What you need to know
- After a year of rumors, the PlayStation 5 Pro was finally confirmed.
- With a larger GPU, boosted ray tracing, and “45 per cent faster” rendering, the PS5 Pro is undoubtedly the most powerful video game console in history.
- It’s also among the most pricy, starting at $699.99 without a disc drive or a vertical stand.
- The PS5 Pro also boasts PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), similar to NVIDIA’s DLSS or AMD’S FSR tech.
- Microsoft’s own DirectSR is currently available in preview, with no firm general release date.
As a tech enthusiast who has been following the console wars since the days of the PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64, I can confidently say that the reveal of the PlayStation 5 Pro has sent shockwaves through the gaming community. The PS5 Pro, with its impressive specs and cutting-edge technology, is undoubtedly the most powerful video game console in history. However, its steep price tag of $699.99 without a disc drive or a vertical stand may make it a niche option for many gamers.
After over a year of rumor and speculation, the PlayStation 5 Pro was formally revealed.
Today, PlayStation’s hardware lead Mark Cerny revealed the PS5 Pro on YouTube, providing insights into what gamers can anticipate when the device hits shelves on November 7, 2024. Previous speculations, notably those by Tom Henderson, turned out to be spot-on, showcasing a console boasting rendering that’s 45% quicker thanks to a bigger GPU and faster memory. Mark Cerny explained Sony’s aim to eradicate the need for gamers to decide between performance or quality settings in console games, and they intend to utilize super resolution technology to achieve this goal.
For the past four years following the debut of PS5, we’ve been dedicated to refining and enhancing the console experience, offering the top-tier games that our players have come to anticipate from us. Mark Cerny shared this on the PlayStation Blog. Today, I am thrilled to unveil a significant advancement in this progression and introduce the PlayStation 5 Pro into the PlayStation family – our most sophisticated and groundbreaking console hardware yet.
The PS5 Pro’s GPU has been significantly upgraded to include 67% more compute units, along with memory that operates at a speed 28% faster. This surpasses the Xbox Series X, which was previously known as the “world’s most powerful console,” though it’s important to note that this superiority doesn’t always show in real-world performance. However, one area where the PS5 Pro falls short compared to the Xbox Series X is price – it retails for $699.99 in the U.S., £699.99 in the UK, and €799.99 in Europe, making it significantly more expensive than any other console currently available.
The headline act for me is the PSSR PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution technology. I’ve been using Lossless Scaling and other similar algorithms on my Lenovo Legion Go to improve the experience, with machine learning taking the load off the hardware to generate additional frames and sharpness. Our sources previously indicated to us that Microsoft and Nintendo both are looking to leverage similar techniques in their upcoming Xbox and Nintendo Switch successors, and Microsoft’s own DirectSR solution in support of Intel XeSS, AMD FSR, and NVIDIA DLSS is already in preview.
PlayStation has unveiled “Game Boost,” a feature that appears to be analogous to Xbox’s FPS Boost, designed to improve over 8,500 backward compatible PS4 games on the PS5 Pro. The company claims this will either improve or stabilize existing games without needing developers to intervene. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t been using FPS Boost for some time now, as they’ve ceased operation of their Xbox backward compatibility program. On top of that, the PS5 Pro includes Wi-Fi 7, which could make it a strong contender when paired with the PlayStation Portal streaming accessory.
Among the upcoming titles I’ve been observing are a variety of intensely upgraded games. For instance, I’ve seen trailers for Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest, The First Descendant, and a remastered version of The Last of Us Part II. Plus, there are several more exciting titles in the pipeline too.
Refreshing consoles midway through their generation isn’t a novel concept; Microsoft itself introduced the Xbox One X during the last generation, offering improved resolution but at a higher price point. Interestingly, it appears that Microsoft’s rumored mid-gen update for the Xbox Series X, codenamed Brooklin, has reportedly been scrapped.
Does Xbox need to respond to the PS5 Pro?
I already see gamers balking at the price point here. The PS5 Pro is not cheap, rocking up at €800 in Europe in particular seems like it’s destined to become a very niche option. Still, it doesn’t need to sell millions of units to be profitable. As long as Sony keeps the stock in check and targets users who are willing to pay a premium for a premium experience, the PS5 Pro will more than serve its purpose.
This discussion leads us to the topic of Xbox. At the moment, Microsoft doesn’t seem to have a counterpart for the PS5 Pro. Interestingly, sales of Xbox hardware have been declining annually for a couple of years. Some users are content with their Xbox One, while others might be shifting to other platforms. However, Microsoft claims that it has more Xbox console users than ever before.
It appears that the console market’s userbase remains fairly stable, with approximately 300 million users at any given time. Given this, it’s reasonable to assume that the PS5 Pro will primarily attract existing PlayStation users who are seeking top-tier gaming experiences. Just as I would purchase an Xbox Series X Pro if it didn’t require sacrificing between high resolution visuals and 60 frames per second, but Microsoft doesn’t seem to be planning another Xbox Series X|S console variant at the moment, instead focusing on jumping straight to a new generation in either 2026 or 2027.
Given that the PS5 Pro will most likely simply sell to existing users, it’s unlikely to put a real dent in Microsoft’s Xbox fortunes in the short term. However, it presents some messaging conundrums for Xbox. Microsoft says its next Xbox will represent “the biggest technological leap” for an Xbox console ever, but with Microsoft putting its games on PlayStation, you have to wonder if enough people will still care by then. Will Xbox games like Sea of Thieves and Indiana Jones play best on the PS5 Pro? It’s an awkward reality Microsoft potentially now finds itself in. Or perhaps we’ll all be gaming in the cloud in ten years, and none of this silly console business will matter. Who knows?!
On November 7, 2024, the PS5 Pro is scheduled for release, and you can start pre-ordering it as early as September 26, 2024. Given its price of $699.99, it’s likely to fly off shelves quickly.
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2024-09-10 19:10