What GPU Does the PS5 Have? [2024]

The PS5 GPU is the brains behind Sony’s next-generation system. The PS5 promotes itself as Sony’s starting point, laying the groundwork for what we may anticipate from the rest of the upcoming generation. Demon’s Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, two PS5 launch titles, demonstrate the physical capabilities of the machine in addition to pointing to a bright future. But when it concerns the PS5 GPU, what precisely is driving the graphics portion of things? Plus it’s crucial to know what GPU does the PS5 has and how it’s different from the other cards.

No doubt, there are a number of reasons to know these factors. Since the PS5 produces such fluid and high-resolution gameplay after switching from such an HD television to a 4K monitor for my PS5, it’s crucial to what actually makes it so capable. After experiencing the glory of the world of gaming in 4K, I had to find out. Since a GPU is required to support 4K at 60 frames per second and show graphics, the PS5 must be equipped with a strong GPU. I researched and cracked it open due to what I found online. So let’s look at a few discoveries. 

What GPU does the PS5 have? All Specifications included.

Let’s first build a basic understanding of what the PS5 GPU is before exploring its worth for gaming. The PS5 uses the AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based GPU with a variable frequency that can reach 2.23GHz, 10.3 teraflops of performance, and equipment ray tracing. We’re talking about a robust improvement that will last the duration of this new cycle and is a big improvement over previous generations. Although it’s difficult to predict how much this hardware will change over time, this does not indicate that a PS5 Pro is off the table.

Why are PS5 graphics so good?

After knowing what the PS5 GPU is, it’s crucial to discuss what capabilities the PS5’s GPU offers that make the PC5 graphics so good. The moniker “RDNA 2” refers to the GPU’s architecture rather than the actual graphics card. The company released RDNA 2 technology to support their RX 6000 series PC cards. Additionally, PC users may attest to the exemplary work of those same cards. A few capabilities provided by RDNA 2 to the PS5 GPU really make the PS5 stand out as a gaming console. Now let us look at a couple of them.

Ray Tracing technology

The way natural light reflects off of objects in a picture can be graphically simulated by computers using a technique called ray tracing. This makes it possible for the game to replicate realistic light bounces and shadows. However, real-time graphics are only now beginning to use this generally costly graphical technology. Real-time raytracing is possible on the PS5 thanks to specialized ray-tracing accelerators incorporated into the PS5’s GPU. As Sony improves the PS5 system, more functions will be added soon.

Improved heat management

Since a console body has less space, you must make do with the available cooling system. A GPU in a console should be more energy-efficient and produce less heat than a GPU in a PC while maintaining performance. One of this generation’s most powerful consoles is the result of much research and development. The AMD Zen 2 processor and the PS5 graphics card’s incredible power combine to deliver improved heat management. 

Fidelity FX & VR-Ready feature

The PS5 AMD Radeon-based graphics processing unit not only features excellent ray tracing performance and heat management but several other features as well. Some of the RDNA 2 GPU’s characteristics include Fidelity FX technology and VR-ready features. The Sony PS5 may use the “shader-based” upscaling method known as Fidelity FX to enhance textures, boost perceived resolution, and raise frame rates. Since PlayStation VR needs to function, the GPU within the PS5 must be VR-ready. Additionally, a few leaks have surfaced online that suggest PS5 VR may be forthcoming.

What are the disadvantages of PS5 GPU?

Despite having a potent GPU filled with functionality, the PS5 lacks some essential features, and some of these features are incompatible with this GPU. In the following section, we’ll look at a few of the most notable functions that the PS5’s GPU is missing. In order to comprehend the distinctions in feature sets, the GPUs of the Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles from Microsoft are also compared in this article.

• No upgrade options are available: Similar to a PC, the PS5’s GPU cannot be upgraded. The PS5’s GPU must therefore endure the whole PS5 generation. 
• Not as powerful as Xbox Series X: In contrast to the PS5’s 10+ teraflops, the Xbox Series X console’s GPU boasts 12.1 teraflops. This indicates that the Xbox Series X is 15% more powerful than the PS5, at least theoretically. But that shouldn’t really matter much in the current world.
• You can’t change graphics settings: On a console, the graphical settings cannot be changed. The GPU must be the same on all consoles. On every console a game is played on, it should be able to deliver the same levels of quality and framerate.
• Lacks variable refresh rate: Unlike the Xbox GPU, the PS5’s GPU does not currently employ variable rate refresh.
• No DLSS technology: The DLSS technology, which is proprietary to Nvidia GPUs, will not be supported by the PS5. Only Nvidia GPUs use the cutting-edge AI upscaling technique known as DLSS. 
• Less effective Ray Tracing: Ray-tracing on the PS5 differs slightly from Microsoft’s DirectX ray-tracing, which is supported on the Xbox Series X GPU. Compared to Sony’s own unique ray tracing technique, DXRT is better-developed software technology.

Note: At the moment, the technique is only supported by PC GPUs like the RTX 3080. Furthermore, the Nintendo Switch Pro or Switch 2 might have a DLSS-capable Nvidia GPU. The PS5 will currently only be able to use AMD’s Fidelity FX or straightforward temporal upscaling.

What Is the GPU Equivalent of the PS5?

Given that the PS5 can support 4K and 120 FPS on HDMI 2.1 compatible cables and supported televisions, determining which mainstream GPU will deliver performance comparable to the PS5 is not a tough process. The PS5’s GPU performs as well as or better than AMD’s RX 6800 XT or Nvidia’s 3070, but you can purchase the PS5 for a lot less money. When programmers begin creating titles that are too demanding for the PS5, many people presume that their brand-new PS5 will become obsolete after a few years.

Which is better: PS5, Xbox, or other desktop GPUs?

PS5 vs Xbox

The PS5 is not the quickest machine available, even though it is quite remarkable when comparing the PS5 to other consoles. The Xbox Series X, which offers 12 teraflops, deserves this distinction. However, it’s a significant leap. Compared to the original PS 4, which only had 1.8 teraflops, the PS 4 Pro possessed 4.2. The PS 5 is significantly more capable than the PS 4 and about on par with the Xbox Series X in terms of actual relevance. Power isn’t a factor when it comes to gaming.

Each console is a vast advance over earlier consoles because they are anticipated to last so long. Hence a sharp rise in system power will be expected. It’s not difficult to tell that the Xbox One Series X is a more capable device than the PS 5. However, when it comes to next-generation visuals, the PS 5 and the Xbox One Series X are nevertheless highly close. The exclusive games that every system has will probably be more significant. Either system will probably similarly show games.

PS5 vs desktop GPUs

The GTX 1070 only offers 4.4 teraflops of performance. However, comparing the PS5’s GPU to computers’ GPU, a lot of people are still using the GTX 1070s due to a global GPU shortage. Therefore, most people are still using devices comparable to the PlayStation 4 system. The 2080 Ti, in contrast, has a processing speed that is stronger than both the Xbox One Series X and the PlayStation 5, at 14 teraflops. A 2080 Ti would therefore be expected to improve a person’s gaming abilities.

The PS5 features a compact and contained system despite the fact that it doesn’t have the most efficient GPU. Because they are more familiar with the program, most experts consider it far simpler to optimize their code on a console as opposed to a computer. They only need to support that one GPU; they are not required to attempt to handle thousands upon thousands. This explains why older consoles can display games just as good as or even better than a far more powerful computer. 

Conclusion

PS5 is a great invention to play several top-tier games and spend your quality time while enjoying excellent graphics resolution. Therefore, it’s necessary to discover what graphics does the PS5 has that allow it to perform so well. A PC-compatible GPU is not present in the PS5; rather, a unique AMD Radeon RDNA 2 GPU with various frequencies is there. It can reach 2.23GHz and was co-designed with Sony to give such a performance. Its compute performance is 10.28 teraflops, and ray tracing is hardware-accelerated. The GPU can also run games at 4K at 60 frames per second. 

In contrast, that decreases to 9.2 when playing games in the real world which is bad news. For your information, the RX 5700 XT or RTX 2070 Super is the comparable PC graphics card, dependent only on legitimate teraflop output and gameplay at identical resolutions, frame rates, and visual settings. There are a few things the PS5 GPU lacks, such as upgrade possibilities and the ability to alter most visual settings. Further, the Xbox Series X GPU is more powerful than the PS5 GPU. So, the PS5’s GPU is comparable to either the Nvidia 3070 or AMD RX 6800 XT.

Sajid Ali

CEO, Lead Writer

Sajid Ali is a tech enthusiast and gamer who loves to write reviews about gaming hardware. He has a passion for staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and loves sharing his knowledge with others. Sajid studied Intermediate Computer Science at Degree College and went on to earn his Bachelor's in Computer Science from GSC. In his free time, you can find him testing out new hardware and software, or playing the latest video games. Sajid's in-depth understanding of computers and his love for gaming make him the perfect author to turn to for all things tech and gaming.