PS5 dev kit includes a bunch of features missing from the final console
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A YouTuber gave us a close look at the PS5 development kit for the first time, revealing that the development tool includes a number of hardware features not present in the retail version of the console.
Dev kits are intended to be used by approved studios to support their development of PS5 games. But YouTuber Macho Nacho Productions (opens in new tab) got their hands on one of the devices and offers an in-depth look at its design and features.
The case is radically different from the retail version of the PS5 and is equipped with even more ports and inputs. However, the device in the YouTuber’s video is not activated, so cannot launch any software beyond the kit’s home screen.
First sight
The V-shaped unit has an integrated LCD screen on the faceplate, a pair of heavy-duty exhaust ports that run down either side, as well as grooves that allow multiple kits to be stacked on top of each other.
It also has several more ports. There are four USB 3.0 inputs, one USB 2.0 and one USB-C on the front, in addition to four buttons for controlling the device. On the other side are a pair of Ethernet ports, an HDMI input and another USB 3.0 port, bringing the total USB count to seven.
The guts of the machine are also different. It packs nearly 2.5 TB of memory – far more than the 825 GB SSD included in the retail PS5 – as well as the capacity for expanded storage. Unlike the consumer console, this one does not include a disk drive.
Those extra hardware features are all tuned for development. The large number of USB ports allows developers to plug in many peripherals to test the machine, while the high storage capacity means the device can hold huge, uncompressed game files.
Macho Nacho speculates that one of the Ethernet cables is a higher-speed port, useful for transferring the large files involved in game development. The built-in display, meanwhile, shows a bunch of backend stats that would be Greek to most players. As for the absence of the disk drive, that’s not too surprising. After all, the kit is designed to be used in making games, not playing them.
Macho Nacho didn’t say where he got the development kit from. Sony only gives them to officially licensed publishers and developers and makes sure they don’t end up in the consumer market. As Kotaku (opens in new tab) reported, an eBay listing for a PS5 development kit was removed within hours last year. However, there could be big changes in the future as there are rumors of a new PS5 model on the horizon.