PS5 Console - Fortnite Cobalt Star Disc Edition Review: a solid upgrade with a nice bonus for Fortnite fans

I’ve been using this PS5 Console - Fortnite Cobalt Star Disc Edition for a few weeks now, mainly for Fortnite and a couple of single‑player games like Spider-Man and God of War. At the end of the day, it’s a regular PS5 disc model with a themed bundle, so I went into it expecting standard PS5 performance with a few cosmetics thrown in. I wasn’t looking for magic, just something that runs games fast, doesn’t sound like a jet engine, and gives me some extra value on the Fortnite side.

Right away, the main thing I noticed is how fast loading times are compared to my old PS4. Fortnite boots much quicker, matches load faster, and switching between games and menus doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. For someone who plays almost daily, that alone already makes a difference. You spend more time actually playing and less time staring at loading screens.

The Fortnite content is basically the icing on the cake: you get the Cobalt Snowfoot outfit (with LEGO style), back bling, pickaxe, some trails, wrap, and 1,000 V‑Bucks on top. If you already buy V‑Bucks regularly, that part is decent value. If you don’t care about cosmetics, then it’s basically just a normal PS5 in a themed box. So how much this bundle makes sense really depends on how deep you are into Fortnite.

Overall, after a few weeks, I’d say it does what it’s supposed to do: strong performance, Fortnite runs great, and the extras are a nice bonus but not life‑changing. It’s not perfect – there are a few things that bug me, like the missing web browser and the vertical stand being sold separately – but in daily use, it’s a pretty solid home console that should keep most players happy for a long time.

From a value point of view, you have to separate two things: the PS5 hardware itself and the Fortnite extras. The console is a full PS5 disc edition, so you can play PS5 games, supported PS4 games, and physical discs, which is nice if you like buying used games or taking advantage of sales. That alone has its own value, and compared to building a gaming PC with similar performance, it’s still the cheaper and simpler way to get into modern gaming.

Now, for the Fortnite side: you get 1,000 V‑Bucks plus a pack of cosmetics that Sony/Epic say are worth about 5,000 V‑Bucks. If you’re the kind of player who buys skins regularly, that’s actually decent. You’d pay quite a bit for that many items in the shop. In my case, I do spend on Fortnite once in a while, so getting a full themed pack and some currency on top felt like a nice bonus rather than fluff. It’s not life‑changing, but it does make the bundle more attractive than a plain console if the price difference is small.

If you don’t care about Fortnite at all, the bundle loses a lot of its appeal. The cosmetics will just sit there unused, and the 1,000 V‑Bucks are basically useless to you. In that case, I’d say look at whichever PS5 model is cheaper or comes with a game you actually want to play. Sometimes regular PS5 bundles with a big single‑player title offer better practical value if that’s more your style.

Overall, I’d call the value pretty solid for Fortnite players and just “fine” for everyone else. You’re not getting scammed, but you’re also not unlocking some crazy hidden deal. It’s a normal PS5 with a themed bonus. If the price is close to the standard disc version, it’s an easy yes for anyone who actively plays Fortnite. If there’s a big price gap, then you really need to ask yourself how much you actually care about skins and 1,000 V‑Bucks.

Physically, this PS5 is still a chunky machine. The dimensions (about 14.6 x 17 x 6.6 inches and roughly 10.5 pounds) aren’t small, so if you’re coming from a PS4 Slim or an Xbox Series S, be ready to rearrange your TV stand a bit. I had to move a shelf and slide my soundbar slightly forward to make it fit horizontally. It’s not the prettiest thing ever, but it has a clean, modern look that blends in once you stop staring at it.

The Cobalt Star part is mostly about the theme and the way it’s marketed. The console itself keeps the usual PS5 design language with the light bar and the curvy shell, but in this bundle, the focus is more on the in‑game cosmetics than a wild external skin. The good news is, it doesn’t scream “kids toy” from across the room. It’s more of a regular PS5 with Fortnite branding on the box than a fully reskinned console. If you were worried it would look too loud in your living room, it’s fine.

Noise levels are decent. During Fortnite, Spider-Man 2, and a couple of other games, the console stayed fairly quiet. You can hear a soft fan sound if the room is silent, but it’s not annoying and way better than late‑life PS4 Pros that sounded like they were about to lift off. Heat is controlled too: the top of the console gets warm but not scary hot. I have it in an open TV stand with a bit of space behind it, and that seems to be enough ventilation.

One annoyance: the vertical stand being sold separately. For a console this tall, that’s a bit stingy. I tried propping it up vertically without the official stand just to see, and it didn’t feel stable at all. I ended up leaving it horizontal, which is fine, but if you like the tower look, be ready to spend extra. Overall, the design is functional: big but solid, fairly quiet, and visually neutral enough that it doesn’t dominate the room unless you put RGB lights all around it.

The console itself obviously stays plugged in, so the real battery story is about the DualSense controller. Out of the box, the controller comes with a built‑in rechargeable battery (lithium‑ion, included). In my experience, playing mostly Fortnite and a bit of single‑player, I’ve been getting roughly 6–8 hours on a full charge, depending on how heavy the haptics and adaptive triggers are in whatever I’m playing. In Fortnite specifically, I’m usually recharging every two or three long sessions.

Charging is done via USB‑C, and you can plug straight into the console. From low battery to full charge takes roughly a couple of hours while the console is on. You can also play while it’s charging, which is what I end up doing when I ignore the low battery warning and it starts vibrating weakly mid‑match. It’s not ideal, but the cable length is decent, and it’s still better than constantly swapping AA batteries like on some other controllers.

One thing to keep in mind: the fancy haptics and adaptive triggers do eat into battery life. If you turn down vibration and trigger intensity in the settings, you can stretch the battery a bit more. Personally, I left them on the default levels because I like the extra feedback, and I just got used to dropping the controller on charge whenever I take a longer break. If you’re playing all day every day, you might want a second controller or a charging dock so you can rotate them.

Long term, the concern with built‑in batteries is always degradation. I obviously haven’t had this unit for years yet, but based on other DualSense reports, you can expect the battery to slowly lose capacity over time. That’s pretty standard for any lithium‑ion device. For now, though, the battery life is fine: not mind‑blowing, not terrible. It gets the job done, but if you’re picky about never plugging in, you’ll notice the limits.

In terms of build, the PS5 feels solid and heavy, which is reassuring when you’re dropping this much money on a console. The shell doesn’t flex or creak when you move it around, and the ports feel snug when you plug in HDMI or USB cables. I’ve moved it between rooms a couple of times, and it handled that without any weird rattling or loose parts. It’s not something I’d want to knock over, but it doesn’t feel fragile either.

The DualSense controller also feels well put together. Buttons and sticks have a good, firm click, and the triggers feel sturdy despite the adaptive mechanism inside. I’ve played a decent amount of Fortnite, which is pretty hard on the sticks and shoulder buttons, and so far there’s no drift or mushiness. Obviously, stick drift is one of those things that might show up months down the line, but at least out of the box, it feels reliable. The textured grip on the back also helps you hold it during longer sessions without feeling too slippery.

Heat management seems under control too. After a few hours of gaming, the console is warm but not scorching, and the fan doesn’t spin up to any crazy level. That’s important for durability because constant high heat is what slowly kills electronics. I keep the console in an open TV unit with a bit of breathing room on each side and at the back, and I’d recommend doing the same. Shoving it into a tight, closed cabinet is just asking for problems later.

Long‑term life is hard to judge this early, but considering people still have PS3s that lasted over a decade, there’s hope this one will run for many years if you treat it decently: keep dust away, don’t block vents, and avoid yanking cables. Based on the feel and the way it runs now, I’d say the durability looks promising. It’s not bulletproof, but it doesn’t give off any cheap or flimsy vibes either.

Performance is where this console actually feels like an upgrade from older systems. Fortnite loads way faster than on my PS4, both from the initial launch and when jumping into matches. The ultra‑high speed SSD and the custom CPU/GPU combo aren’t just buzzwords here; in daily use, it means you spend less time waiting and more time actually in games. Swapping from Fortnite to another game or back to the home screen is quick and doesn’t feel sluggish.

In Fortnite, the game runs smooth with 4K and HDR on a compatible TV. Frame rate feels steady in both casual lobbies and more hectic late‑game fights. I didn’t notice stutters or big drops, even when builds and effects were going crazy on screen. If you’re coming from an older console or a budget PC, you’ll see a clear jump in how clean the image looks and how responsive things feel. The DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers add a bit of feedback when shooting or driving, which is a nice touch, even if it’s not something you think about after a while.

Online, the Wi‑Fi 6 support helps. My router isn’t top of the line, but the PS5 still holds a stable connection. Ping in Fortnite is mainly on Epic’s servers and your internet provider, but the console itself doesn’t seem to add any weird lag. Downloads are also faster than on PS4, likely due to better Wi‑Fi and storage. Big patches still take time, obviously, but I’m not stuck waiting all evening for a single update like before.

Outside Fortnite, other PS5 games also benefit from the same hardware. Story games with heavy visuals run cleanly, and the console handles supported PS4 games without trouble. There’s no web browser on PS5, which is a bit of a step back if you were used to checking guides quickly on PS4, but that’s a software choice, not a performance limit. Overall, in practice, the performance is strong and consistent. It doesn’t feel overhyped; it just does the job fast and without drama, which is what you want from a console you’ll use for years.

In practice, this is a standard PS5 disc console (model CFI‑1000) with a Fortnite Cobalt Star pack code in the box. So hardware‑wise, you’re not getting some special upgraded version – same CPU, GPU, SSD, and DualSense controller as any other current PS5 disc edition. The box includes the console, one DualSense controller, HDMI cable, power cord, USB cable for the controller, and the usual quick start paperwork. The vertical stand is not included, which is something people keep discovering the hard way.

On the Fortnite side, you get a code that unlocks the Cobalt Snowfoot outfit (with LEGO style), Sapphire Star back bling, Indigo Inverter pickaxe, Weathered Snow Stripes wrap, Cobalt Crash Drums, Krackle Boost and Discotheque Wheels (both with gold painted styles), plus 1,000 V‑Bucks. The cosmetics are estimated at the value of around 5,000 V‑Bucks according to the description, but obviously you’re not getting that amount of spendable currency, just items that would normally cost that much in the shop. You basically get a full themed set that you can use across the different Fortnite modes that support cosmetics.

Setup is straightforward: plug it in, connect HDMI to your TV, pair the controller, and then you’ll go through the usual system update and account login. Claiming the Fortnite pack is just a matter of redeeming the code on your PlayStation account and then launching Fortnite. It showed up in my locker right away after a quick restart of the game. No weird issues there. If you’re buying this for a kid, expect to spend a bit of time logging into Epic and PlayStation accounts, but nothing too painful.

The main thing to understand is this: if you stripped the Fortnite stuff out, you’d still have a full PS5 disc console that can play both PS5 and supported PS4 games. So the bundle doesn’t limit you to Fortnite at all. The Fortnite content is just a bonus layer. If your household is Fortnite‑heavy, the bundle makes more sense than a plain console. If no one cares about Fortnite, you’re probably better off just grabbing whichever PS5 model is cheaper at the time.