Following a period of exclusivity, Sony’s PS5 Pro console will soon be available to pre-order in more places than just the PlayStation Direct website.
It’s not exactly easy buying straight from Sony, especially if you don’t have a PlayStation Network account to make purchases. There are also plenty of people who prefer to buy their gadgets from high street retailers, which can offer better bundles, in-store pickup, and more flexible payments.
If that sounds like you, you’ll be happy to learn that the console will be stocked online at the likes of Amazon, Game, John Lewis, and other retailers from Thursday, October 10.
Alongside the PS5 Pro, you’ll also get a second chance to snag the 30th anniversary editions of the PS5 Digital console and DualSense controller. Alas, the limited edition PS5 Pro won’t be making a return as all 12,300 units of the coveted console were snapped up instantly last month.
Here’s what you need to know about the second round of PS5 pre-orders, including exactly when they start.
Is the PS5 Pro still available to pre-order?
If you can’t wait till Thursday, you can still snag the PS5 Pro from the PlayStation Direct store.
The console, which can only play digital games out of the box, costs £700 and comes with a DualSense controller.
If you already own a bunch of physical games and DVDs or Blu-Rays, you’ll probably want to buy a disc drive, which is available separately for £100.
Plus, if you want the console to sit upright instead of on its side, you’ll need to buy a £25 vertical stand separately as well - though this isn’t necessary to play games. Buying all the extras will raise the total price to £825.
Sony is only offering one console per customer due to high demand, but the fact that stock is still available weeks later may raise some eyebrows. Could the steep price tag have turned some gamers off?
When does the second round of PS5 Pro pre-orders start?
As part of the console’s staggered launch, Sony says participating retailers will begin pre-orders on Thursday, October 10.
This is when it will be offered through Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Game, and other stores. So, mark your calendars, set your reminders, and get your wallets ready.
If it’s anything like the first round of pre-orders, you should be able to purchase the console from 10am on Thursday.
We’re also expecting more preorders for some of the 30th anniversary range on this date including the £69.99 DualSense, and the £449.99 PS5 Digital Slim bundle on October 10.
For those unfamiliar, this is the limited edition model that looks like a throwback to the original PS1, complete with a matching grey shade.
When is the PS5 Pro release date?
The PS5 Pro will then be available in physical stores and in more places online on November 7.
Is the PS5 Pro 30th anniversary bundle still available?
Alas, the PS5 Pro 30th anniversary console bundle was swiftly snapped up by shoppers, reflecting its high demand and limited availability.
The bundle included vintage-style DualSense and DualSense Edge controllers, along with a variety of other exclusive extras.
You know what. £699 doesn’t seem so bad. pic.twitter.com/uYk20mtbPG
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) September 26, 2024
Sony was charging an eye-watering £959.99 for the lot, around £260 more than the already pricey PS5 Pro. Despite the high cost, some scalpers are already flipping the bundle on eBay for up to £10,000, taking advantage of its scarcity.
Most of the other PlayStation 30th anniversary collection products have also sold out on the PS Direct store.
What is the PS5 Pro?
So, what’s all the hype about anyway? The PS5 Pro packs a beefed-up GPU, with 45 per cent greater graphics performance, which will seriously boost visuals — lighting effects in particular — in games.
Demanding titles should run more smoothly, potentially reaching 60 fps or even 120 fps more consistently, and hitting that golden 4K resolution more often.
This extra power will also be used to deliver improved ray tracing, which is a fancy technical term for the recreation of lighting and reflections in games. It will also benefit virtual reality games on PS VR 2 in much the same way, and enhance the quality of thousands of older PS4 games using AI.
For hardcore gamers who are sticklers for visuals, the extra grunt work will eliminate the need to choose between performance and fidelity modes (or higher graphics versus higher frame rates) in games.
Notably, the Pro can only play digital games out of the box, but a disc drive can be bought and attached separately, similar to the PS5 Slim.
Is the PS5 worth it?
One of the best previews of the PS5 Pro is by Digital Foundry, which has explored its visual upgrades in 11 games including Hogwarts Legacy, The Last of Us Part 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Its YouTube video lets you check these out first-hand.
The upgrades vary by game, and how much you’ll notice them depends on how far you sit from your TV, and how well-schooled your eyes are on game graphics.
F1 24 brings one of the most interesting upgrades. Its graphics aren’t just a bit sharper or more detailed. The way the lighting is modelled makes the cars sit more realistically in the environment. While you may not be able to put your finger on exactly why, it makes the game appear a bit more like a video replay of an actual race.
