November 18, 2020

For years now, Playstation and Xbox fans have been pining for the next generation of hardware.  There’s been speculation on what the systems would offer, the first wave of games, and even the shape of the hardware itself.  All that time has come and gone now, as we’re literally a week away from the Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5.  The next generation is just about here!

Now there’s precious little time to prepare for the launch of both Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.  When these platforms hit the streets, you’ll no doubt want to fire them up and jump in as soon as possible.  Want to make sure you’re good-to-go on day one?  Here’s a checklist of things you should keep in mind as next gen unleashes.

Make Room

This may seem like a silly thing to worry about, but it’s an extremely important one with this generation.  The Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 are both sizable pieces of tech.  These suckers are going to take up major room in your entertainment center.  In all honesty, they might be too big to fit in with your current setup!  Rather than trying to make space on launch day, see how you can shift your layout around to accommodate for the new arrivals.  Remember to leave ample room for cord access, and even more importantly, air flow.  
Transfer Zour Digital Content!

Do you have a PS4 or an Xbox One that’s loaded with digital games and save data?  You’ll probably want to bring some of that over to your shiny new console.  Both Sony and Microsoft are offering ways to move your content over with as little hassle as possible.  On the PS5, you can plug in an external hard drive from your PS4 to transfer games and other data easily, or you can do a transfer over wifi for games installed on your internal PS4 hard drive.  On the Xbox Series X/S, the situation is pretty much the same.  Use any compatible external storage device to load up the content you want on Xbox One, and then move it over to Xbox Series X/S.  Now you can enjoy next-gen without leaving your old favorites behind.
Expand Your Storage

Next-gen games are going to be bigger than ever, and that’s both in terms of game worlds and file size.  There are already beefy games on Xbox One and PS4, and things will only grow as we move towards next gen.  Make sure you’re prepared for ballooning file sizes by expanding the storage space on your PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.  On Playstation 5, you can use a Sony-certified NVMe SSD, an external hard drive, or USB Solid State drive.  On Xbox Series X/S, the only option at launch is Microsoft’s proprietary 1TB Storage Expansion Card, although other options will be made available at a later date.
Know Your TVs Limits

Both the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are going to offer visual fidelity and fluidity the likes we haven’t seen in console gaming.  We’re talking about 8K visuals and 120 frames-per-second when games hit the upper threshold of what’s possible.  These features will make games absolutely crystal clear, while running smooth as silk.  The thing is, you’ll need a TV to take advantage of these features.  Dig through your TV’s settings or the included manual to see what is possible on your set.  Depending on your setup, you might be able to fully embrace what next-gen offers, or you might see things dialed down to 1080p and 60fps.
Grab a Digital Subscription

If you really want the most bang for your buck when it comes to next-gen games, you should snag a subscription service as well.  Both Microsoft and Sony offer compelling options that pack in a ton of content.  The Playstation 5 will continue Sony’s Playstation Plus service, which includes free games every month, special offers on select titles, and a new Playstation Plus Collection that features some of the biggest and best last-gen games at no additional cost.  On the Xbox Series X/S front, a subscription to Game Pass will go a long way.  Depending on the option you choose, you can net a huge library of ready-to-play games, brand new titles that launch the same day as their retail counterpart, cloud-compatible gaming, and much more.

If you take the time now to square away these checklist items, you’ll have nothing to do but game your heart out at launch.  While your buddies are trying to cram their PS5 onto a shelf and find an old flash drive to transfer games, you’ll already be knee-deep in next-gen fun.  Taking care of the headache now will be more than worth it!