Sony's Newest PS5 Accessory Is Turning Heads
The PlayStation 5 is mere months away and Sony is already trying to make sure that gamers have everything they need to bring the system to vivid life. In fact, some of the most recent products announced by Sony seems like they may end up being invaluable pieces of the PlayStation 5 experience. And they're more than just any normal accessory.
In fact, in order to push some more gamer-friendly features across the board with its products, Sony is releasing two TV models that are meant to seamlessly work with the PlayStation 5. This is being done as part of Sony's new "Ready for PlayStation 5" campaign.
There will be more models with the "Ready for PlayStation 5" branding in the future, but the first two to hit market will be the Sony X900H/XH90 4K HDR and Z8H/ZH8 8K HDR Full Array LED TV.
According to a report from Forbes, both televisions have an automatic Low Latency Mode that switches the TV over to its gaming mode whenever a console source is detected. Sony's website mentions that the TVs will use Full Array LED lights that will allow games to look more dynamic than they would on a standard LED television. Each section of the screen is controlled by different inputs, meaning there are more realistic shades to everything. As Sony puts it, this will "make dark areas darker, light areas lighter, and reveal every detail of the alternate universe you've stepped into."
This will be especially important for running games on the PlayStation 5, especially with all we've seen from Epic's Unreal Engine 5 demonstration a few months back. Unreal 5 produces realistic lighting and textures in every scene, so gamers will likely want a television that backs up all of that detail. In fact, Epic has said that the PlayStation 5 was a bit too fast even for Unreal 5, so the idea of having a TV that can keep up with it is a great one.
One of the coolest things about these new TVs is how they both utilize sound. By using Sony's patented Acoustic Multi-Audio tech, these television can produce sound that is localized to a specific event on the screen. In other words, the tweeters on either side of the screen will perfectly position the sounds to the point where the action is taking place. If you're playing Doom Eternal and you fire a gun, it should sounds like the blast is coming straight from the spot on the screen where your weapon's muzzle is located. That's a pretty impressive feat that should help to increase the immersive qualities of next-gen gaming.
Another cool bit about these new TV models is just how well they are intended to be able to communicate with the PlayStation 5. Both will feature HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K/120Hz, meaning that they're meant to be equipped with refresh rates that are quick enough to accommodate the PlayStation 5. Furthermore, according to TechRadar, gamers can turn on their TVs and consoles simultaneously by using the gamepad on their DualSense controller. To prove how connected the TVs and the PS5 really are, the console can also be controlled seamlessly by using the remote controls that come with these TV models. In other words, there are plenty of options afforded to customers who want to use these together.
However, there are more than a few potential problems with Sony's big "Ready for PlayStation 5" initiative. As pointed out by pointed out by Forbes' John Archer, the TVs included in Sony's campaign are missing some key features that many other gamer-friendly televisions released in 2020 have, such as LG's motion processing options that decrease input lag and Samsung's Dynamic Black Equalizer that makes even the darkest gaming environments pop.
Ultimate, Archer concluded, "a much wider range of sets from Samsung and LG ... carry not only all the really important 'Ready for PlayStation 5' features, but quite a few more game-friendly tricks besides."
In other words, there are plenty of options available for gamers who want a nicer television to accommodate their next-gen gaming experiences. However, it's clear that Sony has put a bit of thought into giving PlayStation fans in particular a few extra perks with these new televisions.
If you want one of these, you'd better start saving now. According to TechRadar, the X900H will retail for around $999 USD, while the Sony Z8H model is considerably more high-end, going for an eye-watering $5,999. Ouch. Still, it's nice to have options when heading into the next console generation, right? Both TVs will be available this holiday season and will likely be followed by other "Ready for PlayStation 5" sets.