Sony PlayStation 5 Pro or Sony PS5 Pro price and specs and features via Revu Philippines

The Sony PlayStation 5 Pro is here, and it costs a lot

In Gaming Hardware by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

And just like that, after months of leaks and speculation, Sony has finally announced the Pro version of its current-gen console during a brief technical presentation.

The Sony PlayStation 5 Pro is now official, and we think it’s an interesting upgrade, to say the least. So basically, what you’re getting here is a more powerful PS5 at a steeper price tag of $699 (around P39,141), and the sales pitch is that the new console will be able to play games at 4K and 60fps without compromising on graphical fidelity or switching to Performance mode.

Due to release on November 7, just in time for the holidays, the PS5 Pro brings three key improvements over the original — you get a larger GPU, enhanced ray-tracing capabilities, and Sony’s AI-driven PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution feature, which sounds a lot like what Nvidia is doing with their DLSS-capable GPUs. It will arrive with a larger 2TB SSD storage, plus an extra SSD slot for expansion, too.

Size-wise, the Pro model is only a little taller than the standard PS5, but it’s sleeker because it doesn’t include a 4K Blu-ray disc drive. If you need one, you can buy a disc drive separately, alongside optional covers. Presumably, that thing will set you back $79 (P4,424) more, as it did on the PS5 Slim.

Preorders for the Sony PS5 Pro will open on September 26 exclusively on PlayStation Direct and participating retailers in regions where PlayStation Direct is not available. Other retailers will join the preorder frenzy October 10.

Officially announced!

Pricing for several markets (and just one of the comments shared online). We wonder how much it will cost in the Philippines?

Inside, Sony says the PS5 Pro features a beefier GPU with 67% more compute units than the vanilla version. Combined with 28% faster memory, the overall result is 45% faster rendering and higher frame rates in games. The enhanced GPU power of the new console should also elevate ray-traced games, and the company even suggested that developers will be able to double or even triple the ray-casting speed compared to the current PS5.

Given the relatively weak ray-tracing capabilities of the current PS5 and Xbox Series consoles compared to high-end graphics cards, the PS5 Pro’s enhanced ray-tracing features could be a game-changer. While ray tracing currently doesn’t significantly impact many games, the Sony PS5 Pro could enable developers to offer enhanced ray-tracing effects in upcoming AAA titles like GTA 6, which is expected to leverage these features heavily.

Part of the Sony PS5 Pro technical presentation

Additionally, the PS5 Pro features PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, a technology similar to DLSS. And similar to Nvidia’s tech, PSSR uses AI to upscale each frame, resulting in improved image quality. Intel and AMD have also developed their own upscaling solutions. However, Sony’s approach seems to be more customized. On the PS5 Pro, games may render at a lower resolution, such as 1440p, and then be upscaled to 4K using PSSR. Based on the success of DLSS, we can expect PSSR to deliver impressive results.

According to CNET, the PS5 Pro will hit the market with a library of up to 50 optimized games, labeled as PS5 Pro Enhanced. Several titles have already been confirmed, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Alan Wake 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.

Sony’s recent financial report shows a decline in PS5 sales compared to the previous year. The company sold 2.4 million PS5 units from April to June 2024, representing a 27% drop from the 3.3 million units sold in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. Although the PS5’s sales are gradually increasing, its adoption rate remains slower than the PS4 at a similar point in its lifecycle. Many players attribute this to cross-generation games and the lack of blockbuster first-party exclusives.

That said, a more powerful console that’s nearly $800 )nearly P44,796) with a disc drive may not be the solution Sony’s hoping for.

Share this Post

Learn About This Author

Ramon Lopez

Facebook Twitter

Reviews editor: Ramon "Monch" Lopez has 16 years of professional experience creating and editing content for print and digital publications such as Yahoo. He headed the gadgets-merchandising division of one of the Philippines’ largest retail operators somewhere in between.