PlayStation 5 VS Peloton Tread+
Verdict BUY IT DROP IT
The Reality Independent, directly measured tests back up the substance of the claim, even if 'a thing of the past' oversells it slightly. Lead system architect Mark Cerny demonstrated Spider-Man's in-game fast-travel loading time dropping from 8.10 seconds on PS4 Pro to just 0.8 seconds on PS5 -- a 10x improvement. Separately, independent testing found Spider-Man: Miles Morales going from the home screen to the main menu in about 7 seconds on PS5, with saved-progress loading in under 2 seconds, versus roughly 43 seconds on PS4. Loading screens weren't eliminated in every game across the platform, but in the specific, heavily marketed comparisons Sony highlighted, the real-world numbers hold up. CPSC's official recall record documents a serious real-world hazard: the Tread+'s rear opening could pull under an adult, child, pet, or object during use. Peloton received 72 initial reports of pull-under incidents, including the death of a 6-year-old child and dozens of other injuries such as broken bones, serious cuts, and a brain injury, before the May 2021 recall. By the time the recall was finalized, the total had grown to 351 incident reports, including 90 injuries in addition to the one death. CPSC and Peloton jointly announced the recall of roughly 125,000 units, and Peloton offered full refunds through November 2022. In 2023, CPSC approved a rear-guard repair as an additional protective measure for the same entrapment hazard.
SHORT ANSWER
PlayStation 5: Sony's claim that the PS5's SSD would make loading screens a thing of the past is backed by real, independently measured results -- including an 8.10-second to 0.8-second fast-travel improvement in Spider-Man, demonstrated directly by lead architect Mark Cerny.
Peloton Tread+: CPSC's official recall record shows a 6-year-old child died and 90 others were injured after being pulled under the Peloton Tread+'s rear opening, leading to a 2021 recall of roughly 125,000 units and a 2023 rear-guard repair program.