A 9-minute tech presentation with no fluff from Mark Cerny has revealed the long-rumoured PS5 Pro. It’s what most reports had it pegged as an upgraded PS5 with a focus on being able to support 60fps on fidelity modes. It doesn’t come with a disc drive, much like the PS5 Slim, although you can buy that as an add-on, and there was no talk of exclusive games for the console, although a bunch will be getting updates to take advantage of the better hardware in the console.
In the video presentation, Cerny spoke of the key areas the consoles focus on:
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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.
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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.
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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 main reason for the console seems to be to close the gap between fidelity and performance modes in games. Those wanting a smooth gaming experience have to lose some of the fidelity to play at 60fps, and the PS5 Pro is targeting to allow you to play games with the best of both worlds. There are also some features like in Gran Turismo 7, where you could previously only view cars with Ray-Tracing enabled outside of races; thanks to the PS5 Pro, you’ll now enjoy all the shiny surfaces while racing the cars.
The console will also improve older games with ‘PS5 Game Boost.”
“PS5 Pro Game Boost, which can apply to more than 8,500 backward compatible PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro. This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games.”
PS5 Pro also includes Wi-Fi 7 in places worldwide that support the format.
A bunch of games will be getting free patches to take advantage of the PS5 Pro, and you’ll be able to notice these with the ‘PS5 Pro Enhanced’ label on them. The game confirmed to be getting a patch and/or support the Pro are:
- Alan Wake 2
- Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
- Demon’s Souls
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Gran Turismo 7
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- The Crew Motorfest
- The First Descendant
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered
The PS5 Pro will launch on November 7 and include a 2TB SSD and a DualSense wireless controller in the box for $1,199.95 AUD. The stand and disc drive are also purchased separately.
Pre-orders will begin on 26 September 2024.
Will you pick up the PS5 Pro at launch, or is the price point just a bit too high? Let me know in the comment section.
