The name says it all: Sony’s latest console, released in early November 2024, is not a completely new model.

Instead, the PS5 Pro is an upgraded version of the successful PS5, which hit the market in 2020. The price of the PS5 Pro is $700 in the US or €800 in the EU. But Sony promises the best gaming hardware your money can buy.

Sony’s model upgrade is nothing new. Almost all consoles receive minor updates during their lifecycle, such as higher power efficiency, better cooling, or a faster processor. Sony released a faster, better-cooled Pro version of the PS5’s predecessor, the PS4, in 2016.

At the time, prices were not as far apart as they are today; At around $450 or €450, the cheapest PS5 (Slim Digital Edition) is only about half as expensive as the PS5 Pro. So the question is: is it worth paying almost twice as much?

Is the PS5 already a lame duck?

To make one thing clear: the PS5 is far from a single console capable only of outdated pixelated graphics. In particular, Sony’s action-adventure games “God of War: Ragnarök” and “Horizon: Forbidden West” always attract attention. They pack a punch in action scenes and deliver beautiful, detailed landscapes.

However, the speed at which the console delivers images decreases quickly with such games. The result can be nervous gameplay. The only remedy is to enable PS5 performance mode to restore smoother visuals.

With the PS5 Pro, however, you don’t need to compromise as much between graphical beauty and performance. It should be able to provide both.

Thin and expensive

The PS5 Pro looks great, and next to a TV, its thin, narrow design feels less obtrusive than the PS5. This is not so much due to the revised interior with optimized memory and processor, as well as an improved graphics unit, but rather to the lack of a Blu-Ray drive.

If you want to watch movies or play old PS4 games on Blu-Ray discs, you’ll need to invest an extra $80 or €120 for an external drive. For a support that holds the console vertically, you have to pay an additional $30 or €30. That makes a total of $910 or €950. If you think that’s hard, think about teenagers who have to beg from their parents.

Easy migration, smooth gaming enjoyment

Its configuration is simple. If you’re upgrading from your old PS5 to the Pro, you basically just scan a QR code and the software will do the rest. Settings and especially game saves can be easily transferred via Wi-Fi or USB sticks. PS5 Pro is ready to go in just a few minutes, depending on your individual situation.

Right off the bat, more than 50 games support the new PS5 Pro technology. Gamers will inevitably encounter the term ray tracing. Simply put, this technology ensures a more realistic representation of light and shadow in games. This was available before, but was slowed down by the PS5’s weaker graphics card. The Pro is designed to change that.

Games like “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” offer several setting options. Fans can choose between a fast Pro performance mode and a quality mode. Both look better and play more smoothly on the PS5 Pro.

Other games like “Alan Wake 2” automatically offer higher graphics quality on the Pro than on the normal PS5. Especially in horror games like this, a few extra details create atmosphere and suspense.

Even non-optimized games benefit

Even an action game like “Rise of Ronin”, criticized upon release for its outdated technology, benefits from the new light and shadow effects. The role-playing game “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, for example, is in a league of its own, offering plenty of smooth gaming fun on PS5 Pro with greater detail and impressive action scenes.

What we noticed while playing it is that even games that aren’t officially optimized for the PS5 Pro benefit from the faster technology. While a game like Space Marine 2 was almost unplayable on PS5 in quality mode due to jumpy gameplay, it is now a fast-paced action hit on Pro.

But players shouldn’t expect miracles. The PS5 Pro is not a new generation of console that constantly delivers “wow” moments, but rather aims to optimize the existing gaming experience.

That’s why there are two target groups: those who are considering buying a PS5 for the first time and those who only want the best and fastest in their home anyway and don’t have to worry about the high price .

Professional gaming is an option, not a must

As Sony itself says: the PS5 Pro is not a console for everyone, but above all for “game enthusiasts”.

So it’s no surprise that the hype is limited. Unlike the release of the PS5, Sony’s delivery capacity and therefore the availability of the Pro version in stores is high.

This takes the breath away from online scalpers, who stoked anger by reselling the PS5 at higher prices when it was released. Only the external Blu-Ray drive is sold out in many places.

There’s no doubt about it: the PS5 Pro is packed with cutting-edge hardware. And yet, what makes Sony’s new console somewhat frustrating is that all of its benefits are just an option, not a necessity.

Only those who absolutely want to play the very high end of the current generation of consoles need the PS5 Pro. Everyone can safely wait for the PS6 before upgrading.