Building the Ultimate PS5 Living Room Setup
The PlayStation 5 is a technological masterpiece. It houses a custom AMD Zen 2 processor, a blazing-fast solid-state drive, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. It is essentially a high-end gaming PC disguised as a living room console.
Yet, millions of gamers buy this $500 powerhouse and plug it directly into a 10-year-old 1080p television, relying on tiny, tinny TV speakers for sound. The brutal truth is: If you are playing your PS5 on old hardware, you are missing out on 50% of the experience you paid for.
The Display Dilemma: Standard vs. Next-Gen
| TV Spec | Standard 4K TV (Old) | The Ultimate PS5 TV |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI Port | HDMI 2.0 (Bottlenecked) | HDMI 2.1 (Full Bandwidth) |
| Max Frame Rate | Locked at 60 FPS | Up to 120 FPS |
| Panel Type | LED / LCD (Gray blacks) | OLED (Infinite true blacks) |
| Screen Tearing | Frequent during heavy action | Eliminated via VRR support |
At Desk & Console, we focus on the intersection where hardcore gaming meets elegant interior design. Building the ultimate PS5 home theater isn’t just about raw specs—it’s about creating a stunning, immersive space you actually want to spend time in. Here is the exact blueprint and the 5 essential components required to build the ultimate PS5 living room setup.
The PS5 natively supports Dolby Atmos for both gaming and streaming apps (like Netflix). To truly experience games like Spider-Man 2 or God of War, upgrading from flat TV speakers to a dedicated surround soundbar creates a 3D audio dome that completely changes how you play.
LG C3 Series OLED 4K Smart TV
The television is the heart of your living room, and the LG C-Series OLED has been the undisputed king of console gaming for five consecutive years. If you want to see exactly what the PS5 is capable of, this is the TV you buy.
Unlike standard LED TVs, OLED pixels emit their own light and can turn off completely. This means when you are exploring a dark cave in Elden Ring or playing Dead Space, the shadows are pitch black, creating an infinite contrast ratio. More importantly, it features four HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning your PS5 can run at a blistering 4K resolution at 120 frames per second, complete with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for buttery-smooth, tear-free motion.
✓ What We Love
- OLED tech delivers jaw-dropping colors and infinite contrast
- Full HDMI 2.1 support unlocks the PS5’s 120Hz Performance Mode
- Extremely low input lag (0.1ms response time) rivals esports PC monitors
- Game Optimizer menu allows you to tweak darks/lights on the fly
✕ Keep in Mind
- OLED screens are highly reflective; avoid placing it opposite a bright, uncovered window
Samsung HW-Q990C Dolby Atmos Soundbar System
You cannot have an “ultimate” setup relying on built-in TV speakers. But routing traditional speaker wire through your living room walls for a receiver is a nightmare. The Samsung HW-Q990C is the highest-rated wireless home theater system on the market, offering true plug-and-play Dolby Atmos.
This 11.1.4 channel beast includes a massive wireless subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers. Crucially, the soundbar and the rear speakers feature up-firing drivers. They bounce sound off your ceiling to simulate helicopters flying directly overhead. When playing PS5, you will hear enemy footsteps sneaking up behind you with terrifying, pinpoint accuracy.
Buy Samsung Q990C AtmosWD_BLACK 2TB SN850X NVMe SSD with Heatsink
The base PS5 only gives you roughly 667GB of usable storage space. For most gamers, that means installing just 4 to 5 large games before the system is completely full. Upgrading your internal storage is the single most important hardware modification you can make.
The WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB is officially licensed by PlayStation and is widely considered the best drive available for the console. It hits blazing speeds of 7,300 MB/s, meaning games load almost instantaneously. Most importantly, this specific model comes with the pre-installed metal heatsink. Sony explicitly warns that installing an SSD without a heatsink will destroy the drive—this model makes the upgrade a foolproof, 5-minute process.
Buy WD_BLACK 2TB SSDPlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller
If you play competitive multiplayer games from your couch (like Warzone, Apex Legends, or Helldivers), the standard PS5 controller is putting you at a massive disadvantage. You need the official DualSense Edge.
This premium pro-controller features two massive upgrades: Back Paddles and Trigger Stops. By mapping your jump and crouch buttons to the back paddles, you never have to take your thumb off the aiming stick, allowing you to aim while jumping seamlessly. Furthermore, if you ever suffer from the dreaded “stick drift,” you don’t have to throw the controller away. The Edge allows you to pop out the joystick module and replace it for just $20.
Buy DualSense EdgeGovee Envisual TV LED Backlight T2
The final touch to any ultimate living room setup is bias lighting. Staring at a blindingly bright OLED TV in a pitch-dark room causes severe eye strain. The Govee Envisual T2 solves this while making your gaming experience infinitely more immersive.
This kit includes an LED strip that attaches to the back of your TV, and a sleek dual-camera that sits on top of the bezel. The camera actively reads the colors on your TV screen in real-time and extends those colors onto the wall behind your TV. If you throw a fireball in-game, the wall behind your TV explodes in vibrant orange and red. It pulls the action off the screen and engulfs your entire living room.
Buy Govee TV Backlight T2Building the ultimate PS5 space is about breaking the bottlenecks of old technology. By combining the 120Hz HDMI 2.1 power of the LG C3 OLED TV with the immersive 3D dome of the Samsung HW-Q990C Atmos Soundbar, you experience games exactly as the developers intended. Upgrading your storage and controller are the final, mandatory steps to turning your basic living room into a high-end, futuristic home theater.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I really need an HDMI 2.1 TV for the PS5?
Yes, if you want to unlock the console’s full potential. Older 4K TVs use HDMI 2.0, which physically bottlenecks your PS5, limiting it to 60 frames per second. Purchasing a TV with HDMI 2.1 allows the PS5 to output 4K resolution at a blazing-fast 120Hz, while also enabling VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) to eliminate screen tearing in heavy action games.
Does my PS5 SSD upgrade need a heatsink?
Absolutely. Sony explicitly states that any M.2 NVMe SSD installed into the PS5 expansion slot must have a heatsink attached. NVMe drives generate massive amounts of heat when loading games. Without a heatsink, the drive will overheat, aggressively throttle its speed, and potentially damage the console. Always buy a drive with a pre-installed heatsink (like the WD_BLACK SN850X).
Are soundbars good for PS5 gaming?
Historically, gamers preferred headsets because old soundbars lacked directional audio. Today, modern premium soundbars (like those from Samsung or Sonos) are incredible for PS5. High-end setups feature dedicated wireless rear speakers and up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers. This creates true 3D spatial audio, allowing you to hear enemy footsteps sneaking up behind you without needing to wear a heavy headset for hours.