On Monday, Sony rolled out a new PlayStation 5 beta software update that adds support for high-capacity 8TB SSDs and support of its Tempest 3D AudioTech on Dolby Atmos devices, along with new accessibility features. For now, beta access will be limited to invited participants in select countries, but eventually, these features will be added to the final version of the software.
While Sony's PlayStation 5 console fully supports off-the-shelf PCIe 4.0 SSDs (check out our list of the best PS5 SSDs), Sony has limited the maximum capacity to 4TB. With the new beta software, Sony increases the maximum capacity of PS5 drives to 8TB, which enables owners of its latest consoles to store more games locally. This naturally improves the competitiveness of PS5 compared to Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S since the latter only supports proprietary storage drives with up to 2TB capacity.
Another important addition the new beta release brings is the support of Sony's Tempest 3D AudioTech on compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as soundbars, TVs, or home theater systems. Implementing the Tempest 3D AudioTech is specifically designed to cater to Dolby Atmos audio devices, including overhead channels, to enhance the three-dimensional audion of PS5 games. Previously, Sony's Tempest 3D AudioTech was only available on select headphones.
With the new beta release, gamers can now designate a secondary controller to a single account, functioning as an assist controller. This allows two controllers to manage a PS5 console as though there were only one in use. This newly added feature presents an innovative method to engage in games collaboratively or assist a friend or child during difficult game sequences.
Furthermore, the beta update adds a new setting to enable haptic feedback effects when navigating through PS5 menus. This option is accessible using a DualSense controller, a DualSense Edge controller, or a PS VR2 Sense controller.
