Sony’s New PlayStation 5: Stronger but Pricier
Sony has finally confirmed it’s releasing a more powerful version of its popular PlayStation 5 console, called the PS5 Pro. This new console will offer better graphics and smoother gameplay for demanding games. However, these improvements come with a higher price tag.
The PS5 Pro will cost £699.99 when it launches on November 7, making it Sony’s most expensive console yet. It’s hundreds of pounds pricier than the regular PS5. Some experts think this high price might raise eyebrows, but Sony seems to be betting that serious gamers will be willing to pay more for better performance.
Mark Cerny, the lead designer of the PS5, calls it “the most powerful console we’ve ever built.” He says it aims to solve a common problem where gamers have to choose between better graphics or smoother gameplay. The PS5 Pro tries to offer both without compromise.
While this new console might not boost overall sales in the gaming industry, which has been struggling lately, it could be perfectly timed for the release of the highly anticipated game Grand Theft Auto VI next year. Sony might be hoping to attract players by offering the best-looking version of this popular game on their new console.
“When GTA 6 does launch, PlayStation will be able to say to players that the game will look best on PS5 Pro,” he said.
Pro consoles
Companies have released updated versions of their own consoles with minor revisions for decades, but this release indicates the comparatively new trend of “pro” hardware is here to stay.
Generally, this means hardware changes to current-generation consoles that lets games look better – but critically these tweaked consoles don’t have exclusive games.
In other words, games will still be released for PS5, and gamers can choose whether to play them on a regular console or a pro model with differences in graphics and performance.
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Paul Tamburro, from news website PlayStation LifeStyle, said fans had been hoping the console could “bridge the gap” between performance and fidelity modes, and the upgrade would help.
“However, it also feels that the console doesn’t do enough to justify that steep price point,” he said.
“It launching without a disc drive and still only targeting 60 FPS is disappointing.
“This isn’t an easy sell to current PS5 owners.”
It’s Sony’s second major foray into this space after 2016’s PS4 Pro, which brought 4k graphics to the original PlayStation 4.
And it comes three years after Nintendo released its own take on a pro model – a Nintendo Switch with a larger, better screen.
Graphics leap
Today’s announcement from Sony is not as significant as the PS4’s jump to 4k graphics, but it still represents a step forward in home consoles.
It comes at a time when PCs have been getting increasingly powerful, with the release of Nvidia’s Geforce 40 series of graphics cards in 2022, which have put PCs firmly ahead of home consoles in the race for the best visuals.
But it’s worth remembering just one of these graphics cards can cost as much as a whole PS5, so consoles tend to strike a balance between the best visuals and the best price.
Like with the last console generation, this release means Sony will now have multiple versions of its PS5 available to consumers, with different price points and specs.
Rumours spread widely ahead of the announcement, with fans speculating on the features an upgraded console might have.
Chief among them were unsourced claims that the PS5 Pro would be backwards compatible with games from previous Sony consoles – with some reports suggesting this would go as far back as the original PlayStation.
There was nothing in the announcement to confirm the rumours.
