PS5 Pro: what to expect from the improved console

In November 2020, the PlayStation 5 was released to great acclaim. But shortly after the market launch, the first rumors about a Pro version of Sony’s new console came up. In this article we take a look at what we can expect from an improved model.

The PS5 came onto the market almost exactly two years ago. Since the life spans of modern consoles usually last a maximum of seven to eight years, it is therefore quite possible that the coveted console is already a quarter of its life behind.

Recently, with the announcement of the Pro controller for the PS5, the DualSense Edge, there has been renewed movement as to whether and when there will also be a Pro model for the console. Surprisingly, the first rumors about an improved version of the console emerged shortly after the original PS5 was released.

For this reason, in this article we look at why there could definitely be a PS5 Pro and what we should expect from it.

Here’s the official PS5 Pro Controller announcement video:

Sony has always released mid-gen consoles in the past

Similar to Nintendo, Sony is also known for releasing so-called mid-gen consoles. These are modified or improved variants of the original consoles, which usually appear after about three years. Examples of this would be the slim versions, which actually appeared for every single console in the PlayStation series, or even the PS4 Pro.

Compared to the original PlayStation 4, it was able to display better frame rates (FPS) and, for the first time, 4k resolutions – a world first for consoles.

Microsoft released the Xbox One X a year later on November 2017, which was also a significant upgrade compared to the original Xbox One.

Since technological progress is now really rapid, it has become almost inevitable to publish improved versions of the current console generation – if only to remain competitive.

This is also reflected in the following quote from former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden:

You start working on the next-gen platform almost the day after you release whatever the current-gen is. The development of the PlayStation 5 is very far back. (…) You always have to be a little ahead of things.

Shawn Layden

Accordingly, there were sometimes the first rumors about a PS6:

Does a PS5 Pro get significantly more performance than the PS5?

What could a PS5 Pro do better technically? The PS5 is already tremendously powerful. For example, in addition to ray tracing, it is already able to display certain games such as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 and Fortnite in 4k and 120 Hz.

However, the most obvious things are likely to be a more powerful GPU, further improved and more stable frame rates and higher resolutions, such as native 8k output. The latter is already promised on the packaging of the current console, but in fact there is not a single game that can run on the PlayStation 5 with this resolution.

However, one reason for this may also be that 8k technology is not yet widespread enough and developers are therefore not programming their games accordingly.

However, since Sony also produces televisions, it would be conceivable that an actually 8k-capable PS5 Pro should also boost sales of TVs with this modern technology. Something similar was already the case with the PS3 and the then new Blu-Ray technology.

The memory should be larger with a PS5 Pro

Which upgrade does the PS5 Pro urgently need? In addition, the PS5 Pro’s NVMe SSD should also see an upgrade. The storage volume of the PS5 is not particularly large, with just 825 GB of storage space ex works. Of that, we have about 650 GB left for installing games and software.

However, since triple A games in particular are becoming more and more memory intensive, it is inevitable that the memory of a PS5 Pro should also be increased. For example, the currently largest game for the console “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” takes up almost a third of the free memory of the PlayStation 5 with 225.3 GB.

We therefore believe that Sony will rely on increased memory for a possible Ps5 Pro. It may be based on the PS4 Pro, where Sony installed a 1 TB HDD. The function of expanding the memory with an additional SSD should still be available with a Pro version of the console.

With an additional SSD you can upgrade the PS5 enormously. And you too should definitely think about purchasing an additional NVMe SSD for your PS5:

The PS5 Pro should also change visually

How could a PS5 Pro differ from the design of the original console? Obviously the PS5 is a huge piece of hardware. Compared to a Slim version of the console – which is possibly already being worked on – it is quite possible that a Pro version could even add a few centimeters and grams. This was already the case with the PS4 Pro, which grew quite a bit compared to the original console.

Sony will probably not throw the polarizing design of the PS5 overboard, but rather build on the futuristic look of the console. This has also been seen on mid-gen consoles in the past.

When to expect a PS5 Pro

When is a possible release date for the PS5 Pro? The regular PS5 is still hard to come by; is a PS5 Pro therefore realistic at all? Just recently, in Sony’s 2022 business segment briefing, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan announced that “more people want a ps5 than ever did a ps4”. However, this demand still clearly outweighs the existing supply. The main reason for this is still the delivery difficulties caused by the corona pandemic and the global shortage of semiconductors.

In addition, the situation is further aggravated by rising production costs due to inflation.

For these reasons, the switch to a new manufacturing process and thus also the release of a PS5 Pro in 2023 for the three-year anniversary seems difficult to imagine at the moment.

Nevertheless, you can be pretty sure that there will be new hints about the improved console again in the not too distant future. However, there is no official release date and Sony has not yet presented a new console.

Don’t have a PS5 yet? If you don’t have a PS5 yet, it’s best to check out our ticker. Here we keep you up to date and explain how you can best get a PS5 and show you drops for the coveted console.

There are regular PS5 offers at the various retailers. If you keep an eye on our live ticker, the chance that you will miss the popular console decreases.

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