Just like the Xbox Series X, it’s now been confirmed that the PS5 has no optical audio out.
The confirmation comes from the Astro A20 headset announcement in which Astro confirmed that the PS5 would not have optical audio out. To make its older headsets compatible, Astro is releasing a HDMI-to-optical audio splitter that will support HDMI 2.1, HDCP, and 4K passthrough. The product (as detailed by The Verge) won’t introduce any input lag or degrade the sound quality.
The splitter will be released in October for $40 USD and will presumably work with any product that needs optical out. Those that already own an Astro product will be able to enter the serial number onto the Astro website and get $15 USD off the splitter.
The New Astro A20 Gaming Headset Will Be Fully PS5/Xbox Series X Compatible