Sony has officially unveiled its mid-cycle PlayStation refresh with the PS5 Pro joining the recently refreshed PS5. This new console is touted to close the gap between the current performance and fidelity modes that gamers have to choose between on the current PS5 model, meaning we can expect responsive and fluid gaming without sacrificing detail.
This has reportedly been achieved by upgrading three internal aspects of the PS5, as demonstrated by PlayStation's Lead Architect of the PS5 console, Mark Cerny. First and foremost, the PS5 Pro comes with a larger GPU that can reportedly make graphics rendering on the PS5 Pro 45 per cent faster than on PS5. The PS5 Pro is also touting 28 per cent faster RAM than the standard model, which should play a hand in smoother operation and gameplay too.
PlayStation has also built upon Ray Tracing, which produces more lifelike reflections and lighting in games. Cerney claims that the on-device calculations of the light rays are "double, or even triple the speeds of the PlayStation 5", and in a short demo of reflections in Hogwarts Legacy (a spin-off of the Harry Potter franchise), we did see some mighty impressive and realistic-looking reflections on the glossy tiled floor of the wizarding school.
Finally, Sony is leveraging AI upscaling on the PS5 Pro to enhance detail levels, with Cerny stating that custom hardware for machine learning has been implemented into the PS5 Pro. This console will also have access to an AI library called the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), which will analyse the game "pixel-by-pixel and can add an extraordinary amount of detail". We're no stranger to AI upscaling, as Samsung has been touting its implementation in its QN900D 8K TV, alongside many other manufacturers leveraging artificial intelligence to boost picture and sound performance.
Elsewhere, the PS5 Pro is set to support the same picture and sound standards as the existing PS5, including HDR10, alongside Sony's Tempest 3D Audio system and Dolby Atmos over HDMI eARC. It's also being upgraded to the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard for greater wireless internet stability, and Sony also says it will support VRR and 8K over HDMI 2.1. Sony's excellent DualSense controller is also bundled in here, though the PS5 Pro is also compatible with the DualSense Edge controller if you need a more serious handset for long gaming sessions.
What this PlayStation won't support, however, is discs; unless you buy an optional modular disc drive, that is. Much like the PS5 Slim model that launched earlier this year, the PS5 Pro won't come with a disc drive as standard. The good news is that the currently available UHD disc drive attachment for the PS5 is also compatible with the new Pro model.
Onto the pricing, and this is where avid console gamers who are keen for an upgrade might want to sit down. The PS5 Pro is set to launch at £700 / $700 (Australian pricing TBC), which is almost double the price of the PS5 Slim Digital Edition (£390 / $450 / AU$769). If you want the disc drive, you're going to have to spend an additional £100 / $80 / AU$159. Pre-orders begin on the 26th of September, and the console is expected to begin shipping on the 7th of November.
MORE:
Read our full Sony PlayStation 5 review
PS5 Slim: price, specs, where to buy and everything you need to know
And PS5 Pro: all the rumours on its release date, price and specs