It's official, Sony has launched the long-awaited PlayStation 5 Pro after months of speculation from fans (and a delightful design easter egg 'accidental reveal'). Boasting the usual updates like enhanced graphics and upgraded GPU it's business as usual in terms of new console releases but there's one (not so) little detail I can't ignore – that hefty £699.99 price tag.
Its humble predecessor, the PlayStation 5, is widely regarded as one of the best games consoles of the decade, so you'd think that for such a steep price, the Pro would be bursting with innovative features or even a fresh new look. No Sony, that three-striped design doesn't count.
So what makes the Pro different from the regular PS5? In short, not a lot. The upgraded GPU boasts "67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory" to improve rendering. Advanced ray tracing and AI-driven upscaling features make for crispier graphics but the price feels a little extreme for such underwhelming additions.
Onto the design – think of the PS5 Pro as essentially a carbon copy of the regular PS5 model with the addition of three stripes instead of the typical one. Overall it looks a little sleeker, but again. we're talking about parting ways with £699.99 here, so a bit of extra innovation wouldn't go amiss. Frustratingly, the Pro doesn't come with a pre-installed disk drive, and while most of us have moved on from physical media, it would've been nice to have one included for old times' sake.
I’m disappointed with the design of this PS5 Pro.. from r/pcmasterrace
Fans flocked to social media to share their disappointment at the PS5 Pro's underwhelming design, with one Reddit user writing "The ugliest video game console of all time just got a fade," in reference to the console's three-striped design. Fans on X were equally let down, with one user writing "Sony industrial design excellence is absent here." At the same time, another added "Looks like Sony is tailoring the PS5 Pro design to match those fresh Adidas tracksuits!"
Looks like Sony is tailoring the PS5 Pro design to match those fresh Adidas tracksuits! #PS5Pro pic.twitter.com/Aydp2DtOt0September 11, 2024
The PS5 Pro is not as sexy when compared to how PS4 Pro is a LOT sexier than the PS4. Sony industrial design excellence is absent here. pic.twitter.com/ELGYqrYHcKSeptember 10, 2024
The PS5 Pro has lines across the middle of the console which are a nod to the lines Sony executives were doing when they priced the thing pic.twitter.com/NPWP5ilfsCSeptember 10, 2024
Undoubtedly, Sony has taken steps to make the PS5 Pro a more optimised console for immersion-focused gamers thanks to that juicy GPU upgrade, but do I think this warrants such an extreme price hike? No. As more games are developed with PS5 Pro enhancement in mind the demand for the Pro's top-level optimisation will perhaps soften the blow of such a steep price tag, but for now, I don't think it's worth the splurge.
Gamers were mocking the rumoured PS5 Pro design from the start, so it's unsurprising that the launch has been underwhelming for many fans. It's been a tumultuous time for Sony after the recent flop of its $100m game, Concord, and while I can't offer any sage advice, perhaps charging fans £699.99 for your latest console isn't the best way to regain trust.
