PS5 Without Optical Audio Port
The PS5 will offer no optical audio port. Sony is committed to wireless solutions.
Sony has been tempting us with the vision of next generation for some time now, and it will change almost everything - from games (using SSD), through pads, to advanced sound systems. And it is about the latter that we got some information today. As we can read in the article about the new Astro headphones prepared especially for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, the upcoming Sony console will not have an optical audio port.
This is due to the fact that Astro plans to release an adapter dividing the console's HDMI port into HDMI and optical audio. This is said to be done without any loss of audio or video signal quality and will not bring any additional input lag. The price of the device is $40.
User opinions are divided - some of them point to the fact that they have long since switched to wireless headphones, but there is also a group that does not seem happy about the lack of an audio port.
This is certainly a step by Sony towards increasing the percentage of users of headphones using bluetooth technology. The Japanese company most likely wants to attract players to their new Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, designed specifically for PS5. It seems to be a bit like what Apple did years ago when removing the audio port Jack from its smartphones and introduced its dedicated Air Pods wireless headset with it.
It's hard to say how many players still use optical audio, but they're certainly in the minority, and in the fierce competition with Xbox, every dollar saved during the production process, even resulting from getting rid of the optical port, will count.
