All About Interwebz: PS5 Pro: what can we expect from the next PlayStation 5?

There is a good reason why the launch of a PS5 Pro is speculated, despite no evidence to suggest one is currently in the works and the PS5 still being pretty new. Sony releasing the PS4 Pro in 2016 suggests they know how to build upon the prior console, and given the popularity and success of the PS5, making something even bigger and better is an almost guaranteed sale.

But the lack of evidence doesn’t mean Sony isn't drawing up plans to release a more capable model in the coming years. It’s unclear right now exactly what a PS5 Pro could improve upon, though – we still haven’t seen any 8K resolution support on PlayStation 5 as of yet, and we’ll have to wait for a PS5 Slim if we want to see a noticeably smaller console.

Still, it’s always fun to speculate and round up all the rumors, so let’s deep dive into the possibility of a PS5 Pro, we'll make a few predictions along the way.

PS5 Pro price and release date

PS5 Disc Edition — (Image credit: Mr.Mikla / Shutterstock)

We can make an educated guess for when the PS5 Pro will be released alongside its price, based on what Sony did with the PS4 Pro.

The PS4 Pro launched in 2016, which was three years after the original PS4 came out. That means we could see a PS5 Pro release as early as 2023, then, as the PS5 launched in November 2020. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing component shortages could push a PS5 Pro launch well into 2024 or beyond.

In terms of price, the PS4 Pro launched at the same price point as the original PS4, which was $399 / £349. We've recently seen the PS5 get a price hike with Sony blaming this on soaring inflation globally, so the PS5 currently costs £479.99 / €549.99 / AU$799.95. It’s likely that Sony could offer the PS5 Pro for the same price point, assuming it follows the same strategy it did for PS4 Pro.

PS5 Pro design

PlayStation 5 with its controller next to a TV — (Image credit: Future)

The PS5 is already a gargantuan machine, which means that unless Sony can make drastic improvements, a PS5 Pro could match or even exceed the size of a regular PlayStation 5. A similar situation occurred with the PS4 Pro, which was bigger than the original PlayStation 4 by some margin.

Thankfully, a PS5 Slim will likely be available around the same time for those who really want a smaller system. We imagine that, much like the PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony’s design will build upon the existing futuristic look of the console, but could include some additional flourishes that aren’t present on the current system.

PS5 Pro specs

Close up of a PS5 console and Dualsense controller — (Image credit: Sony)

This is where things get a lot harder to predict. The PS5 is already an extremely powerful console, capable of 4K gaming at 120Hz in specific titles, ray tracing, and generally sumptuous visuals across the board. A PS5 Pro would certainly help developers hit even higher resolutions and frame rates, but it’s unlikely to represent a tangible leap, like we saw going from 1080p to 4K.

However, with the PS5 still unable to output any games at 8K, despite the feature being advertised on the console’s retail box, perhaps the PS5 Pro will target the next-gen resolution standard. We've already seen one game, The Touryst, running at 8K / 60fps on PS5, but you can only view it at 4K currently.

8K isn’t widespread right now, but in three years’ time, 8K panels will likely be more affordable and accessible to non-enthusiast consumers. Let’s not forget that Sony also manufactures TVs, and the Japanese company might want to use the PS5 Pro to push sales of its 8K sets, similar to how the PS3 helped win the disc format war with Blu-Ray.

The PS5 Pro could sport an AMD Zen 4 CPU and RDNA-3 GPU, but we’ve seen that both Microsoft and Sony decided to go with a slightly souped version of the Xbox One and PS4 CPUs in its upgraded models. So, we’d expect to see more investment in the GPU than the CPU with the PS5 Pro.

PS5 Pro: What else could it offer?

We’d expect the PS5 Pro to include a larger SSD over the original PS5, too, as 825GB wasn’t exactly a generous amount to begin with, and some games have hefty file sizes. A 1TB version would certainly help add more value, and we’d expect the ability to install one of the best SSD for PS5 to remain.

And what of a PS5 Pro Digital Edition? Will Sony also release a version without a disc drive? Maybe not. The PS5 Digital Edition serves as a cheaper alternative to the PS5 for those who are happy to go without, but releasing two versions of the PS5 Pro, which admittedly won’t appeal to everyone, would likely be a bit frivolous.

Do we even need a PS5 Pro?

Technically, no, but in two or three years' time, we might see developers encounter more hurdles due to the PS5’s aging hardware that results in noticeable compromises in games, like lower frame rates or resolutions. A PS5 Pro could revitalize a lot of older games if they get enhanced as we saw on PS4 Pro, and the additional horsepower should ensure that newer titles aren’t held back, either.

Should I wait for a PS5 Pro or just buy a PS5?

You’ll always get a better deal if you wait, that’s just the nature of technology. However, the PS5 is an excellent console that has great games you can play right now. Yes, a PlayStation 5 Pro will be able to provide a better overall experience, but just think how much fun you’ll be missing out on by waiting?