Is the PS5 Pro a big disappointment?

The PS5 Pro is already among us, and since its launch Sony’s new console has been generating more and more discussions regarding its value and whether it will really be a new step for the console or just an unnecessary launch.

Now these discussions are gaining even more prominence, since the console has started to be sold to the general public and is already in the hands of more people. This means more analysis and opinions. After all, is the PS5 Pro worth buying? Let’s understand this issue better.

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This is the list of 55 games that will receive improvements at the launch of the PS5 Pro
Check out the full specifications of the PS5 Pro

Improvements over the PS5 flat

The first aspect to be analyzed here is what the new PS5 Pro brings to the table that is different and new, especially in comparison to the previously released flat model or simply the standard PS5.

The PS5 Pro is powered by an AMD Ryzen 8000 series APU manufactured in 4nm, with a custom Zen 2 CPU of 8 cores, each operating at 3.85 GHz, while the standard PS5 CPU is clocked at 3.5 GHz This translates into a gain of around 10% in Pro performance, allowing for more efficient and faster processing on CPU-intensive tasks.

In terms of graphics, the PS5 Pro has a more powerful GPU. Sony confirmed that “PS5 Pro uses the new advanced feature sets [ray tracing] that AMD created as the next step in its architecture roadmap”but he did not name the oxen, so what is assumed is that it is RDNA 3 (with possible additional functions of RDNA 4), with a potency of 16.7 TFLOPs. This new GPU has 3,840 shaders and a speed of 2.17 GHz, allowing for much more fluid and detailed rendering, especially in games that use advanced lighting techniques such as ray tracing. In comparison, the PS5 has an RDNA 1.5 GPU with 2,304 shaders and less support for advanced technologies, delivering a more limited ray tracing experience.

The PS5 Pro offers 16GB of GDDR6 memory at 18Gbps speed and 576GB/s bandwidth, while the PS5 has the same amount of memory but at 14Gbps rate and 448GB/s bandwidth. This increase in capacity and speed allows the PS5 Pro to handle high-quality textures and maintain more stable performance in open-world or highly graphically complex games.

Another significant difference is the PS5 Pro’s SSD storage, with 2 TB of capacity, twice that of the PS5. This not only gives you more space, but also makes loading and running games even faster, making the most of the system’s architecture.

The PS5 Pro features the new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology, an AI-powered rescaling feature capable of converting resolutions from 1080p to 4K with minimal memory and processing power consumption. This feature should guarantee high quality images even in more demanding games, being a clear improvement over the PS5’s FSR 2, which performs less detailed and less efficient rescaling.

Ray tracing performance is also a highlight. With dedicated second-generation cores and architectural improvements, the PS5 Pro can double the performance in ray tracing compared to the PS5, bringing more realistic lighting and shadows in real time, as well as a significant gain in graphic quality.

Summary of PS5 Pro improvements

• 10% faster CPU: Better performance in games and high-processing applications.
• GPU com 16,7 TFLOPs
• More memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s more, ensuring optimized use of the GPU.
• 2TB SSD: Double the storage space, ideal for large games and future expansions.
• AI-Powered Rescaling (PSSR): Sharper images and 4K quality with reduced resource consumption.
• Improved ray tracing: Double the performance for more immersive graphics rendering

Comparisons in practice

After all the technical details of the PS5 Pro, what people really want to know is: in practice, does it make a difference? The simple and short answer would be “yes, it does”. However, nothing is that simple, and even if all these improvements make a difference, the ideal is to understand whether this difference is enough to make it worth it or not.

Some videos have already started to be posted on the internet showing more details and comparisons between the consoles, so it’s worth taking a look. However, it is important to keep in mind that the real difference is only felt by those who pick up the console and play. From the moment gameplay is recorded and uploaded to YouTube or any other video service, a lot is lost. Still, it serves as a basis for an analysis for those who don’t have the chance to have the console in their hands:

Did PS5 Pro disappoint? Main praise and criticism

Given the criticisms and analyzes that have already come out, we can note some positive and negative points of the new PS5 Pro. Among the positives are the fact that it actually delivers better graphical quality and 60 FPS in more games, in addition to the PSSR, which is A new technology, it really has a lot of potential to be the future of consoles with AI. The new PS5 Pro also wins points for having less difficulty with ray tracing, in addition to the advantages of supporting Wi-Fi 7 and having more space with the 2 TB SSD.

However, as well as praise, we also have criticism. Although many games have been improved for the new console, many others still maintain 30 FPS even on the newer model. Additionally, ray tracing has also been criticized for having limited power, often focusing only on reflections or shadows. Furthermore, it also still has a huge impact on gaming performance, so it is not yet possible to take advantage of this technology in games at 60 FPS.

Although the PSSR indeed seems to be a good path, it is still in its early stages, so there is still room for improvement, in addition to the fact that the PS5 Pro cannot yet be considered a 4K console.

Another big complaint regarding the new console is that there was no major game launch to accompany these developments, and many of the games that received improvements are also available in the previous generation, that is, on the PS4.

Overall, even though the graphical improvements are there, they are still very subtle and don’t make a big difference, especially considering the amount charged for it.

Verdict: Is the PS5 Pro worth buying?

In many analyses, many people are emphatic in saying that no, it’s not worth it. If you already have a PS5, it’s not worth buying a PS5 Pro, and even if you don’t have a new generation model, the Slim’s cost-benefit ratio is still much higher. And that’s right. For casual players, which are the majority, this is the verdict.

The PS5 Pro here in Brazil arrived costing R$7,000, and this is a very high price, especially since the changes are subtle. Few people in our country can say that this amount will not make a difference in their bank account, even if paid in installments. It’s practically double compared to the Slim model, a big difference.

But nothing is black and white. The name of the PS5 Pro itself suggests that it is not a model aimed at popular use of the console, but rather at “professional”. So if you really care about these subtle changes, if you really want the best possible graphical experience in your gameplay and have that powerful TV to handle it, then the PS5 Pro is the most powerful thing for that, there’s no doubt.

In other words, the console has its audience, even if it is much more limited than the flat model. These are people who have gaming as their main hobby or even a work tool, who are really dedicated to it, and who can afford to make this investment.

And this limitation is already being seen in sales results. Combining the resistance of many users with the extremely high value of the console, demand is well below expectations, and some sellers are already trying to package the disc unit at more “advantageous” prices to try to increase these sales.

It may be that shopping is better during the Black Friday period and especially at Christmas, but if that doesn’t happen, there is hope that Sony will have to review this price and consider an adjustment sooner than planned. Which, even so, is very difficult to happen, mainly because Sony has a very high market dominance with the PlayStation in relation to its biggest rival in the segment, the Xbox.

Source: MuyComputer [1] [2] [3]Cnet