PS5 Update Finally Adds Discord Voice Chat And 1440p VRR Support And Other Key Features
It took a bit to arrive, but the PlayStation 5 finally supports Discord voice chat with the latest system update (version 7.0) that has begun rolling out to both iterations of the game console (disc and disc-less). This is a feature that Xbox Series X|S owners have been enjoying since last September, though the implementations on the competing consoles not exactly the same.
On the PS5, you first need to link your Discord and PlayStation Network accounts. Then when you want to actually chat in Discord on the PS5, you have to fire up the app on your mobile device or PC to transfer the call session over to the console. This is how it also worked on the Xbox Series X|S arrived when it first arrived, though Microsoft has since enabled the capability to join Discord chats right from within the console.
Hopefully Sony will do the same at some point, though for now at least there's a way to chat with your Discord friends on the PS5.
"If you’ve linked your PlayStation Network and Discord accounts in the past to display what game you’re playing, you’ll need to link your accounts again to grant the new permissions needed for Discord voice chat. If you participated in the system software beta and have already linked your accounts during the beta period, you don’t need to link them again," Sony explains.
The other big feature update that arrives with the latest version 7.0 software package is variable refresh rate (VRR) support at 1440p for smoother gaming at that resolution. To take advantage of the feature, you'll also need a VRR compatible display with HDMI 2.1 connectivity. The PS5 already supports VRR at 1080p and 4K, and adding 1440p gaming to mix brings parity to the Xbox Series X|S (as it applies to VRR).
Sony also introduced a handful of other changes and upgrades with its latest system update. They include...
- Ability to sort and filter games when adding them to a game list.
- Ability to use filters for find PSVR games (and PSVR 2 when it launches later this month).
- Game presets for multiplayer session preferences
- PS4 to PS5 saved data migration
- Ability to transfer PS5 data (including games, saved data, user profiles, and more) to another PS5 console
- Screen reader improvements
- Ability to update the DualSense Wireless Controller with a wireless connection
- Voice-controlled game captures
Some of the version 7.0 upgrades are bigger than others, obviously, though they're all welcome changes. I'm personally stoked that I'll no longer need to plug in my DualSense controller to apply the latest firmware. Hey, it's the little things in life, right?
