As a seasoned gamer who’s been through the ups and downs of console generations, I must admit that the news about the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro has me intrigued. Having spent countless hours exploring the vast worlds of games on my base PS5, I can certainly appreciate the improvements they’re promising.
It seems you’re well aware that there have been whispers about the PlayStation 5 Pro. This new model retails for $699.99 without additional accessories like a vertical stand or disc drive. Many people, save for perhaps Microsoft, are expressing their frustration about this high price tag, wondering why a mid-gen upgrade would come at such a cost. Some have even suggested that Sony’s move is arrogant, while others are considering the Xbox Series X as an alternative, though not wholeheartedly so.
However, there’s plenty to discuss regarding the actual differences between the PS5 Pro and the base PS5, and we’re not talking about how it’s the same height or how the width is the same as the PS5 Slim.
The CPU
To start, let’s talk about the processor. The PlayStation 5 boasts an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 with eight cores and 16 threads, running at 3.5 GHz. Although Sony hasn’t yet disclosed the exact specifications of the PS5 Pro, CNET recently confirmed that it uses the same CPU, supporting earlier reports from Insider-Gaming in March. The key distinction lies in a suspected “High CPU Frequency Mode”, boosting the clock speed to 3.85 GHz, offering a 10% increase. It’s important to mention that with more power going to the CPU in this mode, there’s reportedly a minor downclocking of the GPU performance by 1.5%, leading to a minimal 1% decrease in overall performance.
In general, you’d assume that a higher CPU clock speed leads to better overall performance, wouldn’t you? However, it’s not always the case, particularly in games like Elden Ring from FromSoftware. The PS5 version of this game experiences some frame rate drops because it heavily relies on the CPU, making it necessary to play the PS4 version on PS5 for a consistent 60 FPS (although you sacrifice visual quality). In such a situation, an upgrade to the PS5 Pro might offer some improvement, but we’ll have to wait and see how future CPU-intensive games perform on this console.
Case in point is Grand Theft Auto 6 and whether it will achieve 4K and 60 FPS, let alone offer a Performance Mode capable of the latter. Once again, it all boils down to the design. If its population density and variety, physics, and AI are vastly superior to Grand Theft Auto 5 (and it’s looking very likely), then the Pro’s CPU may not be that impactful. It’s hard to say at this point.
The GPU
Beyond its primary specs, the console’s other attributes matter too, particularly where significant enhancements become noticeable. Sony has emphasized a 45% faster GPU rendering and a 67% increase in Compute Units, suggesting an output of about 60 Compute Units if we consider the PS5’s initial count (36). In terms of PC GPUs, the PS5 could compare to an AMD Radeon RX 6700, while the Pro is more akin to an RX 6800. However, according to Insider-Gaming, it boasts 33.5 TFLOPS of performance using an AMD RDNA 2 chipset. The most apparent advantage lies in its ability to support graphical modes with higher resolutions or increased detail.
Example: According to CNET’s preview, Gran Turismo 7 includes 8K and 4K graphics with enhanced ray tracing. However, the number of people owning an 8K TV is not insignificant. Still, certain games will experience notable visual enhancements. As Mark Cerny, the lead architect, mentioned in the technical presentation, Horizon Forbidden West gains from improved lighting and visual effects during gameplay and superior hair and skin renditions in cinematics.
Concerning memory, it’s approximately 28% more compared to the PS5. To delve deeper into Insider-Gaming’s report, we find that the Pro offers a memory bandwidth of 576 GB/s, significantly surpassing the PS5’s 448 GB/s. The main advantages include swifter loading times and smoother rendering of intricate environments (as observed in Forbidden West with an overall improvement in detail). This is also advantageous for games aiming at 4K and higher resolutions.
As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but be thrilled about the enhanced ray tracing capabilities of the PS5 Pro’s “Big Three” thanks to its larger GPU. This advanced feature doubles and even triples the light reflection speeds compared to the standard PS5, all while maintaining an impressive 60 FPS, even at higher resolutions. To put it simply, games like Gran Turismo 7 now offer stunning real-time reflections between cars during gameplay, a feature that was previously unseen due to performance constraints. It’s a game-changer, truly!
In the game Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll notice improved shadows with greater realism, enhanced reflections of a higher quality, and a wider array of reflective surfaces. As per Mark Cerny, the console employs advanced ray tracing capabilities offered by AMD, which are not available in their present-day GPUs. This means that the PS5 Pro stands out notably in terms of visuals for a shorter to medium period.
PSSR
Ultimately, there’s PlayStation’s Spectral Super Resolution, a cutting-edge AI technology for enhancing image clarity. This enhancement brings out finer details and sharper images, much like in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. On the PS5 Pro, distant details are more discernible compared to Performance RT mode on the standard PS5. Conversely, gamers can preserve the texture quality and environmental details of Fidelity mode in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered while still enjoying a smoother gaming experience at 60 FPS.
The method should not only minimize visual distortions that occur with other upscaling techniques, but also provide additional graphical options for developers looking to enhance their games for this console. Depending on the importance of ray tracing to you, PSSR will allow you to enjoy it at a smooth 60 frames per second, though the specific benefits can differ based on the game.
SSD
Regarding the solid-state drive in question, it significantly increases storage capacity to a generous 2 Terabytes. Although some of this will be set aside, it’s still a substantial upgrade compared to the standard PS5’s SSD, which offers only 825 GB, with just over 667 GB being usable. Despite this, it maintains the same read speed of 5.5 GB/s as per CNET’s preview.
Having additional storage capacity means you can install more games, which is self-explanatory. However, it could also be an attempt to compensate for not having a disc drive and promote digital ownership instead. Furthermore, it provides space for higher-resolution video content, such as 8K footage of ‘Gran Turismo 7’, if you’ve been eagerly anticipating this. This also seamlessly leads us into the Wi-Fi discussion.
Wi-Fi
Instead of the PS5 having Wi-Fi 6, the upgraded PS5 Pro comes with Wi-Fi 7 technology. In addition to handling data bands at 2.5, 5 and 6 Hz, it also offers a bandwidth support of 320 MHz, boasting a potential maximum speed of 46 GB/s for faster downloads and streaming. This improvement might particularly help those who stream games from the cloud, although its benefits will largely depend on your specific internet plan. The PS5 Pro’s enhanced Wi-Fi capabilities are one of the often overlooked forward-thinking aspects of this new model.
Conclusion
Although Sony positions the PS5 Pro as a solution to bridge Fidelity and Performance modes, many consider it as a high-end choice rather than a standard mid-generation upgrade. There’s much discussion about its relevance, particularly in contrast to the PS4 Pro, which represented a substantial leap from the original PS4 (considered obsolete from the start). On the other hand, there are still more cross-generational games than exclusives for the PS5, with few fully utilizing the console’s capabilities.
Regardless of the PS4 Pro’s price matching that of the original console at launch ($399), it managed to sell approximately 12% of all PS4 units, or 14.5 million consoles, throughout its lifespan. According to Ampere Analysis research director Piers Harding-Rolls, we might anticipate a comparable reaction for the PS5 Pro, with around 1.3 million PS5 Pro sales projected for this year.
The Sony external disc drive is ranked eighth among Amazon US’s Best Sellers, indicating a possible strong interest in it. However, it’s out of stock on Best Buy. This could suggest that there’s considerable demand (either from consumers or resellers) or perhaps both. We’ll only know for sure once pre-orders for the console become available.
Although the PS5 Pro surpasses the PS5 in many aspects, its CPU improvements are minimal at this stage. We’ll have to wait and see how game developers utilize these enhancements for existing games. The potential use of the GPU and ray tracing in future first-party games is intriguing. However, it’s important to note that the PS5 Pro doesn’t represent a significant leap like a PS6 would, regardless of pricing or any extra costs.
Read More
- DOP PREDICTION. DOP cryptocurrency
- JASMY PREDICTION. JASMY cryptocurrency
- EUR PKR PREDICTION
- CORE PREDICTION. CORE cryptocurrency
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- MDT PREDICTION. MDT cryptocurrency
- PSP PREDICTION. PSP cryptocurrency
- EUR VND PREDICTION
- AGI PREDICTION. AGI cryptocurrency
- RLC PREDICTION. RLC cryptocurrency
2024-09-13 19:41