With Sony unceremoniously announcing the disintegration of the “disc” on the PlayStation platform starting in 2028, there has been plenty of chatter online concerning the ramifications of this corporate-driven decision on the future of physical media. As far as gaming fans are concerned, the message is clear. There will be no physical PS6 games when that generation kickstarts. And, with the likelihood of an absent disc drive in the next generation console, that leads to one other implication: no 4K Blu-ray movie playback either. Despite the lack of a useful tool in an otherwise expensive piece of machinery, this really might not be much of a pain point for movie lovers. In fact, I’d venture to say that the most ardent fans of physical movies are entirely copacetic with the situation, at least as far as movies are concerned.
While the PS5 has doubled as a 4K Blu-ray player for many who still enjoy purchasing discs for the old movie collection, the PS5 playback capabilities are not exactly all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, some might argue that true 4K Blu-ray connoisseurs would prefer to have a separate standalone Blu-ray player, anyhow.
- 4K Capability
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Yes
- Brand
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PlayStation
No on-disc Dolby Vision support
Dynamic HDR is the biggest compromise on the PS5
In the world of 4K and high-end movie playback, Dolby Vision is exceptional. The entire concept of Dolby Vision is that it enables dynamic HDR technology based on your device or platform and the output on screen. Therefore, HDR is maximized regardless of your TV, platform, or the content being shown on screen. That means that the best color depth, contrast, and brightness are engaged according to the device you are using for playback as well as the individual scenes being shown on screen. Basic HDR (such as HDR10) isn’t dynamic and is static throughout the entirety of any movie or TV show.
The PS5 does not support Dolby Vision even if the disc you’ve purchased includes it. It’s also clear that Sony doesn’t put much stock in disc media any longer. So, it’s not like we could feasibly expect an update from Sony in the future regarding this functionality. Therefore, you’re unfortunately missing out on the best picture quality Dolby Vision could provide with a PS5. Keep in mind that if you were to purchase a standalone player, you’d need to ensure that it’s Dolby Vision compatible.
The superior chips for upsampling are in the standalone hardware
Go for the option with the sharper image
We might really be getting into the weeds here, but the PS5 GPU is not designed to handle chroma upsampling the way that other dedicated processors do. The PS5 GPU simply converts the on-disc data of 4:2:0 color to video output without any specialized boosting capabilities. However, there are 4K Blu-ray players that have been on the market for years that have chroma upsampling capabilities.
To put this in layperson terms, chroma upsampling essentially reconstructs the color data provided on disc to fill in any gaps in digital video output. Ultimately, this provides a more crisp image with sharper edges. It eliminates the fuzziness you often see when up-close between two color spaces. Of course, 4K UHD formats already do a great job here as far as most consumers are concerned. But for the cinephiles among us, the chroma upsampling option could be a significant score on the PS5 vs. standalone player comparison.
Drive acoustics can diminish your enjoyment
Sometimes it’d be better if it didn’t sound like a distant aircraft was taking off
Let’s be honest, many of us have had the PS5 for 6 years now. The disc drive is not as quiet as many of us would like it to be. In fact, the vibration within the drive can be quite a nuisance for specific settings. Many new standalone players are designed with a chassis centered around vibration reduction, such as Panasonic’s high-end models. This also helps reduce the overall wear on the machine, giving it greater longevity. Just remember, anything mechanical or with moving parts will suffer from wear and degradation over time. Consumers should be aware, it’s a law of machinery that has existed and will always exist. Vibration reduction will go a long way to ensuring the longevity and integrity of your machine.
The PS5 is a great entertainment hub. Don’t get it twisted, I’m not dogging on Sony’s console. For the price, you can’t beat an all-in-one gaming, streaming, and Blu-ray disc playing machine. In these tough economic times, many of us will have to be strategic with our purchases. However, should you find that you do care enough about the incremental visual and audio upgrades that you can achieve with your 4K Blu-rays (along with the necessary disposable income) and wish to have the best possible experience, standalone 4K Blu-ray players can offer you more than you’re getting with your gaming console.
