Are you disappointed that Nintendo may not release the Switch 2 in 2024? Sony has a new version of its premiere console that may bandage your bleeding heart. The rumored “Trinity” project proved it was indeed the PlayStation 5 Pro. The new console is taller than 2023’s PS5 slim model, and it comes with a host of improvements that could make it one of the most powerful and most expensive big-name consoles around outside of PC gaming.
In a video published Sept. 10, Sony’s lead developer on the PlayStation 5, Mark Cerny, broke down a few spare details about what players can expect with the PS5 Pro. He said that while most players chose performance options for 60 or more FPS gaming over lower-frame, better-looking “Fidelity” mode, those same players on the PS5 Pro won’t have to make as many compromises for the sake of performance.
Other than that, the PS5 Pro is packing a 2 TB SSD for $700. Somewhere between 40 and 50 games will get a ‘PS5 Pro Enhanced’ label to signify they’ve been redesigned to support the PlayStation 5 Pro’s updated hardware. This means they should run at 4K at 60 FPS with some boosted graphics effects. Still, it should support all PS5 and PS4 games, just as the previous console did.
We should also note that Microsoft and Xbox have hinted they are also looking at new hardware, with Xbox President Sarah Bond saying they want to establish “the largest technical leap you’ve ever seen in a hardware generation.” Now, take that for what you will, but Microsoft has only revealed a revised Series X with 2 TB of storage so far.
How is the PlayStation 5 Pro Different Than the Base PS5?
The redesigned console is slightly shorter than the original PS5 from 2020, though it’s still taller than the 2023 slim edition standing vertically. According to CNET, the console comes with extra ribs in the center that act as vents. It still supports optional expanded M2 SSDs on top of the 2 TB of onboard storage.
It supports the same color fin options as the slim PS5, so you can mix and match colors, as we at Gizmodo enjoyed doing with last year’s slim model. The Pro has a different set of ports on the rear. It supports one more USB-C compared to the USB-A of the 2023 PlayStation 5.
The other big hardware upgrade, besides all that GPU talk, is the new support for Wi-Fi 7. You’ll need a compatible Wi-Fi 7 router to take advantage of the faster connection and lower latency, but perhaps if you’re already spending $700 on an ultra-luxury console, it might be worth upgrading your home internet as well.
PlayStation 5 Pro Graphical Capabilities
The new console supports a much bigger GPU that should have 45% better rendering than the older PS5 models. Cerny said the console’s GPU has 67% more computing cores and 28% faster GPU RAM speeds. In a few videos comparing some PS5 games running on the old and new hardware, Sony claims the new console should produce higher-quality visuals with less pixelation and higher framerates than before. For example, the company showed The Last of Us Part II: Remastered running at the target 60 FPS. The same game on PS5 can hit the same framerate in Performance mode at 1440p, but it would only aim for 30 FPS on the PS5’s Fidelity mode.
The CPU is the same as the previous PS5. In essence, these upgrades should make some games look less choppy, though we’ll need to see them for ourselves to make that determination. In performance mode, running at the same FPS, the visuals should look more detailed on the PS5 Pro than on the regular PS5.
The new console should also support better ray tracing, providing more accurate game lighting. The PS5 Pro lead creator said it should process ray tracing at 2x or 3x as fast as the regular PS5. The better processing could allow for visual effects like ray-traced reflections on cars in a racing game or more realistic shadows. Sony showed how, in Horizon Forbidden West, the game included more dynamic lighting, dust, and weather effects, which the company claims are due to the improved hardware.
The new console also supports PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. It’s an AI upscaling tech that takes a lower-resolution image and pushes it to a higher resolution while keeping the benefits of the lower framerate. According to CNET, the PSSR upscaling should work with all PS5 games, though they’ll need a patch that can upscale those titles to 4K.
PlayStation 5 Pro Release Date and Price
All the rumors hinted that the console would be released this year before the holidays, and they were right on the money. The PS5 Pro is going up for preorders on Sept. 26 specifically for PlayStation Direct in the U.S. It will also be up for preorder with retailers in countries that don’t have access to Direct. The console will be available to preorder from other retailers Oct. 10. The console is set to launch Nov. 7.
The PS5 Pro will retail for $700 in the U.S. It comes with a single wireless DualSense controller and an installed copy of Astro’s Playroom. Those who want to use some of their PS5 and PlayStation 4 games on disc will need to purchase a separate $80 disk drive. Similarly, if you want to stand your console upright, you’ll require a separate $30 vertical stand.
How Will PS5 Pro Support Older PS5 and PS4 Games?
Somewhere between 40 and 50 PS5 games will get enhancements at the Pro’s Nov. 7 launch. Some games are getting even more graphical updates. CNET said 2022’s Gran Turismo 7 can upscale to play at 8K. If true at launch, that would make it the first PS5 game outside of a few early tech demos that matched up to the PS5’s original claim that it can play games at 8K. The mode switches off ray tracing, so it’s probably not worth jumping past 4K resolution if you’re losing much of the fidelity of better reflections, lighting, and shadows.
There’s the potential for more games to add modes other than performance or fidelity to support TVs with higher refresh rates or modes to do a dedicated 120 FPS.
For older PlayStation 4 games, there’s the PS5 Pro Game Boost, which Sony claims can be applied to more than 8,500 compatible titles. The mode stabilizes performance, though for better visuals, the console maker says there’s an Enhanced Image Quality mode for some PS4 games that scales the games to a higher resolution.
