What Will The PS5 Pro Look Like? When Is The Release Date?

Rumors of a PS5 Pro have started gaining some momentum, despite the fact that PS5 restock updates are still few and far between. The first, albeit unsubstantiated rumors, of an upgraded PlayStation 5 surfaced last year, but since then we’ve seen rumblings elsewhere that suggest it’s going to launch in 2023.

What Will The PS5 Pro Look Like?

As with the build-up to the PS5, we’re now starting to see some concept renders pop up online. We highly recommend that you take these with a pinch of salt though as they’re far from official.

The recent renderings come courtesy of Jermain Smit, aka Concept Creator, who teamed up LetsGoDigital to showcase what a PS5 Pro and PS5 slim could look like.

They’re quite impressive renderings and nowhere near as far-fetched as the ones we saw building up the PS5 release from other designers.

When the PS5 was first unveiled its design was an immediate talking point, all white and black contrast, and those large wingtips make it an even more imposing installation on whatever TV stand or countertop you put it on.

That’s equally true of both the standard version and the digital edition that trims away the disc drive for those who don’t want or need it. It raises an interesting question about the next version of the PS5, though – will it stay in the same aesthetic?

Based on the precedent of the PS4 Pro, we think it should stay pretty similar, but we’ll be interested to see if it gets bigger since the PS5 is already pretty huge, or whether it can in fact manage to squeeze even more power in a smaller frame.

Playstation 5 Pro Is COMING – PS5 Pro Performance, Ray Tracing Innovations, Release Date & Specs

There have also been some reports that appear to indicate that the PS5 Pro could release around 2023 or late 2024.

We think it would be closer to 2024, as there are also some rumours around the PSVR 2 releasing in Q1 2023, and for obvious reasons we’d think Sony would like to let the PS5 Pro have its own spotlight.

PS5 Pro specs
The PS5 is a powerhouse of a console, as is clear from the exclusives that it’s so far hosted, with graphical highlights in the form of Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and more.

When the PS4 Pro was released it had a fairly clear selling point in the form of its 4K capabilities, which was a resolution that the base PS4 simply couldn’t cope with.

That sort of easy USP isn’t as obviously available for a PS5 Pro, but even this early in its cycle you can tell that outputting at 4K with graphical flourishes like ray-tracing is a real strain for the PS5, just as it is for the Xbox Series X.

A global chip shortage, constant hardware droughts, soaring tech prices, supply chain issues exasperated by a pandemic that some governments are trying to downplay, recent accidents impacting the output of key semiconductor factories and an ever present inability to get consoles onto store shelves ever since this generation started are just some of the glaring issues with this plan.

How exactly does Sony envision the PlayStation 5 Pro actually making its way to consumers at MSRP when the current version of the PS5, out since November 2020, is still struggling to do so? Forecasts about the state of the chip shortage for the coming year are still contradictory – not even the experts can tell if manufacturing will be able to finally catch up with demand.

If the analysis is correct regarding Sony’s plans for a 2023 launch, then pretty much all of the planning and development work would need to be ready at this point, meaning the company has all pipeline concerns figured out – or, at least, they think they do.

While GPU prices have been on a steady decline, hardware shortages are still severe at retail for consoles.

We don’t doubt that Sony has a Pro version of the current console planned at some point, regardless of the hardware market, but keeping to the same timeline as the PlayStation 4 did with its Pro release seems ill advised. Sticking to their guns could be seen as a marketing move primarily, giving the brand a refresh – but will a Pro release cause sales to spike at a time where many potential customers can’t get the product due to availability issues?

Do we even need a PS5 Pro?

Technically, no, but in 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?

While the existence of a PS5 Pro is purely speculative at this juncture, we do know that Sony has big ambitions in the 8K space. Before the PS5 launched, Sony was promoting TVs that apparently support 8K resolution and 120 frames-per-second that are “PS5-ready” on the PlayStation blog. Meanwhile, a massive Q&A explained that “PS5 is compatible with 8K displays at launch, and after a future system software update will be able to output resolutions up to 8K when content is available, with supported software.” If Sony is serious about 8K, VR, and 120fps, then that’s where the PS5 Pro will surely factor in – especially as we’re yet to really see games deliver native 4K at 60fps with ray-tracing enabled.

Right now, there are widespread stock shortages of the PS5. It’s proving difficult to get hold of a system, especially with the best PS5 games, and a long list of amazing-looking upcoming PS5 games, vying for our collective attention. But if you can find a PS5 at RRP, if you’ve done your research on the console and the PS5 exclusives, and you’re happy with that decision, then we’d recommend going all-in. 8K graphics and a 120 frames-per-second future seems as speculative as the PS5 Pro right now – Hell, we haven’t even seen what PSVR 2 looks like yet, let alone what its games will be like. Don’t put off enjoyment today for an incalculable amount of enjoyment in the future.

How much will PS5 Pro cost?

Improved ray tracing and true 4K/60 would make the PS5 Pro feel “next-gen,” but those capabilities won’t come cheap. Rumors say a PS5 Pro may cost between $600 and $700. Aside from the original PS3, Sony has never released a (successful) console over $500, so this would be a first for the company. We doubt a system priced so high will go over well with gamers, if history is anything to go by.

The 3DO and Neo-Geo cost $699 and $649 (respectively) didn’t catch on due in no small part to their high costs. Even if the PS5 Pro has a stellar lineup with a ton of PS5 exclusives you can’t play on PS4, $700 is a lot for a gaming console. You can argue that people pay higher prices for smartphones, but phones are a vital necessity for everyday life whereas a console is a luxury item. There’s also the fact you can lease a phone. The Xbox All Access program effectively lets you lease an Xbox Series X but Sony currently doesn’t offer something similar. Unless people are willing to plunk down a full $600/$700, we don’t see how PS5 Pro can get away with such high pricing.

Do we even need a PS5 Pro?

Technically, no, but in 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..

Would there be a PS5 pro?

New PS5 Pro rumors suggest the upgraded console may have double the performance and a focus on ray-tracing, with a release date of 2023/2024. New rumors suggest a PlayStation 5 Pro could see a release in late 2023 or early 2024, with improved ray-tracing and double the performance of the still-hard-to-attain PS5.

How much will the PS five Pro cost?

If Sony maintains its pricing strategy from the past generation then the Digital and Standard Editions of the PS5 Pro might launch at the same $399 and $499 price points.

Will there be a new PS5 in 2022?

A New Model of PS5 will enter production in 2022 – Gaming Route.