Sony presents the Playstation 5 Pro

After months of rumours, Sony officially announces a Pro version of the PS5. Mark Cerny, lead architect of the PS5, introduces the new machine in a roughly nine-minute tech presentation.

According to Cerny, the PS5 Pro was designed in response to developer studios and fans wanting more graphical power and a smoother gaming experience.

Better graphics with a higher frame rate

According to Cerny, the biggest advantage of the PS5 Pro is that the console can display graphically complex games with more frames per second (FPS). The choice between a "fidelity mode" (high graphic details and resolution with 30 FPS) and a "performance mode" (low graphic details and resolution with 60 FPS) should no longer be necessary with the new console.

Games optimised for PS5 Pro run at 60 or more FPS. They offer the same level of graphical detail and resolution as games on the "normal" PS5, which run at 30 FPS in "Fidelity Mode".

The significantly better performance of the PS5 Pro is achieved with the help of three key improvements to its inner workings. Cerny calls the features "the big three".

1. GPU upgrade

The PS5 Pro's GPU has 67 per cent more compute units and 28 per cent faster memory than the PS5. According to Sony, this should enable up to 45 per cent faster rendering

Cerny cites "Horizon: Forbidden West" as an example of a game that benefits particularly strongly from the higher-performance GPU. The post-apocalyptic open-world adventure will offer more details in the game environment, more beautiful lighting and a more detailed representation of hair and skin surfaces on the PS5 Pro.

2. advanced ray tracing

The ray tracing capabilities of the Pro model are said to be far superior to those of the "normal" PS5. Cerny speaks of up to twice or even three times faster calculation of the virtual rays of light, or rays. This enables more detailed reflections and a more realistic representation of light with a high frame rate.

As an example of a game that benefits from the improved ray tracing functions, Cerny cites "Gran Turismo 7". Ray-tracing reflections on the shiny surfaces of the cars are now no longer just possible in replay, but live in gameplay - at 60 FPS.

"Hogwarts Legacy" will also benefit from the additional power. In addition to the display of detailed reflections on reflective surfaces, the shadows in the game will also look significantly more beautiful.

3. upscaling with PSSR

The PS5 Pro gets its own upscaling technology. It goes by the name of "Playstation Spectral Super Resolution" - or PSSR for short. The AI-controlled upscaling model analyses images pixel by pixel. According to Cerny, machine learning processes are used to add an "extraordinary amount of detail" to the displayed images. Lower-resolution images are thus converted to a higher resolution and displayed in razor-sharp detail.

PS5 Pro Game Boost

Sony reveals more details about the console on the Playstation Blog.

Games that are specifically optimised for the PS5 Pro or developed for the console will receive a "PS5 Pro Enhanced" label in future. These are the games confirmed so far to receive a PS5 Pro update:

• "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"
• "The Last of Us Part II Remastered"

Games that do not receive a dedicated update should also run better on the PS5 Pro. Up to 8,500 PS5 and PS4 games on the PS5 Pro will benefit from the "PS5 Pro Game Boost". The supported games should automatically run more stable or with a higher frame rate. Furthermore, "selected" PS4 games will also be displayed in a higher resolution. Sony has not yet revealed which games these are.

Sony also confirms that the PS5 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7, VRR and an output of up to 8K.

Design: The PS5 goes on patrol

Externally, not much has changed compared to the original model. The white faceplates of the console are now separated in the centre by three black stripes. The PS5 Pro is as tall as the launch PS5 and as wide as the PS5 Slim.

The Blu-ray drive is not permanently installed and is only available as an option. It can be retrofitted or removed if required - similar to the PS5 Slim. According to Sony, it is the same drive.

The console is said to be compatible with all previously released peripherals - including the PS VR2, the Playstation Portal and the Access Controller.

Price and availability

The PS5 Pro will be available from 7 November - initially only in a version without a Blu-ray drive and with a 2 TB SSD. Price: 799 francs or euros.

For the drive you will have to pay another 120 francs or euros. The vertical stand is also not included. Whether there will be a bundle with a drive in the future is still unclear.

Game consoles

EUR799,–

Sony Playstation 5 Pro Digital Edition

695

Game consoles

EUR799,–

Sony Playstation 5 Pro Digital Edition

695