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- Leaks have practically revealed everything about the PS5 Pro already, and it does not sound too encouraging.
- The same Zen 2 CPU will shackle its new GPU, making it incapable of offering 60FPS in CPU-bottlenecked games.
- The base console has not been maximized yet, so a mid-gen refresh lacks purpose.
- With the PS6 expected to launch in 2027, it might be better to just wait for this console.
Sony’s consoles have achieved tremendous success year after year. Continuing this legacy, the PS5 was a huge hit from the beginning three years ago. It has consistently outperformed the Xbox Series S|X, and Sony is ready to extend its lead.
Following its current domination, Sony plans to launch its second mid-gen refresh. The PS5 Pro is all but confirmed after numerous leaks. Coming later this year, the console promises a major upgrade.
Although it will likely be popular among console gamers looking for more capable hardware, I believe this console is not nearly as impressive as it needed to be. In my opinion, it will be a Pro console in name only.
Why it matters: Sony is likely to launch the PS5 Pro for $600, making it the gaming giant’s most expensive console since the infamous PS3 debacle.
Held Back By The Zen 2 CPU
As per leaked specifications, the console has not changed much from the original PS5 aside from the GPU and faster memory.
The CPU, for instance, is the same Zen 2 chip that was shipped with the PS5 in 2020. Leaks state that it has received a slight overclock, but it will remain the primary bottleneck of this system moving forward.
What this means is that the PS5 Pro will not be able to push 60FPS in games that run at 30FPS on the base console. Additionally, the spec bump on the GPU side is less impressive than last generation’s PS4 Pro.
The PS4 Pro came with a direct 2x bump to the GPU Compute Units. Shipping with 36 GCN CUs vs. the 18 CUs of the base console, this hardware was much more worthy of the Pro title compared to what Sony is expected to offer with the PS5 Pro.
On paper, the PS5 Pro won’t be that much faster than the Xbox Series X, offering about 50% more performance than the PS5, though it might have a few tricks up its sleeves.
| PS5 Pro (Alleged) | PS5 | Xbox Series X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Ryzen Zen 2 8c/16t | Ryzen Zen 2 8c/16t | Ryzen Zen 2 8c/16t |
| CPU Clock | Up to 3.85GHz | Up to 3.5GHz | Up to 3.8GHz |
| GPU | RDNA 3.5 60 Cu | RDNA 2 36 Cu | RDNA 2 52 CU |
| GPU Clock | Up to 2.18GHz | Up to 2.23GHz | 1.83GHz |
| GPU Power | 33.5 TFLOPs | 10.3 TFLOPs | 12 TFLOPs |
| Memory | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 |
| Bandwidth | 576 GB/s | 448 GB/s | 10GB @ 560 GB/s 6GB @ 336 GB/s |
| Pricing | Digital: $549 Physical Disc: $599 | Digital: $449 Physical Disc: $499 | $499 |
PS5 Has Not Been Fully Utilized Yet
Another argument against the PS5 Pro is the fact that the base hardware has barely been pushed yet. This argument was reportedly made by developers at GDC, highlighting the industry’s sentiment around the hardware.
At the same period in the PS4 lifecycle, every studio had transitioned to current-gen development. However, PS5 games were held back by last-gen ports until last year, and studios are only now transitioning to current-gen development.
Even PlayStation’s biggest internal teams, with the exception of Insomniac and Bluepoint Games, have not released PS5-only titles yet. Therefore, I don’t see why Sony is in such a rush to release an even more powerful console.
Despite all its limitations, the PS4 gave us games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Last of Us Part 2. These can be considered technical marvels, and I can only imagine what games the PS5 hardware can deliver when fully utilized.
Just Wait For The PS6
Admittedly, the leaked PSSR upscaling appears to be an interesting innovation from Sony. Ray tracing is also going to be much better on the PS5 Pro, but these concepts are still new and might not work the best initially.
If Sony follows traditional lifespans, the PS6 should be due for launch in 2027. Therefore, the PS5 Pro won’t have more than three years of shelf-life, making it a pointless console for the majority of users.
Sure, the console-exclusive launch of GTA 6 might be one reason to consider the PS5 Pro. However, Rockstar’s history shows that the game will be just as great on the base hardware.
Therefore, I strongly believe this Pro upgrade is little more than Sony testing the waters for the more refined tech and PSSR upscaling in the proper next-generation successor.
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[News Reporter]
Bawal is an MBBS student by day and a gaming journalist by night. He has been gaming since childhood, growing fond of the creativity and innovation of the industry. His career as a gaming journalist started one year ago, and his journey has allowed him to write reviews, previews, and features for various sites. Bawal has also been cited in reputed websites such as Screenrant, PCGamesN, WCCFTech, GamesRadar, and more.
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