Sony's PS5 Pro strives to be a graphical powerhouse, but its price tag will make you hit pause

During a short Technical Presentation, Sony officially revealed the PlayStation 5 Pro after months of anticipation. The existence of the PS5’s mid-generation upgrade has been a poorly kept secret as rumors about the console have been floating around the internet for some time now. 

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Be aware the PS5 Pro is not a massive overhaul. The processor stays the same, as the device is focused on delivering improved graphical output. According to Sony, the PS5 Pro houses a stronger graphics card with “67% more Compute Units” than before and “28% faster memory”. The result is “45% faster rendering for gameplay”. 

New features are being added, too. The company is introducing powerful ray tracing to enable more realistic lighting. This capability also allows the PS5 Pro to cast the rays at double, sometimes triple, the speeds of the standard PlayStation 5.

Then, there is PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. This software feature utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to upscale game graphics and add extra detail. Tech news site CNET had the opportunity to demo the PS5 Pro and much of the report goes over how impressive games can look on the console. 

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For example, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth appeared sharper compared to the fuzzy graphics on the previous model and reportedly ran smoothly at 60fps. Gran Turismo 7 reportedly looked stunning when played in 8K resolution on an 80-inch screen.

Sony states several titles in the PS5 library will receive a free patch “to take advantage of [the] PS5 Pro’s features.” A list of titles can be found on the company’s website. These titles include the two games we mentioned above, Hogwarts Legacy, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. 

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Design-wise, Sony has made a few changes. The updated console is about the same size as the original PlayStation 5. However, there are now three black ridges on the side of the device and no disc drive. This is a digital, game-only console

The PS5 Pro launches on Nov. 7. Pre-orders open on Sept. 26 and the console will retail for $699.99, making it $200 more expensive than the base PlayStation 5. You can buy a disc drive and a vertical stand, which adds another $110, bringing the grand total to about $810. With tax added on top, you’ll probably be paying close to $1,000 at checkout.

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The PS5 Pro is an expensive piece of tech and the price point has people online questioning whether the console is worth the outlay, especially when many exclusive games on the PS5 are being ported to PC. The PS5 Pro could be a tough sell.