New PS5 update hits consoles — but no one knows what it fixes

PS5 user experience isn't great — Here's how it could be fixed
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Less than two weeks after Sony's major mid-April PS5 update, the gaming giant today released version 21.01-03.10.00. This incremental upgrade, according to the patch notes, boosts system performance. However, Sony doesn't offer more details, causing the gaming industry to scratch its head.

This isn't the first time Sony has been accused of being hush-hush with its fixes. Sony declared that the April 14 update added external USB drive storage ability for PS5 games, cross-gen Share Play, and more, but VideoGamesChronicle claimed that Sony also quietly fixed a disc issue that plagued PS5 users.

The mystery behind the PS5 'system performance' update

The patch notes for the latest PS5 system update simply say, “This system software update improves system performance." VG 24/7 theorizes that Sony's minor tweak may patch some issues that were imported to PS5 consoles from the last major update. Others suggest the firmware update simply enhances system stability, and nothing more.

GamesRadar says that although Sony has been tight-lipped about this minor update, it's only a matter of time before users uncover the fixed bugs. As mentioned, Sony allegedly added an unannounced fix for a disc-spinning error during the last major update. Some PS5 owners also claim that Sony quietly gave the DualSense controller a haptic-feedback boost for backward-compatible games. That being said, we'll keep our ears peeled for a consensus on how — exactly — Sony improved the console's performance with version 21.01-03.10.00.

Besides the "system performance boost," the only other information we have is the download size, which is about 1GB. If you're unsure whether your system has the latest April 27 update, you can check it out in Settings.

How to check for the latest updates on PS5

First, click on the Settings cog icon on the top-right corner of the home screen. Navigate to System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings. If you're due for an update, you should see "Update Available" next to "Update System Software." Select it and choose "Update Using Internet."

You'll get a message that says, "The PS5 system software will be updated. Your PS5 will restart and start the update." Select "Update," which will prompt your PS5 to restart and the most recent update will be installed.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!