What Upgrades May Be Coming For The PS5 Pro (And When We Can Possibly Expect It)
Chronologically, we are at the same point in the PS5's production cycle when Sony refreshed its precursor console with the PS4 Pro. The rumor mill isn't quite as hot at the moment, but plenty of reports claim that a PS5 Pro exists and could hit stores in 2024. Even though the sources seem to vary in details regarding the exact launch time, they all seem to be in a consensus about Sony's plan to release the PS5 Pro.
Rumors about the PS5 Pro's existence started about three years ago, when YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead suggested in a 2021 video that the potential launch of the mid-generate update would come by 2023. The YouTuber mentioned, "Indeed, there is a PS5 Pro coming in a similar time frame to when one came out after the original PS4 launch."
Sony released the PS4 in November 2013, and exactly three years later, in November 2016, it refreshed the original console with a "Pro" variant. However, the YouTuber's prediction turned out to be inaccurate, and instead, the Tokyo-based gaming giant dropped the PS5 Slim that year. However, it wasn't until March of 2024 that some concrete information about the mid-generation console started showing up again, including details about its processor, performance, and other potential features that it could carry.
PS5 Pro: Expected CPU and GPU upgrades
The PS5 Pro is expected to come with marginal, yet meaningful upgrades, most limited to the hardware. Even so, the proposed console will share most of its fundamentals with the original PS5. A March 2024 report by Insider Gaming gives us the best look at the PS5 Pro's specifications.
The report states that the console will feature the same AMD Zen 2 CPU (7nm) as the current console, with a new "High CPU Frequency Mode" that takes it from 3.5GHz to 3.85GHz for playing titles that require a boost in computing performance. Regarding graphics, the PS5 Pro could be a dominant force with a new and improved AMD RDNA GPU, which offers up to 45% faster rendering and 2-3x more ray tracing abilities — which might even go up to 4x for some titles. The GPU is also purported to offer 33.5 Teraflops of computational power — a massive upgrade compared to the PS5's 10.28 Teraflops. The console is also said to feature an "AI Accelerator" that supports 300 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) of potential 8-bit computation.
The PS5 refresh could also come with a higher memory bandwidth of 576 GB/s instead of the current PS5's 448 GB/s throughput, making the console substantially faster at loading games. The PS5 Pro would theoretically build on the excellent platform that the PS5 is, pushing it further to deliver an even more streamlined and beautiful gaming experience.
Will the mid-generation console offer any new features?
With the refined hardware, the PS5 Pro should be able to run more games at 8K native resolution. Currently, the regular PS5 supports 4K resolution for various titles. However, with advancements in technology and the advent of 8K monitors, enthusiasts and professionals might want to upgrade, and Sony would seemingly like to capture that market. However, Insider Gaming states that 8K support on PS5 Pro will be enabled via future software updates. Nonetheless, it's still one of the key upgrades expected from the PS5 Pro.
A GameRant report from 2023 claimed that the purported PS4 Pro iteration for PS5 will feature proprietary hardware-driven upscaling technology. Later, this was confirmed as "PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Upscaling." The feature, like Nvidia's DLSS, could use machine learning to help improve a game's overall performance and visuals. While these are the new features on the software side, the PS5 Pro could come with two major functional additions: A new DualSense Controller, and a detachable Blu-ray Player.
Most recently, an unreleased Sony DualSense Controller listing was spotted on Best Buy Canada. It had similar features to the current version, but added a 12-hour battery. The console could also come with a detachable Blu-ray player, identical to the current PS5 Slim.
When is the PS5 Pro due for launch?
Three reliable sources have predicted that the PS5 Pro will be released later this year. First, the YouTube channel we discussed in the beginning, Moore's Law is Dead, revised its claim in March 2024 (in a video that's no longer available on YouTube due to a copyright claim by Sony), asserting that the mid-generation update will arrive at Christmas 2024.
Then there's Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming, claiming that the console is aiming for a holiday 2024 release. Last but not least, Jeff Grub, on his Game Mess podcast, also predicted the launch for September 2024. While these don't clarify a particular date, they sure fervent the late 2024 release of the PS5 Pro.
There have been no leaks or rumors regarding the price. However, in 2016, Sony launched the PS4 Pro at $399 — the same price as the regular PS4 that came out in 2013. Currently, the PS5 with a disk drive is available for $499.99. If the PS4 Pro's trend is anything to go by, the PS5 Pro may also cost $499.99 at launch, but it's not likely.
Sony could charge a premium for its top-tier console, targeting the product toward enthusiasts and professionals who want the absolute best gaming quality a console can offer. This remains a conjecture, and we're waiting on a solid rumor or a report to provide more information about the PS5 Pro's expected pricing.