New PS5 firmware adds SSD expansion and 3D audio over TV speakers

Sony has released a new firmware update for the PS5 for beta testers. Update 2.0-04.00.00 is large and includes features such as internal SSD expansion and 3D audio through TV speakers.

The beta firmware, available to select users in the US, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany and France, allows you to attach a new SSD to the expansion slot, as long as it’s an M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD with read speeds of 5500MB/s or more. Currently, Western Digital’s Samsung 980 Pro and SN850s models and the newly announced Seagate Firecuda 530 are supported.

The user will have to consider cooling requirements to use an M.2 SSD on the PS5. “Using an M.2 SSD with the PS5 console requires efficient heat dissipation with a cooling structure such as a heatsink,” Sony explains. “You can attach one yourself to an M.2 SSD, in either a one-sided format or a two-sided format.”

For 3D sound for TV speakers, this option will be available in the Sound menu in the console system settings. The feature uses the DualSense control to measure room acoustics and apply a 3D audio setup.

In addition, the Control Center interface will now include more customization options to rearrange or choose controls, and PS5 users will be able to view and write messages to friends and Game Base members in the Control Center.

The Friends tab in Game Base is also updated with better management options and the ability to see how many friends are online. Sony also differentiates the PS4 and PS5 versions of games that can be accessed via the system menu more clearly. Different versions will now appear separately on the home screen and in the game library, and the title of each game will also refer to PS4 or PS5.

The new PS5 beta will also include a rewards tracker that allows players to quickly access up to five rewards per game via the Control Center. Sony is also adding options to choose between 720p and 1080p for the PlayStation Now service, enabling a new automatic video clip for PS5 players competing in challenges for high game scores.

Function New PS5 firmware adds SSD expansion and 3D audio through TV speakers It first appeared in Outer Space.