Watch Netflix on PS5? That’s why you should better let it be

On the PlayStation 5 you can not only play games, but also use all common video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ & Co. However, streaming through the PS5 is not a good idea for three reasons.

The PS5 is equipped with ambitious technical features from top to bottom. No wonder, then, that you not only play the latest games on the console, but also films and series via streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ can look. However, there are three good reasons why you should stream directly from your smart TV and turn off the console for the next binge session.

PS5: Without Dolby not ideal for Netflix, Disney+ & Co

If you watch your PS5 series and films via Disney+ or Netflix, you are missing out on the currently best HDR format, Dolby Vision, from a visual point of view. Although both streaming platforms offer diverse content such as Stranger Things, WandaVision, The Mandalorian and other original productions in the dynamic HDR format, the PS5 cannot output them in the same form. Instead, the console uses regular HRD10, which does not come close to Dolby Vision in terms of color depth, contrast and thus general image quality.

Here’s to Disney+!

The same problem arises with the popular and particularly immersive audio format Dolby Atmos: The PS5 cannot play back these audio tracks either and therefore does not give you the optimal audio quality when streaming various content.

In our photo gallery we show you what the PS5 & the Xbox Series X are really good at:

PS5 & Xbox Series X|S: The 9 best next-gen features

Start photo gallery(10 images)

PlayStation 5: Video streaming costs too much electricity

If you have a 4K TV that can play Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, streaming Netflix and Co. via your PS5 is not particularly advisable from an audio and video point of view. But even if your Smart TV the two formats may not be supportedthere is a very good reason why you should use your television app to watch films and series: The power consumption.

As a gaming console, the PS5 is not designed to save energy when streaming videos, so the device turns out to be a real power guzzler when using the platforms – the Natural Resources Defense Council has found that levels the PlayStation at around 70 watts. The Xbox Series X is only slightly better suited to the task. The Microsoft console has a consumption of 50 watts. A dedicated streaming dongle like Apple TV, on the other hand, consumes just 6 watts. (Source: NRDC / 4K movies)

The immense power consumption alone is therefore a good reason Turn off PS5 for Netflix & Disney+ and instead use either the native apps on your TV or a streaming dongle if your TV doesn’t have smart capabilities.

In this video you can see a comparison of the major streaming providers: