The PS5 Pro is almost here. With its November 7 launch date fast approaching, it's time to ask how it compares to the base PS5. What’s new with Sony’s mid-gen refresh console and what upgrades does it offer?
Like the PS4 Pro, the PS5 Pro promises to deliver improved performance over its predecessor, thanks to its upgraded GPU. Sony also says to expect enhanced ray tracing and frame rate-boosting tech akin to Nvidia DLSS. The new console should also improve the performance of older PS4 and PS5 titles.
While not a full-blown successor to the PS5, the PS5 Pro seems like a solid halfway point between console generations. For those who can stomach the $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199.95 asking price, this console should make playing the best PS5 games even better.
Here are the biggest upgrades the PS5 Pro offers over the PS5.
PS5 Pro vs. PS5: Price and availability
The PS5 Pro launches on November 7, for $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199.95, with PS5 Pro pre-orders going live on September 26. For that price, you’ll get a console packing a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a digital copy of Astro’s Playroom. If you want a disc drive and a vertical stand, you’ll need to shell out an additional $79 and $29 (respectively), bringing the total cost to about $810 before taxes.
In comparison, the regular PS5 currently costs $499 and features the console (with a 1TB SSD and built-in disc drive), a DualSense controller and a digital copy of Astro’s Playroom. The disc-less version costs $449.
PS5 Pro vs. PS5: Design
We can’t go in-depth about the PS5 Pro’s design until we get a unit in for testing, but based on the images Sony released, the new console looks like a PS5 Slim with some black stripes down its middle. The PS4 Pro appears to be the same height as the PS5 and the same width as the PS5 Slim. Sony’s system keeps the same black-and-white motif of the original PS5.
If you weren’t a fan of the PS5 and PS5 Slim’s designs then the PS5 Pro’s look won’t win you over since it retains the same basic shape. Like the PS5 Slim, the new console has four removable faceplates, which should allow you to customize it and make it a little more aesthetically pleasing.
PS5 Pro port selection is identical to the PS5 Slim. There’s a pair of USB-C ports on the front, along with two USB-A ports and an Ethernet port on the back. And since this system doesn’t have a disc drive, there is no eject button.
PS5 Pro vs. PS5: Performance
The PS5 Pro promises several performance improvements over PS5. If Sony’s claims are true, you’ll no longer have to decide between higher-resolution graphics or high frame rates. The new system promises to give you both.
According to PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny, the PS5 Pro’s upgraded GPU has 67% more Compute Units than the PS5, along with 28% faster memory. As a result, the console has up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay. Enhanced ray tracing delivers more dynamic reflection and refraction of light to make graphics appear more life-like. Lastly, the AI-driven PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) upscaling tech makes graphics sharper while maintaining high frame rates.
Sony has optimized several games to take advantage of the PS5 Pro, with more to follow. However, that doesn’t mean older games won’t benefit from the new system’s power. For instance, an enhancement called “PS5 Pro Game Boost” will reportedly stabilize or improve the performance of over 8,500 backward-compatible PS4 and PS5 games. Some PS4 games should also receive improved resolution.
The PS5 Pro packs a 2TB SSD, which is a nice upgrade over the PS5’s 1TB SSD. However, since the PS5 actually has an 825GB SSD (it’s just marketed as 1TB), it makes me wonder if the PS5 Pro will have a full 2TB of storage out of the box. Still, the increased storage capacity is appreciated.
Several publications went hands-on with the PS5 Pro. Writing for Eurogamer, Oliver Mackenzie said the system is "akin to a big graphics card upgrade for a gaming PC."
Mackenzie also said you can "enable new features that you couldn't before, and you also enjoy a general uptick in performance that makes your existing games more fun to play. This goes double if you primarily played your PS5 games in performance mode when given the option, as you're keeping the same 60fps update rate in most cases but image quality takes a gigantic step forward - and you may get some new ray tracing features in the bargain."
PS5 Pro vs. PS5: Outlook
Based on what we now know, the PS5 Pro seems to offer significant upgrades over its predecessor. If this machine performs as well as Sony claims, it could rival the best gaming laptops and perhaps the best gaming PCs. Even if it doesn’t, the PS5 Pro should be one of the most powerful gaming consoles ever released. As a tech enthusiast and gamer, that’s something to get excited about.
Of course, you'll have to ask yourself what games you’ll play on this $700 system. If you’ve read some of my articles, then you know I think this has been the worst console generation due to a lack of exclusives built specifically for new systems like PS5 and Xbox Series X. There still aren’t many titles that truly take advantage of the PS5, and I don't expect that to change when the PS5 Pro arrives. That makes this system somewhat hard to justify.
So should you upgrade to the PS5 Pro? If you want to play your PS5 and PS4 games on stronger hardware, then the PS5 Pro is worth considering. However, if you’re happy with your PS5 experience, then you can save yourself $700 and stick with that console.
