Sony has officially unveiled the long-rumored PS5 Pro. During a 9-minute long PS5 technical showcase presentation hosted by PlayStation lead architect Mark Cerny, we got our first glimpse of what the mid-gen refresh console is capable of. To be sure, the PS5 Pro offers significant upgrades over the PS5. However, the new Sony console isn’t exactly cheap.
On PS5, you’d often have to choose between fidelity (higher resolution) or performance (higher frame rates) modes in most titles. The PS5 Pro effectively combines both modes into one, offering sharp graphics and smooth gameplay thanks to the console’s beefier processing capabilities. This is possible thanks to three key performance features.
The PS5 Pro has an upgraded GPU with 67% more Compute Units than the PS5 and 28% faster memory. As a result, the system has up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, which makes playing games feel smoother, according to Mark Cerny.
The console also has more powerful ray tracing than its predecessor. As seen during the showcase, games will have more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. Sony says this allows lighting to be cast at double or triple the speeds of the PS5.
The PS5 Pro also introduces PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). This AI-driven upscaling technology (the PS5 Pro’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS frame-boosting tech) helps deliver sharper images while maintaining high frame rates.
Another enhancement includes a feature called “PS5 Pro Game Boost” that can be applied to over 8,500 backward-compatible PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro. Sony says this feature “may” help stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. A feature called Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games will also improve the resolution of some PS4 games. Lastly, PS5 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7 (where supported), VRR and 8K gaming.
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All of these features won’t come cheap as the PS5 Pro will cost an eye-watering $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199.95. This includes the console, a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller and a digital copy of Astro’s Playroom (not to be confused with Astro Bot). This is a disc-less console, so if you want a disc drive, you’ll have to purchase the Disc Drive for PS5 separately for $79 / £100 / AU$159.
The PS5 Pro launches on November 7, 2024, with PS5 Pro pre-orders starting on September 26.
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