Sony has finally revealed the video game industry’s worst-kept secret: the PlayStation 5 Pro. It costs $700, comes without a disc drive, and is due to launch this November.
PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny confirmed the mid-generation refresh during a PS5 technical presentation. Cerny said Sony wants to give gamers the high frame rates they prefer with the new console. The GPU is much larger, ray tracing is improved, and there is custom hardware for machine learning (PSSR). This can increase the effect of resolution in games, Cerny added.
Sony showed off a number of games with enhanced graphics on the PS5 Pro, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Gran Turismo 7 and Hogwarts Legacy.
In a post on the PlayStation blog, Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Platform Business Group, explained the features of the PS5 Pro:
- Improved GPU: With PS5 Pro, we’re upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more compute cores than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience significantly smoother.
- Advanced ray tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing, which creates more dynamic reflection and refraction, allowing rays to be cast at twice and sometimes even three times the speed of the current PS5 console.
- AI-driven upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-powered upscaling that uses machine learning-based technology to deliver super-sharp image clarity by adding an exceptional amount of detail.
Sony also confirmed the PS5 Pro’s price at $699.99 / £699.99 / €799.99 / ¥119,980 and a release date of November 7, 2024. It includes a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a pre-installed copy of Astro’s Playroom.
Sony clarified that the PS5 Pro will be available as a console without a disc drive, with the option to purchase the currently available disc drive for the PS5 separately.
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Wesley is IGN’s UK News Editor. You can find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
