PS5 beta update adds support for 8TB SSDs and Dolby Atmos audio

Sony will add support for 8TB SSDs to the PlayStation 5. The console will also have support for Dolby Atmos. The features are now available in a beta update. The features will appear later for all PS5 users.

The new features have been added in the latest PS5 beta firmware, Sony reports in a blog post. In the beta, the maximum storage capacity of PCIe 4.0 SSDs is increased to 8TB. Until now, the PS5 supported SSDs of up to 4TB. Sony refers to its support page for other requirements for installing SSDs. For example, the company recommends drives that achieve read speeds of at least 5.5GB/s.

Furthermore, the PS5 will support Dolby Atmos via supported HDMI devices, such as home theater systems or soundbars. With this, Sony follows Microsoft; the Xbox Series consoles already had Dolby Atmos support. Sony’s implementation of 3D audio, Tempest 3D AudioTech, will become compatible with Dolby Atmos devices with the update, the company says. Users can enable Dolby Atmos in the audio settings, under Audio Format.

The console also gets new accessibility features. For example, it will be possible to use a second controller to assist a player. Users can use two controllers as if they were one. This makes it possible to help someone with challenging parts of games. Furthermore, it will be possible to enable haptic feedback for UI navigation.

The Party interface is also being updated and a preview image will now be shown when users share their screen with friends. It will also be possible to disable the beeping sound that occurs when the console is turned on and off.