PS5 Pro finally unveiled with release date and pricing

The long-awaited PS5 Pro, an upgraded PS5 model featuring improved specs (although, puzzlingly no disc drive) has been formally revealed. The new console boasts a larger GPU, improved ray-tracing and AI-driven resolution upscaling. Whether or not these improved features will be worth the eye-watering price tag is of course up to the consumer.

In the reveal trailer, PS5 Lead Architect Mark Cerny goes into the details of the PS5 Pro model and how it differs from the specs of the original PS5. The console will include 2TB SSD as well as Wi-Fi 7, meaning more storage and faster downloads. Cosmetically, the new console is distinguished by the large horizontal stripe across the faceplate. In terms of what it does, the graphical and performance improvements are focused on reducing pain points for developers needing to design separate graphics modes for resolution or performance, resulting in a console which can provide higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60FPS. According to the PlayStation Blog, the consoles key new features include:

• Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
• Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
• AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

The console also includes PS5 Pro Game Boost, which stablises or enhances the performance of over 8,500 supported PS4 and PS5 games. Several older and upcoming games will be patched with free software updates for gamers to take advantage of PS5 Pro’s features. Some of these include Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Notably, the console will not launch with an in-built disc-drive, however similarly to the PS5 Slim Digital Edition, a disc drive can be purchased separately and attached to the PS5 Pro.

That said, these upgrades aren’t cheap. As confirmed by Press-Start Australia, the Australian price for the new console will be $1,199.95 AUD for the digital edition, or $1,360 AUD for a console purchased alongside an attachable disc drive. This is certainly a lot for a console, let alone one which, by default, doesn’t play physical copies of games, locking out players with large physical libraries. Whether the graphical and performance improvements will be enough to drive players to upgrade with that price tag in mind is anyone’s guess. We will find out soon, as the PS5 Pro will launch on November 7th 2024, with preorders beginning on September 26th 2024.