The PlayStation 5 is finally here, but is it worth the $500 dollar price tag? Last Thursday I received my Playstation 5 and it felt like a momentous occasion. I was lucky enough to receive one on release day. The unboxing was enjoyable; the cords, controller, and console were all nicely packaged. Setting it up was also very fast.

The first game I played was Astro’s Playroom. It was a nice experience that was preinstalled into my PS5. It was made to showcase the new features of the Dualsense controller but it was an actual game that is worth playing.

As for the Dualsense controller, it feels great. Sony has ditched the Dualshock naming and has gone with the Dualsense, which not only has a different name but the overall design is completely different. I believe the change was for the better. It feels amazing in your hands. You might be wondering about the adaptive triggers and the haptic feedback Sony advertised, which some people have said are just gimmicks. I’m happy to tell you they are wrong… these features are much more than gimmicks! Using the adaptive triggers while playing Spider-Man: Miles Morales immersed me way more into the game. Although I have not progressed that far into another game, Demon Souls, a source tells me that when using the bow you can feel the tension of pulling back the bowstring. Also, the haptic feedback in the Dualsense controller is lightyears ahead of what we had back in the Dualshock 4 controller. The vibrations are very precise and when swinging from building to building in Spider-Man, the immersion is increased even more.

Now let’s talk about the actual console itself. First off, let me say that it is enormous. I heard it was big but oh boy was it larger than I imagined! So if you’re planning on purchasing this console I recommend you evaluate the space you have. But other than that it looks elegant and futuristic. I’d like to thank Sony for increasing the number of USB ports because it was an issue I struggled with on the PS4.

The UI has its pros and cons compared to the PS4’s UI. The main issue I dealt with on the PS4 was the recent update to the party system which is superior to the PS5. Also, the speeds on the PS5 are impeccable. I remember waiting 30 seconds sometimes just so I could change a song on Spotify but on the PS5 it’s not a problem.

Sadly the PS5 isn’t perfect. People have been experiencing issues which in a few cases has been bricking the console (rendering it useless). Luckily I haven’t experienced any issues but be wary about them.

So now to answer the big question question: Is the PS5 worth $500? In my opinion, yes. It is a lighting-fast console with superb features and a great set of launch titles. But the main issue for people besides the cost would be actually acquiring one. Some stores sold out in less than a few minutes. If you are going to attempt to purchase one, good luck!