There’s good reason to speculate about a PS5 Pro launch, although there’s no evidence it’s currently in development and the PS5 is still pretty new. Sony’s 2016 release of the PS4 Pro showed they knew how to build on the foundations of their previous console, and given the popularity and success of the PS5, making something bigger and better almost guaranteed sales.
But the lack of evidence doesn’t mean Sony doesn’t have plans to release more powerful models in the coming years. It’s unclear exactly what the PS5 Pro could improve, though — so far, we haven’t seen any 8K resolution support on the PlayStation 5, and we’ll have to wait for the PS5 Slim to get a better look if we want to see noticeable improvements. Small console.
Still, it’s always fun to speculate and wrap up all the rumors, so let’s dive into the PS5 Pro possibilities and we’ll make some predictions along the way.
PS5 Pro price and release date
We can make educated guesses about when the PS5 Pro will launch and how much it will cost based on what Sony did with the PS4 Pro.
The PS4 Pro launched in 2016, three years after the original PS4. That means we could see a PS5 Pro launch as early as 2023, followed by a November 2020 PS5 launch. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing component shortages could delay the PS5 Pro launch until 2024 or beyond.
In terms of price, the PS4 Pro will be priced at the same price as the original PS4 at $399/£349. We’ve seen a price increase for the PS5 recently, which Sony has blamed on soaring global inflation, so the PS5 is currently £479.99 / €549.99 / AU$799.95. Assuming Sony follows the same strategy as the PS4 Pro, Sony will likely offer the PS5 Pro at the same price.
PS5 Pro design
The PS5 is already a behemoth, which means that unless Sony can make a major improvement, the PS5 Pro could match or even exceed the size of the regular PlayStation 5. A similar situation also happened on the PS4 Pro, which is larger than the original PlayStation 4 and has a certain gap.
Thankfully, the PS5 Slim may be available around the same time for those who really want a smaller system. We think that, much like the PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony’s design will build on the console’s existing futuristic look, but may include some extra features that don’t exist on the current system.
PS5 Pro Specifications
This is where things get less predictable. The PS5 is already an incredibly powerful console, capable of 4K gaming at 120Hz in select titles, ray tracing, and gorgeous visuals across the board. The PS5 Pro will certainly help developers reach higher resolutions and frame rates, but it’s unlikely to represent a tangible leap like we’ve seen from 1080p to 4K.
However, since the PS5 still can’t output any games at 8K resolution, despite the feature being advertised on the console’s retail box, perhaps the PS5 Pro will target the next-gen resolution standard. We’ve already seen a game called The Touryst running at 8K/60fps on PS5, but you can only watch it in 4K resolution right now.
8K isn’t widespread yet, but three years from now, 8K panels may be more affordable and accessible to non-audiophile consumers. Don’t forget that Sony also makes TVs, and the Japanese company may want to use the PS5 Pro to boost sales of its 8K TVs, similar to how the PS3 helped win the war against the Blu-ray Disc format.
The PS5 Pro could come with an AMD Zen 4 CPU and RDNA-3 GPU, but we’ve seen both Microsoft and Sony decide to use slightly beefed-up Xbox One and PS4 CPUs in their upgraded models. Therefore, we expect the PS5 Pro to invest more in the GPU than in the CPU.
PS5 Pro: What else can it offer?
We expect the PS5 Pro to also include a larger SSD than the original PS5, as 825GB isn’t a huge amount to begin with, and some games have large file sizes. The 1TB version certainly helps add more value, and we hope to be able to install one of the best SSDs for the PS5.
What is PS5 Pro Digital Edition? Will Sony release a version without an optical drive? Maybe not. The PS5 Digital Edition serves as a cheaper alternative to the PS5 for those happy to live without it, but releasing two versions of the PS5 Pro (which admittedly won’t appeal to everyone) might be a bit frivolous.
Do we even need a PS5 Pro?
Technically, no, but in two or three years, we may see more roadblocks for developers as the PS5’s aging hardware leads to noticeable compromises in games, such as lower frame rates or resolutions . If the PS5 Pro is enhanced like we’ve seen with the PS4 Pro, the PS5 Pro could revive many older games, and the extra horsepower should ensure new titles aren’t hindered either.
Should I wait for PS5 Pro or buy PS5 outright?
You’ll always get a better deal if you wait, that’s the nature of technology. However, the PS5 is a great console with great games you can play right away. Yes, the PlayStation 5 Pro will be able to provide a better overall experience, but just imagine how much fun you’re missing out on by waiting?
