The PlayStation 5 Pro, launched on November 7, 2024, has quickly become the center of attention for gamers worldwide. With just 14 iterations of PlayStation released to date, the PS5 Pro introduces notable upgrades, including a stronger GPU, faster RAM, and increased storage capacity. However, its $200 price hike raises an important question: is it worth the investment? Let’s look at the new features and evaluate if the PS5 Pro lives up to the hype.
Key Features of PS5 Pro
Design
A fresh design is the first thing a gamer will notice while unboxing a PS5 Pro. Simpler and slimmer, the PS5 Pro measures 388 x 89 x 216 mm, contrasting with the PS5 Slim’s 358 x 97 x 224 mm dimensions. However, the Pro is much taller than the Slim and a few mm shorter than the original PS5.
In nearly every aspect of its design, the PS5 Pro resembles the PS5 Slim—except for the multiple black stripes in the middle of its console, whereas the Slim has only one. Their resemblance in design and shape offers a few additional benefits to the Slim users. For example, they can swap out the disc drive and face plates from the Slim on the Pro.
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The front is the same polished white panel where the power button, along with two USB-C ports embossed. The back and the bottom are sturdy black panels with ports to connect to the monitor and the control.
The PS5 Pro comes only as an all-digital console. So, the all-digital version of the PS5 Slim is the best aesthetic match for the Pro. It will require a separate buy for the disc drive and vertical stand if anyone wants to use them.
Graphics
Arguably the most promoted feature of the PS5 Pro is its graphical upgrade. Instead of forcing users to choose between fidelity mode and performance mode, better graphics, and higher frame rates, the latest Pro combines both. It renders videos in good fidelity and runs them at high frame rates.
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Behind this collective boost in graphics and performance is a unique technology, which Sony has termed PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). Similar technologies have already been running on PC games. So, the concept is not novel at all.
The PSSR technology is built upon machine learning algorithms that generate detailed images without draining the machine's efficacy. The outcome is undoubtedly an improvement, but not as impressive as it sounds.
The visual difference is mostly notable when the games run on a 4K HD display. Also, the promised performance boost doesn’t reach the expected level for most games. The best experience with PS5 Pro is its performance mode which is better than the fidelity mode of most previous PlayStations.
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Hardware
Aside from the vastly promoted PSSR in the PS5 Pro, Sony is also proud of its GPU, which is rated at 16.7 TFLOPs, a sizable jump from the original's 10.3 TFLOPs. Among other claims, 67% more compute units, and 28% faster RAM, resulting in 45% better performance, are mostly notable.
A 2TB NVMe SSD is an ecstatic addition for game lovers. It resolves the deepest despair of the other PS5 users: the storage shortage. Considering the behemoth size o the contemporary games, the dissatisfaction is understandable. The extended storage – facilitating more installations, and justifying the increased price – offers some solace to core console gamers.
