you'll need to wait until Sony fixes it, but there are a few steps you can take to mitigate any potential problems.

On days like Christmas and the release of the PS5, the number of people trying to log in to their new consoles at once puts a strain on the system, and you may be unable to create or sign-in to your account. All you can do when this happens is wait it out.

PlayStation 5

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