Since the birth of the first PlayStation in 1994, Sony has launched five generations of home consoles, allowing 3D games to evolve from rudimentary polygons to realistic ray-tracing graphics, while online battles and digital downloads have also become mainstream. However, behind all the technological leaps, there is one small detail that does not seem to have been greatly improved – boot speed.
In theory, modern consoles have to deal with far more complex system backgrounds than in the past, so it’s understandable that boot times take a little longer. Furthermore, modern consoles have hibernation modes that allow players to quickly resume gaming without having to wait for the full boot process. But if you look at it from a cold boot (completely shut down and then back on), the fastest PlayStation console was… the PS2, which was launched in 2000!
PlayStation boot speed rankings across generations
- PS2 (2000) – 11.05 seconds
- PS1 (1994) – 11.13 seconds
- PS5 (2020) – 20.00 seconds
- PS4 Pro (2016) – 20.24 seconds
- PS4 (2013) – 22.24 seconds
- PS3 (2006) – 25.07 seconds
Why is PS2 the fastest?
The PS2 tops this list mainly due to its relatively simple operating system. Compared with later PlayStation consoles, PS2 does not need to load a complex system UI, does not need to be connected to the Internet to check for updates, and does not have the huge background programs of modern consoles. Its startup process is basically logo animation -> loading the disc -> entering the game without any additional delay. As for the PS1, it is hampered by the long boot animation, which has nothing to do with the system.
In contrast, PS5 and PS4 need to load a complete operating system, check network status, and may even prompt you to install updates, and PS3 has the slowest boot time of all PlayStation consoles due to its famous Cell processor architecture.
Boot speed vs. gaming experience, who is more important?
While the PS5’s 20-second boot time is nearly twice as slow as the PS2 and PS1, most players won’t actually need to boot into a game from a cold thanks to modern consoles’ SSD + hibernate modes – resuming games from hibernation is much faster than a cold boot.
However, seeing that the PS2 can still dominate the list makes old players feel a little nostalgic pleasure. It’s an interesting fact in Sony’s history that 30 years later, the PS2 can still beat the PS5 in some aspects.
source:VORISTIC