PS5 Pro Review – One Year Later

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The PlayStation 5 has been a big win for Sony, despite initial difficulties getting enough consoles to stores. It’s become a favorite among gamers who want to experience high-quality games made by skilled developers. The original PS5 was a game-changer, offering features like smooth 60fps gameplay, stunning 4K graphics, and realistic ray tracing – pushing the limits of what home consoles could do.

The PS5 Pro arrived as an upgrade designed to address the PS5’s shortcomings, specifically the need to compromise between visual resolution and smooth gameplay. Sony advertised that the Pro would eliminate this trade-off, offering gameplay in 4K at 60 frames per second, enhanced by AI upscaling and a significant performance increase, making it a standout console for the middle of its generation.

Even though many people initially questioned whether a PS5 Pro was necessary, especially since the original PS5 wasn’t fully utilized by most games, it appears there’s still significant interest. Now, a year later, the question is whether the PS5 Pro has proven to be a worthwhile investment considering its cost and the effort involved in upgrading.

Dive in and let’s find out.

A Solid Design and A Premium Build

The PS5 Pro’s appearance may draw similar comments to the first PS5, but it definitely looks unique. More importantly, its design keeps the console cool – our fans haven’t even needed to speed up and become loud. Overall, the PS5 Pro continues Sony’s tradition of creating a dependable console.

Our standard PS5 sometimes got a little warm during testing, but the Pro model stayed cool even during extended gameplay and didn’t show any performance issues. It’s still early days for the PS5 Pro, though, and we’ll be watching to see how demanding games like GTA VI challenge it in the future.

When comparing the PS5 Pro to the Slim, it’s important to remember they’re designed for different types of players. The Slim is still a great choice if you’re happy with slightly less detailed graphics or a slightly lower frame rate, as long as games are still enjoyable to play. However, if you want the best possible visual experience and performance, the Pro is the better option.

Pro Performance

Some gamers will happily accept a less-than-ideal visual style if a console delivers on performance. The PS5 Pro aims to do just that with its more powerful graphics processing unit and advanced upscaling technology, and early indications suggest it largely succeeds.

Some people think developers aren’t fully utilizing its capabilities, but several games launching in 2025 are proving the extra power is worthwhile. The PS5 Pro continues to excel at maintaining 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, particularly in games specifically optimized for it.

The PS5 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade over the standard PS5 and generally delivers excellent performance, particularly with frame rates and upscaling. While some users have reported occasional upscaling problems with the PlayStation Spectral Reconstruction (PSSR) technology, these issues are infrequent and should be fixable with software updates. For example, games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Days Gone experienced some visual problems that made the standard PS5 versions look better.

Games such as The Callisto Protocol and Alan Wake 2 have performed well on the PS5 Pro. It’s also worth noting that PlayStation’s Scalability Resolution technology (PSSR) is relatively new, and we can expect it to get even better over time. (We’ll discuss this further shortly.)

Ray tracing and Balanced modes are increasingly popular features for powerful gaming setups, and using them – whether you’re playing a favorite game or something new – consistently delivers a stunning visual experience. For example, exploring the world of Ezo in Ghost of Yotei is a real treat with ray tracing enabled, offering a smooth 60 frames per second and a noticeably improved experience compared to the standard PS5 version.

Sucker Punch truly shines with its clever use of the DualSense controller. It goes beyond simple features, incorporating the touchpad and gyroscope to create a deeply immersive and unique gameplay experience. It demonstrated how well a game can integrate the controller’s full capabilities, surpassing many titles that only focused on haptics or adaptive triggers. While some other games do it well, there’s still room for improvement in this area, and we’re hoping STALKER 2 might set a new standard.

PSSR genuinely enhances the gaming experience and competes effectively with similar technologies. If Sony continues to develop it, PSSR could be a major selling point for the PlayStation 6.

The Pro’s Popularity

As a PlayStation fan, I’m really excited about the PS5 Pro! It looks like both developers and players are on board with it. A lot of games are already getting ‘Pro Enhanced’ features, which is awesome – not just from Sony themselves, but from other game companies too. From what I’ve seen, there’s a real difference in how games look and play on the regular PS5 versus the Pro – things like better graphics, improved ray tracing, and smoother performance. It sounds like a big upgrade!

Guerilla Games really showcased the PS5 Pro’s power by making both Horizon Forbidden West and the remastered Horizon Zero Dawn look incredible. Similarly, Sucker Punch used the Pro to make their version of ancient Japan in their game visually distinct from Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

However, it’s important to note that developers not directly owned by Sony are also creating impressive experiences. Enhanced versions of games like F125 and Gran Turismo 7 demonstrate how third-party studios are effectively utilizing the increased capabilities of the PS5 Pro.

Some game updates have simply been higher-resolution versions of the originals, with the extent of improvements depending on the resources each game studio dedicates to them. Despite this, the PS5 Pro has become well-regarded by developers in the current gaming world.

So, is this console worth the high cost for gamers? It’s really aimed at dedicated players who demand top-tier graphics and speed. However, if you’re a more casual gamer, or don’t have a TV that can take full advantage of advanced features, the standard PS5 offers plenty of value.

A Great Software Experience

As a PlayStation fan, I’ve always appreciated how easy it is to navigate the menus, and the PS5 Pro doesn’t disappoint. Sony’s kept that clean, simple look, which is great – my most played games are right there when I turn it on. And they’ve added some nice touches, like new tabs and the ability to personalize the background, which really makes the whole experience feel more custom and enjoyable.

A firmware update is planned that should greatly improve the Pro’s PSSR features. Announced in March 2025, this update is expected soon and should fix upscaling problems in many games. If you’ve been hoping for a fix to a game you enjoy, now might be a good time to consider upgrading.

Currently, only a handful of PSVR2 games have been enhanced for the PS5 Pro, and it remains to be seen if enough developers will create these versions to make them worthwhile. On a brighter note, the DualSense controller remains excellent with the Pro, and we particularly love the Elite version.

Has the PS5 Pro Been Welcomed?

The Pro model has received positive feedback for its ability to help developers create impressive and smoothly running games. However, its sometimes unreliable upscaling and high cost remain significant drawbacks for Sony’s powerful console.

It costs a significant amount, making it inaccessible for many people, and some may not find the improvements worth the price. However, when games are designed to really take advantage of its features, the enhanced versions are fantastic. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a prime example of this.

Think of the PS5 Pro as a stepping stone to the PS6 – whenever that console arrives. The Pro’s development is already getting people to imagine what Sony will do next with PlayStation. This could lead many current PS5 owners to skip the Pro and wait for a bigger upgrade. It also makes us wonder if these mid-generation console updates are really necessary.

Looking at the games released in 2025, it’s clear that many titles are really showing off what’s possible with more powerful hardware. We’re only starting to see games truly take advantage of the PS5 and the PS5 Pro, which makes a strong case for Sony continuing to offer a Pro version.

Even after a year, the PS5 Pro remains a great choice for gamers who want the highest quality experience on their PlayStation. It’s a powerful console with impressive features, thanks to Sony, but its high price can be a barrier for some.

So, is the upgrade worth it? For PS5 owners, it only makes sense if you have a compatible high-end display. If you’re on other consoles, the PS5 Pro is the best option if you can afford the extra cost. Plus, Sony’s great exclusive games are always a good reason to consider it.

The future of PlayStation graphics looks promising. Recently, Mark Cerny revealed “Project Amethyst,” which focuses on three key technologies: Neural Arrays, Radiance Cores, and Universal Compression. For the upcoming PS5 Pro, the initial improvements will likely come from software optimizations. This includes more efficient upscaling using machine learning (PSSR) and better compression techniques to ensure smooth 4K visuals, faster asset loading, and consistent frame rates of 60 or 120 fps. While the full power of Radiance Cores is intended for the PS6, the research behind them will still benefit the PS5 Pro through improved ray tracing and development tools.

The PS5 Pro continues to be a beast of a console, for those who can find the right uses for it.

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2025-11-12 15:43