After months and months of rumors and teases, Sony finally officially unveiled the PlayStation 5 Pro. When the console arrives later this year it will be the most powerful PlayStation ever created and will act as a sort of mid-gen refresh, giving devs more power to play around with while also letting Sony sell you a new piece of pricey hardware.
Anyway, after today’s presentation hosted by Mark Cerny, here’s everything we’ve learned about the upcoming PS5 Pro.
When does the PS5 Pro launch?
November 7, 2024
How much does it cost??
$700. There only appears to be one version of the PS5 Pro.
What do I get for that price?
The PS5 Pro includes a 2TB SSD, a DualSense controller, a digital copy of Astro’s Playroom, and of course, the new console.
Can I pre-order it now?
Not yet! But Sony says pre-orders will go live on September 26.
Wait, there was a presentation about the PS5 Pro? Can I watch it still?
Yes. Here you go. It’s about 9 minutes long. Enjoy.
How powerful is it?
Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS5, claims it’s the most powerful PlayStation console ever made. It features 28% more RAM, and a more powerful GPU with 67% more Compute Units. In the presentation, Sony says this will lead to 45% faster rendering.
What New Features Does It Have?
The PS5 Pro will support PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution AI upscaling. This is basically Sony’s spin on AMD’s FSR and Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling tech and will be exclusive to PS5.
In theory, this should let you run games at higher framerates without having to sacrifice high-end visual settings. It will also include WiFi 7.
Does it still look kinda silly like the OG PS5?
Yeah... it still looks bulbous and a bit odd. But now it has some extra stripes. I assume this helps it go faster.
Is the PS5 Pro digital only?
Yes. At least, it is unless you add on a separately purchased disc drive.
Does PS5 Pro support 8K?
Yes! In a blog post published by Sony after the presentation, the company confirmed its upcoming console will support 8K and VRR, like the PS5 technically does. (But basically, no games support 8K...yet.)
What games are getting PS5 Pro upgrades?
According to PlayStation, a lot of games will see performance and visual boosts on PS5 Pro. We saw Last of Us Part 2, Ratchet And Clank: Rift Apart, and Spider-Man 2 running better and looking nicer during the short video.
Sony also listed a number of games that will receive updates to become “PS5 Pro Enhanced” 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, The Crew Motorfest, and The First Descendant.
Additionally, the company says “8,500 backward compatible PS4 games” will see performance boosts on PS5 Pro, too.
Will there be PS5-Pro-only games??
No mention of that during the video or in the blog. I’d say its unlikely. The PS4 Pro never got exclusive games. This isn’t a new console, just a more powerful PS5.
Does it support my current PS5 controllers and accessories?
Yup! Sony says PS5 Pro will support all accessories currently available.
Do I need a PS5 Pro?
Do you care about raytraced reflections, higher-quality shadows, 60 fps, and improved draw distances? If not, then you can probably just continue to enjoy your PS5 and not worry about this upgraded machine.
Is this a PS6?
No, but it does make me worry about how much that thing will cost in a few years...