PlayStation 5 Pro goes on sale – reviews call it too expensive compared to the regular PS5

Sales of the PlayStation 5 Pro game console began today. Leading media outlets shared their opinions on the new console after testing, as well as whether the new product is worth the $700 that Sony priced it at.

Image Source: The Verge

During the announcement of the new console, its chief architect Mark Cerny said that the PS5 Pro is superior to the original console in three key parameters: a more powerful graphics processor, improved ray tracing and customizable AI scaling.

From left to right: PS5, PS5 Slim, PS5 Pro. Image source: Games Radar

The PS5 Pro version is equipped with an eight-core Ryzen SoC from AMD with support for 16 virtual threads. The chip is based on the same Zen 2 architecture as the processor in the original PlayStation 5 released in 2020, as well as its more recent PS5 Slim, a 30% smaller version of the console introduced last year. The processor operates at the same 3.5 GHz frequency, but thanks to the support of new algorithms, it can automatically overclock to 3.85 GHz, which previous versions of the PS5 cannot do. The processor’s integrated graphics have been upgraded. It is based on the same RDNA 2 architecture, but the iGPU contains 67% more computing units than the graphics of the regular PlayStation 5. Thanks to this, the GPU performance has increased to 16.7 teraflops versus 10.3 teraflops for the original model. The GDDR6 RAM remains the same at 16 GB, but its speed has increased to 18 Gbit/s (the regular model has 14 Gbit/s). There is also 2GB of DDR5 RAM for operating system needs. SSD capacity has doubled to 2 TB.

Sony has made the CMOS battery easier to access in the new device, making it easier to reset. The original console required complete disassembly to do this. The permanent memory for installing games can be increased using an additional drive. The new product does not have a disc drive, which reviewers write down as a minus for the console, since owners of game collections on discs will have to purchase an additional drive separately for $79.

The optional disc drive on PS5 Pro installs without any screws or tools. Image source: The Verge

The PS5 Pro also gets Sony’s new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) AI-based upscaling feature, similar to Nvidia’s DLSS or AMD’s FSR. PSSR improves frame rates and image quality and is intended to replace existing implementations of temporal anti-aliasing or upsampling. The set-top box also supports ray tracing. According to Sony, the new PS5 Pro offers up to a 45% increase in rendering speed and should improve detail and frame rates.

Can be opened at full size. From left to right: Bloodborne on PS5, Bloodborne on PS5 Pro with PS4 image enhancement enabled. Image source: The Verge

According to a reviewer at The Verge, if we ignore the issue of ray tracing, the performance of the PS5 Pro feels weaker than that of a PC based on the Ryzen 7 5800X with a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti video card – the latter provides better texture rendering and more details. PS5 Pro is capable of outputting images in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. The console’s cooling system has been redesigned, making the new console cooler. As noted by The Verge reviewer, it can no longer be used as a foot warmer, which the original PS5 model did well.

From left to right: PS5 in Performance mode, PS5 in Graphics mode, PS5 Pro in Versatility mode. Image source: The Verge

According to Games Radar, the improvements in graphical ray tracing, detail and overall textures that Sony announced are present, but they are barely noticeable. A new picture can really surprise you, but only if you sit very close to the screen, and not on the couch in front of the TV. When you move away from the screen, all these details are lost against the general background. Therefore, the solution here may be either to use a small gaming monitor or a huge 80-inch TV, which will be located two meters from the user’s eyes. The Verge reviewer does not entirely agree with these conclusions and claims that the improvements in graphics on the PS5 Pro are really visible.

From left to right: PS5 and PS5 Pro. Image source: Games Radar

According to a Tom’s Guide reviewer, he would recommend purchasing a PS5 Pro only with some pretty significant reservations. An improved processor, a GPU with 67% more computational units, 28% faster memory, new PSSR scaling functions – all this, of course, is important. However, they are not worth the $270 (including the additional purchase of a disk drive) that you will have to overpay for the purchase of the PS5 Pro compared to the regular version of the PS5.

From left to right: PS5 and PS5 Pro. Image source: Games Radar

According to all observers, the key audience for PS5 Pro buyers are the most dedicated console gamers and Sony fans, who will be willing to pay $700 for some graphical improvements that may seem more minor than significant. As already mentioned, the lack of a disk drive in the box was disappointing to reviewers, since when purchasing a premium product, it is expected that all additional options will be included in its price.

From left to right: PS5 and PS5 Pro. Source here and below: Games Radar

At the launch of PS5 Pro sales, Sony promised more than 50 games with support for improved graphics on PS5 Pro. As Tom’s Guide notes, at $500, the regular PS5 offers significantly better value for money than the updated model of the console. The regular version plays the same games without issue, delivers largely impressive image clarity (including 4K in some games), and can run blockbuster movies at a stable 60 frames per second.