TECH PREVIEW – After the PlayStation 5 Slim hit the shelves in November 2023, gamers have been abuzz with speculation about the anticipated PlayStation 5 Pro, rumored to launch this year. The excitement is palpable as fans eagerly await what new features Sony has in store with the Pro version.

The PS5 Slim, as its name implies, is a more compact and lighter console that still delivers impressive performance, with enhanced storage and a detachable disc drive. However, this pales in comparison to the anticipated power of the PS5 Pro. Let’s explore what we currently know about the PlayStation 5 Pro’s release date, specifications, and expected price.

When Will the PlayStation 5 Pro Be Released?

Although a late 2024 release is anticipated, Insider Gaming’s July 18 report cited a tweet from leaker Tom Henderson hinting at a possible 2025 release for Sony’s upgraded console. According to the report, developers could start submitting their PS5 Pro-supporting applications to CertOps (Platform Certification & Operations) from July 30—a timeline set 18 months prior. Moreover, from September 15 onwards, all PS5 game applications must support the PS5 Pro. This update, shared with developers recently, indicates that the system is still on track for a potential late November 2024 launch.

We expect Sony to unveil this mid-generation console upgrade just in time for the 2024 holiday season.

A document obtained by the YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead (later removed by Sony) disclosed several key specifications for the eagerly awaited console. It suggests that the Pro model will significantly enhance graphical performance, with rendering speeds up to 45% faster than the current PlayStation 5. This prediction has been echoed by several other gaming news outlets.

What Will the PS5 Pro Cost?

While the release date remains speculative, so does the price of the PlayStation 5 Pro. However, Sony has a precedent for releasing a Pro console following a Slim version, as they did in 2016 with the PlayStation 4 Pro.

At that time, the Pro console was priced $100 / €50 / £50 higher than the Slim version. Based on this pattern, we might anticipate the PlayStation 5 Pro to be priced around $599.99 / £529.99 if we increase the Slim’s price of $499.99 / £479.99. However, considering that consoles were generally cheaper in 2016, the 2024 model could potentially exceed the $600 mark.

Sony may also adjust the pricing for the PS5 Slim, possibly lowering the base model’s price to $399 for the disc version and $449 for the disc-based SKU. Adding $100 for the PS5 Pro could bring the price to around $549.99.

Ultimately, the exact price will remain uncertain until Sony makes an official announcement. But this gives a rough idea of what we might expect for the rumored console.

What Are the PlayStation 5 Pro Specs?

There is substantial industry speculation about the specs. The ‘Pro’ in PlayStation 5 Pro suggests significant power upgrades. According to a leaked Sony document obtained by The Verge, the PS5 Pro will feature “a mode targeting a 3.85GHz CPU frequency,” giving developers the option to choose between a “standard mode” at 3.5GHz or a “high CPU frequency mode” at 3.85GHz.

This marks a substantial upgrade from the Slim, which boasts an eight-core custom AMD Zen 2 processor at 3.5GHz and an AMD RDNA 2 GPU at 2.23GHz – although the memory stats remain the same. Overall, this promises a considerable boost in performance.

Particularly, image quality is expected to be a focal point for the PlayStation 5 Pro. Gaming insider Tom Henderson mentioned on Key to Gaming that the new console aims for “improved and consistent FPS at 4K resolution” and introduces a “new ‘performance mode’ for 8K resolution, with enhanced ray tracing.”

Currently, no games support 8K resolution, but this move indicates Sony’s commitment to future-proofing, a trend started with the baseline PS5.

DLSS in the house

Additionally, Hypebeast reports that the PS5 Pro will feature proprietary Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS)-style technology developed in-house by Sony. DLSS, created by Nvidia, is a suite of real-time, deep-learning image enhancement and upscaling technologies that offer superior visual quality, currently available only through Nvidia’s RTX graphics cards. With the PS5 Pro, it appears Sony is developing its own technology to rival Nvidia’s.

In practical terms, these tech enhancements will translate into a clearer, faster gaming experience for PS5 Pro users. Faster memory and higher CPU clock speeds are expected to reduce the long load times that have been a common critique of the PS5. Games could load almost instantly, potentially allowing the PS5 Pro to adopt a feature similar to Xbox Series X/S’s ‘Quick Resume,’ enabling multiple games to be suspended simultaneously and players to switch between them seamlessly without navigating through traditional start screens.

–theGeek–

Source: Readwrite , The Verge