When the PlayStation 5 launched in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, the only thing harder to get your hands on was toilet roll. Demand for the console was high but availability was limited and it took Sony three years to solve its stock woes.
Then, in 2023, came the PS5 Slim, replacing the original console form factor but still identifiable as Sony’s console. PS5s were no longer a rare find.
Now, a year later, we get the PlayStation 5 Pro, a more powerful console that promises a jump in performance, and delivers it.
What do you get for the extra money? Better graphics performance for a start. The PS5 Pro is trading on that Pro moniker and to do that, it needed to up its game.
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The Pro’s graphics processing unit is faster than its predecessor and the console comes with visual upgrades that are truly stunning, from ray tracing at 60 frames per second, to an AI-driven technology that upscales content to make it really pop, and improved graphical fidelity.
That AI technology is PlayStation spectral super resolution, Sony’s proprietary technology that it has developed with the hopes of delivering some jaw-dropping visuals. If you want to sit and marvel at Spider Man swinging his way through New York, you really should do it on PS5 Pro. I found myself getting caught up in the visuals more than in the gameplay at times, like I was taking a realistic run through the city.
That’s not the only upgrade. The internal storage has been boosted to 2TB, giving you extra space to store games and other data. That is a welcome upgrade. I didn’t realise how quickly I would burn through the original PS5′s storage with digital games until the updates no longer came. Then there is the inevitable shuffling around of content, archiving and offloading games to make room for a gigantic game update. The extra storage space will ensure that is not an issue – for a while at least.
But what Sony giveth, Sony taketh away. What you gain in extra storage, you lose in versatility. The physical drive has been removed, so unless you want to shell out for the external disc drive (another €100), it’s destined to remain a digital console.
That was a curious decision on Sony’s part. Most serious gamers I know have a stash of physical games they like to hold on to; the decision to make the drive an optional extra to what is already a very expensive console just loads up the expense of owning the Pro.
Because it is an expensive one, there’s no doubt about it. At €800, it is the most expensive Sony console out there, a fact that the games giant isn’t apologising for.
It is the best PS5 console you can get, there is no arguing there. But will gamers be willing to spend big to get it? You can understand people rushing to spend hundreds of euro on a new generation console that has been eagerly awaited, but as an update to an existing device, it is essentially competing against itself.
If you like to have the best gaming performance without compromising elsewhere, then the PS5 Pro is a worthy upgrade. But you’ll need to have deep pockets.
Good
Graphics on the PS5 Pro are amazing. The original PS5 was no slouch in this area, but the PS5 Pro pushes things up a notch. The increased performance of the GPU and support for up to 120Hz displays means graphics are super smooth, under the right conditions. The ability to upscale content is also very appealing, making everything incredible sharp and detailed. If you want to sit and gawp at graphics, then the PS5 Pro is the console to have.
Bad
The graphics upgrades are nice, but won’t have everyone rushing to upgrade.
It is a digital console, which means you will need to buy an external drive if you want to use physical discs in your games collection.
Sony doesn’t include the stand in the retail version either; that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, as the console spends most of its time on its side, but it will certainly rankle with some gamers.
It is also incredibly expensive, but if you want the best, Sony is willing to bet you will pay for it.
Everything else
You’ll get the most out of this console by pairing it with a 120Hz display, but unless you are working with seriously out of date technology, graphics will look great regardless on most displays.
Wifi 7 future-proofs the console – a welcome move because with the price of the PS5 Pro, you are going to want to keep it as long as possible.
Verdict
For pro gamers, the PS5 Pro will provide the uptick in graphics performance they may not have realised they needed. But it comes at a cost.
