If you value smooth video game action with detailed and perfectly lit game environments, the Sony PlayStation 5 Pro, which is released on November 7, may be right for you. It is designed for enhanced gaming.
Sony announced on Tuesday that a new PlayStation 5 is on the way for gamers who want smoother, more detailed video game adventures.
Scheduled for release on November 7, the PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to closely resemble the slim PlayStation 5 console that launched in November 2023, with more pronounced stripes on the side.
But inside, the PlayStation 5 Pro features advanced hardware and software designed for “super-sharp image clarity, high frame rate gameplay and advanced ray tracing,” the company said in its announcement.
All of this means “some notable improvements in gaming,” said Mark Cerny, lead architect of the PS5, in a technical presentation on the PS5 Pro on YouTube. “We may see improved sharpness of graphics or smoother and more responsive gameplay.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the PS5 Pro, including price and when to pre-order.
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Sony PlayStation 5 Pro: What’s different?
In addition to a 2 terabyte hard drive, the PS5 Pro has some specific improvements that make video games look better:
- New graphics processor chip: The PS5 Pro has a larger graphics processing unit with faster response, making game video rendering up to 45% faster, Cerny said.
- Advanced ray tracing: The PS5 Pro has up to three times the capacity of the current PS5 when it comes to displaying realistic lighting and simulating real-world reflections and refractions in gaming environments, said Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s platform business group, in a post on the PlayStation blog.
- Artificial intelligence: PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) uses AI and machine learning-based technology to improve the look of games. “PSSR analyzes game images pixel by pixel and can add an extraordinary amount of detail, increasing the effective resolution of games,” said Cerny.
- Game Boost: This feature “could stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games,” Nishino said. The extension could improve more than 8,500 backwards compatible PS4 games. Improved image quality will also improve the resolution of some PS4 games, he said.
Which games can the new PlayStation 5 Pro improve?
According to Sony, many studios are developing free software updates to take advantage of the PS5 Pro upgrades.
Some of the expected PS5 Pro Enhanced games: 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 The Last of Us Part II Remastered.
How much does the PlayStation 5 Pro cost and is it worth the money?
The PlayStation 5 Pro will cost $699.99.
Whether it’s worth it probably depends on your interest in gaming and your budget. The current PS5 is up to $200 cheaper – starting at $449 for a digital PS5 (without a disc drive) or $499 with a disc drive. If you’ve been planning on getting a PS5 as a holiday purchase, the current console is a cheaper choice.
However, if you already own a PS5 and are looking to upgrade, the PS5 Pro might be tempting. Although it comes with a controller, the PS5 Pro is compatible with all current accessories, including PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal remote, DualSense Edge wireless controller, Access Controller, Pulse Elite wireless headset, and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds.
The PS5 Pro comes without a disc drive, but you can add an Ultra HD drive ($79.99) that plays PS5 and PS4 games, as well as DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.
The improved fidelity and performance may be the PS5 Pro’s biggest selling point. “Everything is crisper, smoother, or both,” wrote CNET editor-in-chief Scott Stein in his detailed demo of the PS5 Pro.
“I’d rather play on the PS5 Pro… (but) I don’t know if the sometimes subtle upgrades are worth the price for many,” he wrote. “The PS5 Pro is not the PlayStation 6, which probably won’t be out for another three or four years, and it’s not for everyone. It’s a big, graphically enhanced piece of hardware that can keep up with, and maybe even surpass, ever-changing PCs.”
When can I pre-order the PlayStation 5 Pro?
Pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 Pro begin on September 26th and the console will be available in stores and on direct.playstation.com.
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