PlayStation gamers who want the ultimate performance are about to have a better option available to them. Sony has confirmed that the PS5 Pro launch is happening Nov. 7, 2024. The new console is set to take what was already excellent about the standard PlayStation 5 and supercharge it with better performance and a slightly tweaked design.
Curious about the new PlayStation 5 Pro, what it has to offer and exactly what makes it better than the PS5 that’s been out for a few years now? Here’s what you need to know—and where to order it.
What’s New In The PS5 Pro?
As you might expect, the big updates for the PS5 Pro largely come in the form of performance improvements. In other words, while the console may not look all that different from the standard PS5 on the outside, under the hood, it will make games look better than ever.
More Realistic And Faster Action
The standard PS5 already supports ray tracing, which helps make games look more realistic by simulating how light reflects on surfaces like water and metal. The PS5 Pro, however, takes this effect to the next level. The PS5 Pro possesses Sony’s newer advanced ray tracing tech, and while this only works on games specifically designed to take advantage of it, those games will look quite a bit more realistic.
On top of advanced ray tracing, the PS5 Pro also offers a new upscaling technology that Sony calls PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution or PSSR. This technology essentially upscales video to a 4K resolution while retaining the same high frame rate. According to Sony, upscaled 4K games now run at up to 120 frames per second, which is the highest frame rate offered by most consumer TVs right now.
There are other smaller improvements, too. The PS5 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7 instead of Wi-Fi 6, and it has more storage, with 2TB instead of 1TB. You will need that extra storage now that the PS5 Pro comes standard without a disc drive, though you can buy one separately to install on the console.
For the most part, the improvements in the PS5 Pro are targeted toward heavy gamers who notice every detail. The vast majority of gamers who have a PS5 and don’t find it lacking, may want to skip the splurge on the new Pro model.
Other PS5 Models Available Now
Sony’s other PlayStation models aren’t going away with the release of the Pro model, so if you want a PlayStation 5 now or in the near future, you aren’t forced to pay extra for the PS5 Pro. Instead, you can still buy the non-Pro PS5 if you want to. The current generation standard PS5 is technically called the PlayStation 5 Slim, but don't worry, the PS5 Slim offers the same overall performance as the first generation PS5, just in a slimmer body and at the same price.
The PS5 Slim Digital Edition is the base model PlayStation 5 right now with a price of $450. The term Digital Edition refers to the fact that this version of the console does not have a disc drive, meaning that you can only play games that you download from Sony versus physical games on a disc that you buy from a third party. For many who prefer physical media, that’s a deal-breaker, considering the fact that it means you can’t buy used games. But for those who prefer digitally downloaded games, the PS5 Slim Digital Edition works perfectly well. It’s worth noting that it’s the least expensive of the consoles. By the way, the same disc drive accessory that works with the PS5 Pro works with this console too, so you can add on a disc reader later, too.
Compared to the new PS5 Pro, the PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition isn’t as powerful and won’t offer the same advanced ray tracing technology or AI upscaling features. It does still have some upscaling technology, though; it’s just that you won't reach the combination of high-resolution and high frame rate that you will on the PS5 Pro.
If you go to a retailer today and buy a PlayStation 5, this is likely the one that you’ll get: a PS5 Slim with a disc reader. This particular version of the PS5 Slim has a disc reader built into it, which means that you can play games from physical discs that you buy from Sony directly, or from retailers like GameStop. That doesn’t mean that you can’t use the console to download digital games though. You’ll still have access to the Sony digital store directly on the console to download games if you want to. Buying the PS5 Slim is cheaper than buying the PS5 Slim Digital Edition and the disc drive accessory separately, so if you know you want a disc reader, you should just buy the console that has one built into it.
Apart from the disc drive, the differences between the PS5 Slim and the PS5 Pro are the same as the Digital Edition. Its performance is a bit lower, and it doesn’t have the same ray tracing or upscaling technologies. For most, it’s still plenty powerful, though.