TECH PREVIEW – The PS5 Pro has been officially revealed! Price, specifications, release date, and everything you need to know about the enhanced version of the PlayStation 5. Sony has unveiled the PS5 Pro, a new iteration of its current console generation, and here’s all the crucial information we have so far.
Today is the day: the PS5 Pro has been officially confirmed. This updated model of the PlayStation 5, originally released in 2020 and plagued by supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was unveiled in the middle of the current generation at a special presentation hosted by the console’s designer, Mark Cerny. Since the announcement of a new console — even an upgraded version — is always a major event, we’ve gathered all the details about the PS5 Pro: its price, specifications, release date, and how it stacks up against the standard PS5 model.
As mentioned, the PS5 Pro announcement, which had been hinted at by a company leak just the night before, was accompanied by Mark Cerny. The man behind the hardware of the PlayStation lineup from the PS4 to the PS Vita, Cerny took a nine-minute video to lay out all the enhancements and put to rest any rumors about this highly anticipated new console.
The Legacy of the PS4 Pro and Its Graphics Modes
Whether it was Cerny’s vision or simply the relentless march of progress, the traditional eight-year console cycle struggled to keep up with the latest games in the last third of its life span, both in terms of performance and economic viability. With the eighth generation, Sony and Cerny seized the opportunity to expand the capabilities of AMD and move beyond the limitations of the Cell architecture co-developed with Toshiba, Sony, and IBM that caused so many issues with the PS3. This led to the development of the PS4 Pro, a more powerful and distinctly unconventional-looking system.
The PS4 Pro made a strong push into the coveted 4K era, even if it was only achieved through upscaling, with 4.2 teraflops of processing power. Not only did the PS4 Pro set this precedent before the Xbox One X arrived, but it also introduced different visual modes for games (Performance, Quality, and/or Balance). Many believe this was a response to a problem created by the companies themselves, while others see it as a necessary evolution that has become a logical and acceptable standard for gamers buying consoles at launch. The saying, “I know a slightly better version will come out in a few years,” remains true today and will likely continue unless something changes.
PS5 Pro Release Date and Price
While Nintendo is known for breaking the mold by releasing the Switch in March 2017 instead of the end of the year, it’s no wonder they are considered outsiders compared to Sony and Microsoft’s typical console generations. Following their official announcement in September, many speculated that the new PS5 Pro would be released just in time for the holiday season — and that’s precisely what will happen. Sony’s new console will hit the shelves on November 7.
Then there’s the issue of price, a critical factor beyond just specifications. With price hikes worldwide, most recently in Japan, the PS5 Pro has its work cut out for it to win over consumers. It aims to do so with a single digital-only version:
- PS5 Pro Digital Edition – €799.99
- Disc Drive Add-on – €120
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that, unlike the standard PS5, the PS5 Pro will only be available as a digital edition. Sony seems to be adopting a similar strategy to that used for the PS5 Slim, the first revision of the base model. So, if you’re a fan of physical media, you’ll have the option to purchase an external disc drive for €120.
PS5 Pro Specs: Can It Deliver the Dream of 60 FPS?
As noted earlier, the PS5 Pro is a reality, arriving in the middle of a generation that started with challenges for both PlayStation and Xbox. But this is a race, and hardware advancements don’t stop between generations. Sony has followed the latest trends in the PC market and broadened its horizons with revisions that particularly focus on Ray Tracing and achieving the much-desired standard of 60 FPS.
That said, the PS5 Pro is still far from matching the capabilities of high-end PC hardware, which has been flexing its muscles with Ray Tracing via hardware for some time now. AMD systems, which the PS5 Pro relies on, are currently not equipped to handle Ray Tracing at this level.
PS5 vs. PS5 Pro: What’s New in the Latest Version?
According to recent leaks, the new PS5 Pro will retain a design aesthetic similar to the base PS5’s somewhat controversial look. This version will keep the familiar white chassis and the distinction between the side panels and the central mass of the console. However, it will feature new silkscreened lines to set it apart from its predecessor, without being overly revolutionary in its approach.
Internally, the PS5 Pro is built around three main pillars: a larger processor, enhanced Ray Tracing, and native AI upscaling. One of the most apparent improvements, as highlighted by Cerny himself, is the increased size of the PS5 Pro’s CPU, which boosts RAM speed and the raw performance of the modified AMD processor, achieving a rendering speed of no less than 45%.
However, perhaps the most interesting and unusual aspect is that, unlike the PS4 Pro, which introduced the strategy of multiple display modes for all games, the PS5 Pro will not offer separate Quality and Performance modes. According to Cerny, thanks to the system’s extra power, the maximum visual quality it can achieve is equivalent to the base PS5’s Fidelity Mode. So, where’s the upgrade? The PS5 Pro’s default setting will offer the highest rendering and resolution mode — 4K at 60 frames per second. Some games will scale to 4K using AI with the help of PSSR, which we will discuss below.
While this may not sound like a compelling reason to upgrade, this is where AI comes into play. The PlayStation Super Resolution (PSSR) will enhance the final quality of the game by increasing draw distance, improving rendering, and minimizing visual artifacts at these resolution and quality levels. As detailed in CNET’s console preview, PSSR won’t require additional patches; instead, it will depend on the PS5 Pro’s system itself, tying us closer to the PlayStation ecosystem.
In any case, we know that the system will also support up to 120Hz, even with VRR, as is standard for this generation. However, it’s worth noting that PlayStation seems to cap out at 60 FPS without VRR — or at least that’s what Cerny suggests: “Over time, we’ll see a more nuanced approach, where the focus shifts away from resolution and toward higher image quality.”
Enter Game Boost: PS5 Pro Takes a Page from Xbox to Enhance Games
PlayStation has taken a cue from Xbox’s FPS Boost and introduced the PS5 Pro Game Boost. This software enhancement will elevate the visual quality, resolution, and FPS of up to 8,500 compatible PS4 and PS5 games. Additionally, a shorter list of games has been optimized for PS5 Pro with PSSR settings — essentially “games that make the most of the new hardware” — including:
- Alan Wake 2
- Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
- Demon’s Souls
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Gran Turismo 7
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- The Crew Motorfest
- The First Descendant
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered
As mentioned, this list is expected to expand significantly. Initially, around 50 launch titles will be available — 37 more than those listed above — with improvements going beyond just 4K. According to CNET, although there are no graphic modes, the PS5 Pro is currently capable of running Gran Turismo 7 at either 8K or 4K, depending on the final output you aim to achieve.
With all this information and a November release date, PlayStation is once again the first to introduce a “Pro” version to the market, though not without its challenges. The console’s success will ultimately depend on its price point and the current state of the gaming generation.
– Gergely Herpai “BadSector” –
