0 
0 In a short and snappy 9-minute presentation on Tuesday 10th September 2024 Sony announced the latest addition to its PlayStation 5 hardware line-up, the PlayStation 5 Pro.
Long-Rumoured PlayStation 5 Pro Finally Announced
Mark Cerny returned to give us a brief insight into what to expect from the new console and show us the visual improvements to some of the PS5’s biggest titles.
The Big Three
To demonstrate the differences between the existing PS5 and the new Pro model, Mark Cerny talked about 3 key features.
Larger GPU
The GPU in the PlayStation 5 Pro has 67% more Compute Units and 28% faster memory. This means that frames can be rendered up to 45% faster over the base PS5.
Advanced Ray Tracing
Cerny says PlayStation made major upgrades to the Ray Tracing that allow calculations to be twice or three times as fast. This allows for more dynamic reflection and refraction of light.
AI-Driven Upscaling
The PlayStation 5 Pro boasts new hardware and a new Machine Learning library called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). This will analyse each frame of gameplay and upscale the image by interlacing pixels, boosting resolution.
What Does This Mean For Players?
Technical jargon aside, the new system will enable players to experience higher-quality visuals at better framerates than previously. For games that have a dedicated PlayStation 5 Pro Enhanced update, this could mean enjoying 4k resolutions at 60-120 FPS. This is dependent on your TV/Monitor having HDMI 2.1 VRR compatibility. Games specifically called out to receive the enhancement patch are listed below:
- 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
The 2TB SSD and Wi-Fi 7 capability are other improvements to the hardware. The SSD is more than twice the size of the PS5 launch version and the Pro retains the ability to add additional storage via compatible M2 drives. The console also supports existing Wi-Fi 5 and 6 standards for those without the latest routers at home.
Pricing and Release
Should you feel the need to upgrade your existing PS5, or join the PlayStation ecosystem, pre-orders begin September 26th. The full release date is just before the holiday period on November 7th.
A PlayStation 5 Pro console will set you back £700 in the UK (prices for other currencies are shown in the image above). That doesn’t include a disc drive, currently retailing at £100, or a vertical stand which is another £25.
You can check out all these details and see some of the improvement’s in action, all in Mark Cerny’s soothing voice, in the video below.
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
