PlayStation 5 specs confirmed by GameStop: 8K TV support, ray tracing

We probably would've heard more detailed specs about Sony's next-gen PlayStation 5 if the company attended the upcoming Game Developers Conference, but it pulled out -- along with Microsoft, Unity, and many others.

But with Sony pulling out of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) it didn't stop GameStop from listing some detailed specs on the upcoming next-gen PlayStation 5 console. GameStop has a new landing page for the PlayStation 5 console, which starts off by listing that the PlayStation 5 has "the ability to play physical & digital media".

This means the console has now been confirmed to pack a Blu-ray drive, and while the GameStop landing page doesn't detail whether it will be a 4K Ultra HD capable player, I would put good money down on it being a 4K-capable Blu-ray player. Sony's next-gen PlayStation 5 will also be capable of digital games of course, so you can choose physical copies of your games or digital downloads on the next-gen PS5.

Another big nugget on the PlayStation 5 landing page on GameStop's website is the tease that the new PlayStation 5 controller (which should end up being called the DualShock 5 controller) has been "redesigned". This is something I covered here with a gorgeous video by LetsGoDigital staffer 'Snoreyn' -- but the new PlayStation 5 landing page on GameStop's website confirms a lot of what we suspected.

GameStop explains: "The name hasn't been announced (here's guessing it's the DualShock 5), but the new PS5 controller is confirmed to have several new features. Replacing the rumble technology will be haptic feedback, making the physical feedback between PS5 controller and player much more immersive and realistic. The triggers on the PS5 controller will be adaptive, meaning they can be programmed with varying resistance to simulate actions more realistically. Design-wise, it's expected the PS5 controller will look similar to the DualShock 4 but expect a few differences as well".

But it's the hardware specs that I'm interested in, with GameStop confirming what I exclusively revealed back in June 2018. GameStop says that the new PS5 specs "are sure to impress" adding that the world "eagerly awaits to get a look at the PlayStation 5 hardware, Sony has revealed what's under the hood, and there's no shortage of horsepower".

PlayStation 5 Specs Confirmed By GameStop

• Full 8K TV support
• Bespoke 8-core AMD chipset
• 3D Audio
• Built-for-purpose SSD storage
• Backwards compatibility with PS4 games/PSVR hardware
• Ray tracing capabilities

GameStop adds that the PlayStation 5 features reveal that the console has "more speed, visual fidelity and overall power. Of course, the fact that new PS5 games will include your PlayStation 4 library through backwards compatibility is great news for current PS4 owners".

The PlayStation 5 landing page on GameStop's website also adds that "many of its details shrouded in mystery, but has discussed what's inside the machine a fair bit". The company confirms the PlayStation 5 will have an ultra-fast SSD, an "enhanced GPU" capable of delivering ray tracing, and an 8-core, 16-thread CPU based on AMD's new Zen 2 micro architecture. We've known these bits for a while now.

GameStop confirms that the new PlayStation 5 controller, which should end up being called the DualShock 5 controller, will replace the rumble technology found inside of the current DualShock 4 controller with haptic feedback that will give players a wider range of feedback.

The company teases the new PlayStation 5 controller will let gamers feel "the difference in textures as your car drives over rocks or mud through the haptic response. The controller also boasts new adaptive triggers that give developers the freedom to determine how much resistance is applied to the L2 and R2 buttons. Meaning one could get a little harder to push as you draw a bow".

PlayStation 5 users will also experience a new user interface (UI) that has been "expanded in innovative ways", with GameStop explaining that "one allowing players to see what is happening in a game without even booting it up. From the PlayStation 5 menu, you can see which multiplayer matches are available or what single-player missions you are on in the game".

We should expect the PlayStation 5 to be detailed in the coming months from Sony itself, with a price of around $499, and a release window of December 2020 -- that is, if coronavirus doesn't completely stop the launch or impact global shipping/markets/distribution.

PlayStation 5 Coverage:

• PlayStation 5 could use Samsung's 980 QVO SSDs
• PlayStation 5 is beating Xbox Series X in dev kit form right now
• Hardly any devs are making next-gen PS5, Xbox Series X games
• Sony working on new horror IP for PlayStation 5
• PlayStation 5 devkit UI possibly leaked
• Leaked PlayStation 5 concepts show weird X-shaped case
• Sony's first-party PS4 exclusives are coming to PC
• PlayStation 5's new DualShock 5 may be usable on PS4
• Sony skips E3 2020, has two major events planned for February
• Next-gen console exclusives will be few and far between through 2021
• PlayStation 5's biggest features have yet to be announced, Sony says
• PS4 has sold over 1 billion games and 106 million consoles
• PlayStation 5 backward compatibility should support every PS4 game
• Sony reveals the PlayStation 5...logo
• New trapezoidal PS5 render is an expensive accident waiting to happen
• A $399 PlayStation 5 will conquer next-gen
• PlayStation 5 to outsell Xbox Series X in 2020, analyst predicts
• PS5 may only enhance PS4 games, legacy PS1, PS2 and PS3 games unlikely
• PlayStation 5 prototype dev kit console gets V-shaped clean
• Sony: The future is coming at CES 2020
• PlayStation 5 GPU: 9.2 TFLOPs with 36 custom Navi compute units
• PlayStation 5 GPU emulates PS4, PS4 Pro with special modes
• PS5, Xbox Series X SSD may use software-defined flash to boost speeds
• PS5's SSD is 'exceptionally powerful,' may beat Xbox Series X speeds
• DualShock 5 renders show new trigger design, USB-C, ergonomic shell
• PlayStation 5 to support 8K gaming, Sony confirms
• New PlayStation 5 renders show off radical different design, again
• Leaked PlayStation 5 ad prices console at $1,000, is totally fake
• Sony seeks a new Head of Strategy for Worldwide Studios
• Leaked PlayStation 5 devkit photos show new DualShock controller
• PS5, Xbox Scarlett SSD may use Optane-like ReRAM to supercharge speeds
• NVIDIA G-Sync monitors to improve PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett
• PlayStation 5: Everything We Know So Far
• PlayStation 5 confirmed to have 8C/16T Zen 2 CPU from AMD
• PS5, Project Scarlett may use Samsung's 6th gen V-NAND NVMe SSDs
• PS5 backward compatibility confirmed, will play PS4 games
• Sony's next-gen PlayStation 5 has 4K 120Hz output support
• PS5, Project Scarlett to hit over 10TFLOPs of power, sources say
• PS4 will be supported into 2022, to live alongside PS5
• Sony: ultra-high-speed SSD is 'the key' to next-gen PS5
• PS5 dev kit rumor: 'ultra-fast RAM', Navi GPU with 13 TFLOPs
• PlayStation 5 rumored to ship with 2TB of super-fast SSD for $499
• Insider: PlayStation 5 dev kit faster than Xbox Scarlett right now
• PS5 cartridges aren't real, patents are for Sony kids toys
• PS5's SSD may benefit PS4 games the most
• PS5 powered by Navi in 2020, AMD making Navi with Sony input
• Cloud-powered PlayStation controller may let you play free game demos
• Gran Turismo 7 is a PlayStation 5 launch title: launches Nov 20, 2020
• PS5 confirmed to support 8K video, ray tracing, all on Navi
• PlayStation 5 rumored to cost $499, launches November 20, 2020
• PlayStation game demos are coming back with Sony's ambitious new plan
• PS5 controller: Built-in mic, USB-C, no lightbar, ergonomic design
• PlayStation 5 concept video shows totally new design
• Sony solves PS5's biggest issue
• Sony: PS5 development going according to plan
• New Viking Assassin's Creed may be next-gen console launch game
• AMD working on 'secret sauce' for next-gen Xbox/PlayStation
• The first real photo of a PlayStation 5 dev kit appears
• Next-gen PS5/Xbox Scarlett open-world game: 'best real-time graphics'
• Sony restructures workforce to prepare for PS5
• PlayStation VR 2: built-in cameras, wireless, ready for PS5
• PS5 games will ship on 100GB Blu-ray BDXL discs
• PS5 and Xbox Scarlett will both handle ray tracing differently
• PlayStation 5 could feature AI-powered 'PlayStation Assist'
• Sony won't abandon singleplayer story-driven games on PS5
• PS5 rumor: GPU is nearly as powerful as RTX 2080, GPU clocked at 2GHz
• PlayStation 5 rumored to be unveiled on February 12, 2020
• Sony to raise PS5 cost thanks to U.S. tariffs