The PS5 and Xbox Series X promise significant upgrades, including ray tracing, use of solid state drives, and 3D audio. They will also see improvements in everything from controller configurations to connectivity. However, this is not to downplay the fact that users are using their consoles for non-gaming tasks as well.

In the early days of Sony's Playstation 3 launch, the console was able to participate in Stanford University's Folding@Home initiative to find cures for cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's. At one point, the console was the largest number of devices streaming video services like Netflix. In addition to the failed Kinect 2.0, Microsoft made an effort to make the Xbox One more of a media hub through its One Guide app HDMI In.

What do the PS5 and Xbox Series X bring besides a better gaming experience? Here are five improvements that the 9th generation consoles may bring outside of gaming.

For all the power the 8th generation consoles offer, neither web browser ever looks as intuitive as it does on a PC, phone, or tablet; the PS4 and Xbox One browsers have slow load times and inconsistent web page layouts, compatibility issues. Basic operations such as watching videos and shopping are cumbersome. Let's take the Tom's Guide homepage as an example.

One might think that using Microsoft Edge as the default browser on the One X would provide a desktop-like experience; even though Microsoft Edge supports keyboard input, it would be nice if it also supported mouse input. Missing photos and framing issues when navigating the homepage are just not there. The PS4's browser, on the other hand, loaded the entire page with incredibly awkward navigation. It does not count the error WV-33925-2 displayed a handful of times.

Mouse and keyboard support in either browser would be a game changer for navigating web pages on a gaming console. Dashboard access to web apps could mean faster ways to access help, be it text or video. This would play a major role in making these browsers efficient enough to be of practical use outside of minor optimizations.

The PS4 and Xbox One X have very limited social media integration with popular platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Indeed, the PS4 took the lead by allowing users to upload videos and photos directly to both, but has since limited that functionality; the Xbox One also allows users to post saved captures to Instagram through its mobile app and once had a very basic basic Twitter app.

There is no reason why the next generation of game consoles cannot have fully integrated Facebook and Twitter apps. It would be nice to be able to pause the game and ask questions without having to let go of the controller or use a clunky browser. If it can read trends, even better. If Sony could make it possible to view captured content in a mobile app, sharing videos to Instagram would be less of a hassle.

Since the introduction of remote play on the PlayStation Portable through the PS3, console streaming has evolved considerably. Both consoles can be played on either a PC or a mobile device through their respective console streaming apps, although there are some differences. This allows for a full-fledged console experience on almost any device, even in homes with only one TV. Both also allow the use of controllers. However, even with a strong connection, resolution and frame rate drops occasionally appear, even with an Ethernet cable.

With 4K becoming the global standard for next-generation consoles, it will be interesting to see if remote play and Xbox Console Streaming can maintain higher resolutions at smooth frame rates. Peripherals other than controllers should be available, such as keyboards, mice, steering wheels, etc. What about ways to play multiplayer on multiple screens from a single console?

In a 2014 Polygon feature, "Why Game Accessibility Matters," accessibility expert and consultant Ian Hamilton stated that 20% of gamers have some form of disability. Third-party accessory manufacturers have been offering custom controllers for quite some time, but Xbox took a giant leap forward in this area with the release of the Xbox Adaptive Controller in 2018.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller is an ultra-customizable device designed for gamers with disabilities that works with specialized controllers like the Quadstick game controller. Sony has yet to answer Microsoft's game-changing trick with its own. However, Sony is the first to enable controller remapping at the system level. Given its huge installed base, we expect the PS5 to follow suit.

As "The Last of Us: Part II" went gold in game sales this month, Naughty Dog's sequel has already been called one of the most accessible games of all time. the PS4-exclusive title offers more than 60 accessibility options. The game has more than 60 accessibility options. Both consoles should make accessibility a reality more often.

The mod community is basically the backbone of PC gaming. Some mods have been so well received that they have even developed into full-fledged game releases. It is possible that "Grand Theft Auto V" for next-gen consoles will never reach the visual level of "NaturalVision Remastered". As console and PC architectures become ever more similar, user-generated mods should become the norm. This generation, Bethesda offered exclusive mod support for Fallout 4 on Xbox One before moving to PS4. Around the same time, "Doom" (2016), another Bethesda game, attempted to bridge the mod community and console gamers through its SnapMap feature.

Last year, Microsoft and Paradox interactive announced that they would support user-generated mods for "Surviving Mars" without prior approval; the mod community is large in the PC space, and the modding community is a key component of the game's success. By opening this space to mainstream console players, Microsoft and Sony may create a new level of creativity and encourage PC players to migrate to consoles.