Another element of the PS5’s technical makeup was revealed by PlayStation Lead Systems Architect Mark Cerny today – the system memory (RAM), and while it might not be as glitzy as the CPU, GPU and teraflop stuff on the surface, it’s still a super essential part of Sony’s next-generation machine.
Long rumored to be boast around 16GB of GDDR6 system memory (the exact same number as Microsoft has touted for its next-generation Xbox Series X console), we now know exactly not only how much RAM the PS5 has, but also just how fast that RAM will be too. Without further ado then!
PS5 System RAM
As delightfully confirmed by Mark Cerny during his PS5 livestream broadcast, we now know that the PS5 will boast 16GB of GDDR6 system RAM that will provide 448 GB/sec of bandwidth. That is, to put a finer point on it, screamingly fast and accompanies the other confirmed elements of the PS5 specification, such as the GPU and CPU, extremely nicely.
What Does RAM Do – Anything Useful?
Why yes, we’re glad you asked. If the brain of the PlayStation 5 is ostensibly its CPU, then the system RAM is arguably its short-term memory, for lack of a better description – and the PS5 has a very large short term memory to say the least.
The PS5’s substantial allocation of GDDR6 RAM allows it to not only render much larger game worlds than ever before, but do so while simultaneously running a large number of other apps and games in the background in tandem with the system’s ridiculously powerful CPU.
This means that at a moment’s notice, you can flick from one app to another, or from one game to another and instantly pick up where you left off before. While nicer visuals are obviously one yardstick by which the next-generation experience is measured, we also think that massive Quality of Life improving features like this are right up there too.