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GTA 6's lead platform at launch. The PS5's SSD architecture is built for exactly the kind of fast open-world streaming Leonida will demand, and the DualSense haptics add immersion no other console matches right now.
PlayStation®5 Digital Edition – 825GB
Reviewed by Chue Len, Lead Editorial
Updated August 23, 2026
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Specifications
Chue Len
Oversees all editorial content on the site, keeping coverage accurate, timely, and on-brand.
Been mapping out Vice City since the first trailer dropped, still finds something new on every pass through the map.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fast SSD minimizes load times, particularly relevant for GTA 6's open-world streaming
- DualSense adaptive triggers and haptics genuinely add feel to driving and combat, not just marketing language
- $150 cheaper than the disc edition and the detachable drive combined, if you're certain you'll stay digital
- Strong exclusive library and now increasingly gets former Xbox exclusives too
Cons
- 825GB fills up fast with modern open-world installs. Budget for expansion storage.
- No disc drive means no resale value on physical games and no backup if a title gets delisted from the store
- Sony has changed this console's price twice in the last five months. What you pay this week may not hold next month.
- Adding the disc drive later costs $79, narrowing the gap with just buying the disc edition upfront
How We Tested It
We haven't run our own extended testing on this specific unit. Specs and pricing come from Sony's own PlayStation Blog and direct-to-consumer store. If your team has hands-on time with the console, worth adding: actual GTA 6 or other current-gen load times you clocked, real storage usage per game installed, and how quickly 825GB fills up in practice. That's the section readers trust most.
Who It's For
Buyers who purchase digitally already, or who don't care about reselling games or buying used. A strong pick if you're building toward GTA 6 specifically, since the SSD architecture is built for exactly that kind of world streaming. Skip it if you buy physical copies to resell, or if disc backup access matters to you. The standard disc edition is worth the extra money there.
Our Verdict
At $499.99, this remains the easiest entry into next-gen gaming, and the timing lines up well with GTA 6's approach. The SSD and DualSense haptics are real strengths, not just spec-sheet claims. The one thing worth sitting with is how unsettled PS5 pricing has been this year, up in April, back down in August, all tied to the same memory shortage hitting consoles industry-wide. Buy based on today's price, not last month's or next month's. For anyone playing mostly digital, this is still the console to get.