PS5's recent update appears to have fixed the issue where the console randomly spins whatever disc is in its drive, making a lot of noise in the process.
The PS5 might have had a successful launch and has already outsold consoles like the Wii U and Sega's Dreamcast, but it has not been without its faults. Not just Sony's inability to have supply meet demand, but also a few problems with the hardware itself. One issue raised by a number of PS5 owners was the console's tendency to loudly checks discs at random intervals.
It might sound minor, but one of the PS5's selling points is how little sound it makes. It's one of the main reasons the console is so big and is supposed to be a major step away from the jet engine that was the original PS4. The good news for those who have suffered the PS5's unsettling disc-spinning sounds is this week's update appears to have addressed it.
Multiple PS5 owners have been sharing that while the disc spin sound doesn't appear to have been eradicated completely, it has become so quiet that you hardly notice it anymore. "New system update 2021-04-14 solved the problem. Well, it still does the disc check but very quiet," Sufficient-Flan-8007 posted on Reddit.
What remains a mystery is why the PS5 needs to spin the discs at all, aside from when the game is actually in use. The problem is, the noise is occurring even when a different game is being played, including digital downloads that don't require the disc drive at all. It's assumed it is some sort of sporadic license check, but that doesn't explain why the check happens when the game isn't being used.
The biggest changes brought about by this week's update include the ability to store PS5 games on a USB device, but not play them, and cross-gen shareplay. PlayStation remains radio silent on its plans to close its online stores for older consoles, as well as the fear for PS4 owners that the system's clock battery biting the dust will render it unable to play games, whether they be digital or physical.
Source: VGC