PlayStation 5 vs PlayStation 5 Pro: What are the key differences?

The PlayStation 5 has been a staple of the console market since its release in late 2020, but at four years old it has reached the middle of its lifecycle, and consumers are starting to look ahead at what’s next.

With limited details of PlayStation 6 forthcoming, Sony’s answer has been the PlayStation 5 Pro, an upgraded and enhanced version of the PS5.

The PlayStation 5 Pro was released on November 7 and is now available for consumers who are faced with a choice – which PlayStation should I get, and what are the differences between the options?

There are some key differences between the PS5 and the PS5 Pro, read on to find out more.

PS5 vs PS5 Pro: Price

One of the biggest differences between the PS5 and the PS5 Pro is the price, which has to be considered upfront.

The PlayStation 5 Pro has launched with a hefty price tag of $699/£699, with the disc drive being an optional accessory that costs an additional $79/£99.

The PS5 Slim with a built-in disc drive will currently set you back $424/$414 (on Black Friday sale – normal price $499/£479), significantly less than the Pro.

With prices approaching $800 (when you add the disc drive), it seems likely that Sony intends the PS5 Pro to sit alongside the standard version as a hobbyist option rather than a straight replacement console. If you’re happy with the (already excellent) performance of the PlayStation 5 and don’t think you’ll get $250’s worth of added enjoyment from the improved performance, the standard might be best for you.

PS5 vs PS5 Pro: Specs

This is where the PS5 Pro gets to attempt to justify the hefty price increase. It has been designed to be more powerful than the standard version, bringing improved graphics and loading times to players.

Sony claims that the PS5 Pro has an updated graphics card that has 67% more Compute Units than the standard, alongside 28% faster memory, which combined allows for 45% faster gameplay rendering.

The Pro also has significantly more storage space than the standard, 825GB versus 2TB. While it’s relatively easy to upgrade the storage or use an external hard drive with a standard PS5, this will certainly be a crucial selling point for anyone who doesn’t want to go that route.

Specs PS5 Slim PS5 Pro CPU AMD Ryzen Zen 2 (8 cores, 16 threads, 3.5GHz) AMD Ryzen Zen 2 (8 cores, 16 threads, 3.5GHz) GPU AMD Radeon RDNA 2 (10.28 teraflops) AMD Radeon RX 6800 equivalent (approx. 17 teraflops) RAM 16GB GDDR6 16GB GDDR6 Storage 825GB SSD 2TB SSD Output 4K 120Hz, HDMI 2.1 4K 120Hz, 8K, HDMI 2.1 WiFi WiFi 6 WiFi 7

In addition, the PS5 Pro has vastly improved ray tracing capabilities. Vital for light, reflections, and water graphics, the more advanced version of Sony’s ray tracing technology within the PS5 Pro will have a big difference on games capable of capitalizing on it.

The new console also introduces PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), an AI-enhanced scaling technology that can boost games to 4K display without significant performance hits. Similarly to the ray tracing, this will rely on games being updated to utilize these functions.

The upgraded WiFi tech in the PS5 Pro isn’t game-changing but will allow for faster download speeds if you’ve got a compatible router. Ideal for filling up the hefty hard drive if you didn’t shell out extra for a disc drive.

PS5 vs PS5 Pro: Design and Physical Specs

While the two consoles look broadly alike, there are some design changes – brothers, not twins. They are both white, black, and chunky, with swooping shapes and a looming countenance.

The Pro is around the same height as the original PS5 but has the sleeker width of the Slim version of the console. The sleekness is lessened after a disc drive is attached.

Like the Slim, the Pro has detachable plates for anyone who wants to replace them or clean inside the console. The pro has more pronounced black lines across the white body.

The Pro also features the same specs in terms of connectivity as the Slim, with two USB-C ports on the front, two USB-A ports and an Ethernet port on the back.

In terms of controllers, the PS5 Pro uses the same DualSense controllers as the standard PlayStation 5 and comes packaged with one.

PS5 vs PS5 Pro: Games

This will be the deciding factor for many gamers – the enhanced specs of the PS5 Pro will only provide a marginal boost to most games.

Some games are being upgraded to make the best use of the upgrades, and these games are where the Pro will really shine. Playing the huge current-gen games that have been patched, like Horizon: Forbidden West and Spider-Man 2 with the Pro’s smooth 4k/60fps capabilities is extremely cool.

For launch, there are “over 50” enhanced and upgraded games that have been given the Pro-treatment by developers, which while not nothing, isn’t even close to the whole PS5 catalog. Sony listed all the launch titles on a blog post, but they include a range of games from the newly launched Dragon Age: The Veilguard to indie titles like Lies of P.

PS5 vs PS5 Pro: Conclusion

Some folks will buy the Pro because they want to have the latest console and be able to play every new game on the highest possible specs, and that’s absolutely up to them. It’s definitely less of a clear-cut decision.

Ultimately, it’s probably worth taking a look at the list of games that have been updated before committing to the console. While more games will continue to be added to the list of titles that can make the best of the upgraded specs, if you don’t see a few games on the list that you’d like to revisit with the new graphics then you probably won’t get a ton of value for your $699. The equation will change as more games are released and optimized.

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