Despite the PS5 being less than a year old, attention is already turning toward the prospect of a PS5 Pro release. The rumour mill has been hard at work recently, with all sorts of claims about the possible new console. We've taken a long hard look at what's being discussed, and distilled it all into one neat little package for you. Here's everything you need to know about the rumoured PS5 Pro.
Will Sony Actually Release A New PS5?
According to YouTube channel, Moore's Law is Dead, the suggestion is that Sony is definitely working on a PS5 Pro. The video covers many different topics, but it also suggests that Microsoft is working on a refreshed Xbox Series S, in anticipation of undercutting a PS5 Slim.
Sony hasn't responded to any of these rumours to confirm or deny them. But if there is even a hint that Microsoft is working on something by way of a mid-generation refresh, a buck gets ten that Sony is doing something similar.
Read More: PS5 Pro rumour: Does Sony’s ‘multiple GPU’ patent hint at ANOTHER console?
Some interesting information has come to light courtesy of YouTuber Paul Eccleston, via his channel RedGamingTech, in which new patents have been filed by Sony for "accelerated ray tracing". While it all remains uncomfirmed by Sony, it does suggest that something is in the pipeline.
PS5 Pro Release Date
The rumours of a PS5 Pro are accompanied by an expectation that it will be released in a similar timeframe to the release of the PS4 Pro in the lifecycle of the previous generation. The PS4 Pro was released in 2016, around 3 years after the release of the original PS4. If the timeframes are the same, that means we could potentially expect a PS5 Pro in late 2023, or early 2024.
There's also the small matter of PSVR2 to consider. There are various rumours swirling, but the majority of them seem to point towards either a Q4 2022 or Q1 2023 release for Sony's new VR headset.
The question here is whether Sony would choose to make two big launches at the same time. Doing so could potentially reduce sales, as consumers might be obliged to choose between a PS5 Pro or a PSVR2, rather than being able to afford both. It seems more likely that they'd choose to delay the release of the PS5 Pro, to ensure both products get their moment in the spotlight.
PS5 Pro Price
Price is really one area which is very hard to pin down. A lot of it depends upon what specs the PS5 Pro comes with, alongside the cost of the relevant components. At the moment, supply shortages have pushed up the price of components, which could potentially ramp up prices. If some of the rumours around the really big performance boost come true, that could lead to a console costing in the region of $600-$700. That would be significantly higher than the cost of the PS5 at launch.
Conversely, the PS4 Pro launched at the same price point as the original PS4 ($399/£349). If Sony chooses to replicate this with the PS5 Pro, then we'd be looking at a launch price of around $499/£449.
Anything else we should know?
The possible performance enhancements are undoubtedly mouth-watering. They include:
- A possible new AMD CPU and graphics architecture, perhaps using a semi-customised 6-nanometer CPU. The current PS5 has a 7nm 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU. This could potentially mean an as-yet-unannounced AMD Zen 4 CPU, and RDNA-3 GPU.
- There are suggestions that the PS5 Pro could offer 8K output. How useful this would be though, is unclear. Could game developers commit the resource for it? Would enough consumers be willing to invest in 8K televisions to benefit? Might it make the console prohibitively expensive? It's arguable that people would prefer faster frame rates at 4K, instead of higher resolution.
- We'd also like to see an expanded SSD. 825GB on the PS5 fills up fast, so it would be a no-brainer to offer more capacity at launch.
As well as the rumours of a PS5 Pro, there is a suggestion that a PS5 Slim could be in line for release by the tail end of 2022. The PS5 is undoubtedly a monster. Some people love its almost monolithic style, while others may well jump at the chance to get something a little less...massive.
Read More: PS5 Error Code CE-108255-1: How To Fix Error CE-108255-1 on PlayStation 5, And What Does It Mean?
At this stage, everything remains slightly speculative. But as always, we'll keep you posted with any new developments we hear.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!