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Following plenty of speculation, leaks, and reports, Sony has officially announced the PlayStation 5 Pro. Revealed by PlayStation system architect Mark Cerny during Sony’s “PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation,” the PS5 Pro is said to be close to “doubling the power of the PS5.” The system costs $700 USD and is not equipped with a disc drive, nor does it come with a vertical stand, which is sold separately. Preorders open on September 26.
The system includes 2TB SSD–an increase from the standard PS5–as well as the usual inclusions of a DualSense wireless controller and a copy of Astro’s Playroom (not to be confused with the just-launched Astro Bot). It launches on November 7 through PlayStation Direct and a variety of retailers around the world.
Cerny called it the “most powerful console” Sony has ever made. In terms of the design, it looks similar to the existing PS5 and is the same height, but with a racing-stripe-like cutout on the side. But it’s the internals where the differences are more pronounced, as Sony has upgraded the GPU to offer significantly more power.
Cerny spoke about the common choice of Performance mode (to prioritize frame rate) vs. Fidelity mode (to prioritize visual quality), and how Performance mode is chosen roughly 75% of the time. The goal with PS5 Pro is to eliminate the need to make that choice, thanks to the upgraded GPU, an AI-upscaling technique called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (which sounds similar to things like Nvidia’s DLSS, which can offer major enhancements in PC games), and improved ray-tracing effects.
Here are the key technical details for the PS5 Pro, as written by PlayStation:
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.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.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.
While the PS5 Pro does not come with a disc drive, it is compatible with the $80 disc drive add-on.
Some of the games that will take advantage of the PS5 Pro features include 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, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered. These games will be designated with the wording “PS5 Pro Enhanced.”
The PS5 Pro also includes a feature called PS5 Pro Game Boost, which enhances compatible PS4 games for PS5 Pro–in total, more than 8,500 games are compatible, Sony said. Supported PS4 and PS5 games “may” see improved performance, while some PS4 games will run at higher resolutions.
Other supported features include Wi-Fi 7, VRR, and 8K output. All three of those will require other compatible hardware in order to leverage.
The PS5 Pro is compatible with existing PlayStation peripherals, including PS VR 2, PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge, Pulse Elite, Pulse Explore, and the Access controller.
“Our PS5 journey would not be possible without the millions of players that have supported us through the years and have shared with us their love of gaming. Whichever console option players choose, whether it’s PS5 or PS5 Pro, we wish to bring everyone the very best gaming experience that fits their needs,” Sony said.
The PS5 Pro’s existence is in keeping with tradition for Sony, as the company previously launched a “Pro” version of the PS4 in November 2016. The PS4 Pro launched at $400, when the PS4 was $300. This time around, the price gap between the consoles is bigger, as the PS5 goes for $500 and the PS5 Pro will sell for $700. You can see how that $700 price compares to past consoles when adjusting for inflation.
Prior to the announcement, Hideo Kojima’s assistant uploaded a photo of the developer playing Death Stranding 2 with what looks to be a device hidden under a cloak. Many believed this was a developer’s version of the PS5 Pro.
The announcement of the PS5 Pro comes not long after Sony had a success story with the launch of the critically acclaimed Astro Bot. This game helped improve the vibe surrounding Sony following the abrupt shutdown of Concord.
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