A mid-generation console upgrade like the PS5 Pro is an interesting prospect in 2024. The last mid-gen update, the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X, felt like an easy recommendation based on their push to 4K console gaming for the first time. Now, we find ourselves in a different state of being; we just don’t have as much disposable income to spend on unnecessary, expensive technology. How necessary you find the PS5 Pro will depend on many factors, certainly; it boasts incredible features like advanced Ray Tracing, super sharp image clarity, and high frame rate gameplay. That makes tech nerds like me with constant FOMO want to invest, regardless of the eye-watering $1200 entry fee.
After having spent the last week putting it through its paces, playing over 15 “PS5 Pro Enhanced” titles and also checking how it improves on games that don’t have that patch, the overarching answer of whether you should bother with buying a PS5 Pro is fence-sitting in nature. Yes, it’s the most powerful video game console available, rivalling that of a solid gaming PC. Yes, it makes games with incredible visuals look even more incredible, and run even faster. Yes, it’s a hefty price, and you may have just spent $700-ish on an OG PS5 less than four years ago, which still runs perfectly fine. Let’s dive in deeper.
Before I get cracking properly, I want to let you know that I’m not going to be the person who breaks down the technology to an insane degree, comparing multiple different images across generations, side-by-side frame-rate checks and the like. If that’s your jam, there are other more tech-focused websites and content creators who do a much better job at those breakdowns than I ever could. I’ll be tackling this review of the PS5 Pro from the perspective of the average consumer; of a gamer, first and foremost, wanting to unpack whether or not this expensive piece of kit is worthy of a spot in your TV cabinet.
Paint me like one of your French consoles
Firstly, there is a slickness to the PS5 Pro that really makes noticeable improvements to the original PS5 just on a visual level. I love how this console looks next to my TV; it’s about the same height but slimmer than the original, and it’s a little bit taller and chunkier than the PS5 Slim that was released last year. That additional heft makes sense considering what is housed within, and the added nice touch of the racing stripes on the side to separate the faceplates gives it a more distinct, and if I may say, sexy look.
“…there is a slickness to the PS5 Pro that really makes noticeable improvements to the original PS5 just on a visual level.”
Of course, much has been said about the lack of disc drive, with a large chunk of folk noting that this is not ideal; they’re an extra $150 to tack on and are proving difficult to find in stores. I’m already in a firmly digital camp, having purchased the OG PS5 Digital Edition, having done away with discs years ago. So for me, this is no different; I much prefer swapping between my library within the console without worrying about getting off the couch to change discs, and services like PS Plus make it easier to have a large game catalogue at your fingertips. If you had an OG PS5 with a disc drive, though, and are considering this upgrade, the extra cost (or the potential loss of access to your physical game library) could certainly hurt.
It also doesn’t come with a vertical stand in the box; PlayStation Australia was kind enough to provide one for me alongside the PS5 Pro for this review, but if I’d grabbed one in-store and came home to find I needed to spend another $50 on a stand, I would have been a bit feral. Again, your mileage may vary here; you may have already purchased one of these stands in the past for your PS5 Slim, which means this is a moot point. But for those with a launch-day PS5 like I had, it’s another factor for upgrading, which puts the entire package – PS5 Pro, Disc Drive and Vertical Stand – closer to $1400 in total, double the price of an OG. Big oof.
Straight out of the box, the PS5 Pro does have a 2TB SSD, so twice the size of the OG PS5. This is a massive improvement; previously, only a handful of bulky games would fill up the PS5, but now you can fit all the big hitters quite comfortably. I found it amusing that I was able to re-download all of the massive PS5 games from the last couple of years, plus my prior collection of games I already had downloaded on my old console and still had room for more. With beasts like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 still proving to be hard-drive hogs, the extra size is a blessing.
Incremental gains
The tagline of “Witness Play Unleashed” regarding the PS5 Pro is backed up by three key features that make it a notable upgrade from its predecessor; the first I’ll talk through, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), is perhaps the most interesting. This uses AI-enhanced resolution to ensure super-sharp image clarity on your 4K TV, so that you can play games with even more detail. The technology itself is heavily bolstered by developers who go the extra mile to make their games PS5 Pro Enhanced, but it also ensures that non-patched PS5 games and even PS4 games will get a benefit. Essentially, it uses machine learning to add detail and improve image clarity, maintaining quality while increasing frame rates. I’m unsure if it’s a placebo effect of having the new machine, but checking out some PS5 and PS4 favourites did feel slightly better than I remember them, but not so much so that it blew my mind. At the end of the day, it’s not magic.
Broadly, there is optimised console performance, so that you can reach higher and more consistent frame rates, with support for 60Hz and 120Hz displays. Running on my 120Hz TV, I found my experience playing on my PS5 Pro to feel slicker and more satisfying than ever before. In particular, I tried this out with EA SPORTS F1 24, and while I have zero interest in F1 racing in general, I can’t deny that the quality of the title running at 120FPS feels absolutely incredible, and was noticeably smoother than the other “Graphics mode” option available. For intense racing fans, that speed will matter a lot, and the higher frame rate also did a nice job of fixing games that previously struggled with it, like Rise of the Ronin.
Next-level realism is offered with Advanced Ray Tracing, providing more detailed reflections, shadows and high-quality global illuminations. How you feel about the importance of Ray Tracing might vary, but it’s no doubt impressive in motion. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a thrilling example; when you’re swinging and gliding through the city at high speeds and still seeing reflections in the windows of buildings and bouncing off the water below you, it’s hard not to be impressed.
So wait, which mode do I pick?
For those games that are PS5 Pro Enhanced, they truly do feel better than ever, although there are some caveats. So far, there are over 50 games that are PS5 Pro Enhanced, and having more added into the mix is dependent on those developers making those improvements in a future patch. Without question, all of the games with this functionality that I tested had noticeable improvements, benefitting from higher frame rates, better Ray Tracing, enhancements via PSSR, and more. But the execution comes off a little clunky in practice.
For this current generation, visual settings in games have often had the choice to either prioritise resolution and visual fidelity, or performance and frame rate, but never both. This has always felt like a downside, where you have to choose one or the other… and due to the high-intensity action games I tend to favour, performance has always been the obvious choice. PS5 Pro doesn’t do away with these options, but it does change them, with some confusing but mostly successful results.
Available modes depend entirely on the game and the developer. Some, are relatively simple; for example, Stellar Blade has a Pro mode that enhances both resolution and frame rate, utilising PSSR. It also has a Pro Max mode, prioritising resolution and quality, but also provides a higher frame rate. In practice, the Pro Max mode gives the smooth performance that the OG PS5 provides, with much more enhanced visuals, so it’s the best of both worlds. It also offers HFR, capitalising on the 120Hz refresh rate if you have it. It’s a bit of tinkering, for sure, but it makes an already painfully beautiful game even more gorgeous, with breathtaking graphics, and the fast-paced combat smoother and more satisfying than ever.
“It’s impressive stuff, that visual nerds will have a lot of fun with.”
Horizon Forbidden West is a true spectacle, almost a pinch-myself moment that it looks so fantastic and runs so well on a console. It does come with multiple options for visuals, too; Performance Pro, focusing on 60FPS, Balanced Pro at 40FPS, and Resolution Pro at 30FPS with a focus on more visual spectacle. Performance Pro is definitely the way to go here; with so much detail in its bold open world, the fight against the machines feeling the best is the priority, and it still includes upscaling and anti-aliasing algorithms, resulting in stronger visuals here anyway. Its expansion, Burning Shores, is particularly awe-inspiring, with an even higher quality render mode used to make it really pop.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 lets you pick either Performance Pro, targeting smooth 60FPS while looking as fantastic as the Fidelity mode on the base PS5. Additional messing around with settings is possible, as well; Fidelity Pro allows you to play with VRR, 120Hz, and Ray Tracing can be experimented with further, including Ambient Occlusion lighting, higher quality reflections and interiors, and the ability to calculate sun shadows at mid-to-far distance, to make for impactful city views. It’s impressive stuff, that visual nerds will have a lot of fun with. It’s a similar story to Insomniac’s other game, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, with a variety of Ray Tracing options available.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth has a Versatility Mode, which uses PSSR again for both high resolution and more fluid motion at 60FPS. With optimised rendering, it is the absolute best way to play the epic RPG, with everything looking and feeling better across the board. Alan Wake 2 is as horrifying as ever, with Ray Tracing, improved visual quality and image stability in both Quality and Performance Modes. Naughty Dog has also done a brilliant job, with the Pro mode also combining the best of both worlds when it comes to fidelity and performance in both The Last of Us Part 1 and 2. They look stunning.
In other games, it’s a little hard to tell if much of a difference is made from the PS5 Pro upgrade. Dragon Age: The Veilguard does feel somewhat better, but has no obvious choice for different Pro modes, so it’s hard to tell; Fortnite, too, has slightly improved lighting and visuals, but you’d have to really squint to see them. It just goes to show; that some developers will fully make the most of the PS5 Pro’s potential, while others may not bother, or at least not make a big deal about it. It’s still early days, though, and many more will likely come on board in the future.
Gaming of the Future
Inevitably, the decision to buy a PS5 Pro today comes down to how much you value all of these visual enhancements, and what it means for the next few years of gaming ahead. I do not doubt that big releases in the coming years, including GTA VI, Marvel’s Wolverine, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Monster Hunter Wilds and many others, will play the absolute best on PS5 Pro, and anything that pushes visuals as a priority will run much better on the advanced hardware, much like we saw with last generation.
In terms of buying one today, the decision comes down to whether “making amazing-looking games from the last couple of years look even more amazing” is enough to warrant the purchase. For those who have been waiting for a reason to jump into PlayStation this generation for the first time, I think the value is there. While it may be more expensive, it’s smart to future-proof, and the enhancements to PlayStation IP staples like God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and more are bloody brilliant. For existing PS5 owners, there are additional questions to factor in. Will your TV make the most of the higher output? Are these games worth going back to, to play again at a higher quality? Do slight visual upgrades, like reflections in puddles and faster frame rates in animations, make you super excited?
I can’t exactly answer all of those questions for you, but what I can tell you is that the PS5 Pro moves one step closer to providing an experience on a console that is on par with powerful gaming PCs. If developers continue to support it and take advantage of the hardware, it’s a solid and safe upgrade, as long as you’re willing to splash out.
The PS5 Pro is available now.
The PS5 Pro was provided to Checkpoint Gaming for review by PlayStation Australia.
About the Author
Luke Mitchell
he/him
Luke spends his time making radio, playing video games, binge-watching TV, getting unreasonably invested in wrestling, hosting bear events and hanging out with his beautiful pets.
