Try to forget about using those sleek optical audio features with the PS5, because there’s some bad news regarding it.
There are still many things we don’t know about Sony’s next-gen console, including how much we’ll have to pay for it or when it’ll arrive. But there’s one thing that helps us understand the new system. Apparently, PS5 will come without an optical audio port. Here is what you need to know.
No Optical Audio Port: Will it Matter?
According to a new report, PS5 will arrive without an optical audio port. And it is somehow no surprise.
After all, even the PS4 Slim dropped the optical port featured in the initial console. Also, over the years, we’ve seen HDMI cables take over as far as the primary connector of choice for almost all the electronics manufacturers. Optical outputs have stayed relevant on set-top boxes, consoles, TVs, and other equipment. Little by little, however, they found their way out of the system.
The optical audio cables, also known as “Toslink” cables, were introduced in the ’80s. They were mainly utilized as connectors such as satellite boxes, receivers, or DVD players. Nowadays, optic connectivity is still omnipresent across broadband lines, and there are other uses for it besides Internet access.
But, we’re seeing how such a thing is slowly fading away from various devices because it isn’t really the best we can get in terms of audio anymore. Optical audio connections are very limited, and they’re unable to transmit high-resolution audio.
However, some audiophiles still prefer optical audio, so the lack of support from Sony for the next-gen console will feel somehow like a loss. Then again, the PS5 isn’t the only gaming console arriving this year to drop the optical audio feature. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is doing the same thing.
It’s probably better to wait and see which feature will make the cut and which won’t. Sony indeed has its reasons for bringing certain features and removing others.
