PS5

Published on November 13th, 2024 | by Andrew Bistak

PlayStation 5 Pro Review (PS5 Pro Review) … Next-gen Fidelity just turned 60!

The PlayStation 5 Pro officially arrived on 7-November-2024 (almost four years after the PS5, Happy 4^th Birthday) and this next-gen console has received a graphical power-up, including a slight makeover with its aesthetics.

So before I start, let’s get this straight – the PS5 is still an amazing next-gen console, however if you want to take your gaming to new “levels”, the all-new PS5 Pro boasts improved visuals and performance, including better ray tracing capabilities, AI upscaling (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) and even 8K gaming if you have a TV that supports it – features that I’m sure the PlayStation 6 (PS6) will one day offer.

Consider it a “mid-gen” next-gen console upgrade for the PlayStation 5 and thanks to PlayStation Australia, they provided us with a review unit to check out.

In Australia, the PS5 Pro retails for $1195 and not surprisingly it does not come with a 4K Blu-ray drive which is an additional cost at $159 (it’s easy to install) and if you need a vertical stand that is another $49 – however the Pro stands quite well without it.

I’ve also had the PlayStation 5 since launch and I only own one game on disc, 99% are all digital for me and sadly we’ve only watched a handful of 4K films on it, so for most (myself included), the drive is a moot point due to streaming services and digital games via the PlayStation Store but it’s available if needed.

Further, the cost of the PS5 is on par with a low-end PC gaming rig but without all the complexities that comes with a PC, including the graphical tweaks. The PS5 Pro was also given a much-needed overhaul to its wireless with the inclusion of Wi-Fi 7 which is far superior to its older sibling. In other words, a stronger wireless connection which is dependent on where your wireless router is but compared to the PS5, it’s gone from NASCAR to Formula One.

As to whether this console is for you? Ignore the naysayers and even the fans for that matter as the choice is yours but hopefully this review will shed some insight into your decision… Also, similar to the PS4 Pro (10-Nov-2016) back in the day which provided an impressive mid-gen console upgrade, the PS5 Pro does just that but more. Read on!

Welcome to the “mid-gen” console, the PlayStation 5 (PS5 Pro)…

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The PS5 Pro is powered by an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8-Core CPU with 16 threads (same as the PS5), however the GPU is far more powerful with its AMD Radeon RDNA Graphics Engine (16.7 TFLOPs opposed to 10.28 TFLOPs on the PlayStation 5) that allows for improved visuals and performance. It also comes with 2TB of NVMe SSD storage unlike the 825GB included on its slightly older next-gen sibling.

According to PlayStation, the upgraded GPU offers 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory that in essence, enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay. In other words, those games that ran at fidelity mode at 30 frames per second (fps) can now be run at 60 fps on the PS5 Pro. That’s an impressive jump in tech right there – so yes, next-gen fidelity just turned 60!

As an avid PS5 owner, I always pick performance over fidelity just to get the faster fps which makes the gameplay considerably smoother. The other highlight of the PS5 Pro is improved real-time ray tracing capabilities to really make your virtual worlds come to life with its natural lighting and reflections – the reflections and water in Spider-Man 2 is astonishing.

Further, the Pro’s new advanced ray tracing mode puts the console more on par with what high-end PC graphics cards are capable of. And if you have a 4K TV (120Hz) with HDMI 2.1, you can access an fps of up to 120. So yes, a 120Hz TV should be paired with the PS5 Pro in order to experience those faster frame rates.

The highlights? GPU, Memory and storage.

The Unboxing

PS5 Pro Key Features

• PlayStation® Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR)
  Get super sharp image clarity on your 4K TV using AI enhanced resolution for ultra-high definition play with astonishing detail.
• Optimized Console Performance
  Reach higher and more consistent frame rates for silky smooth gameplay with support for 60Hz and 120Hz displays.
• Advanced Ray Tracing
  Experience next level realism with ray traced reflections, shadows, and high-quality global illumination as you explore stunning game worlds
• 2TB of Storage
  Keep your favorite games ready and waiting for you to jump in and play with 2TB of SSD storage built in.3
• Play at 60fps, or up to 120fps, with 4K Output and Ray Tracing for Compatible Games 
  With the power of the PS5 Pro, compatible games can be played at 60fps, or up to 120fps, with Ray Tracing and AI enhanced 4K resolution using PSSR—all at the same time—on your 4K TV.
• PS5® Pro Game Boost and Backwards Compatibility
  The PS5® Pro console can play over 8,500 PS4 games. With the PS5 Pro version of the Game Boost feature, you can even enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in some of the PS4 and PS5 console’s greatest games.
• Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 Games 
  Turn on the Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games feature to enable additional system post processing power that can improve the resolution for select PS4 games.

Aesthetically, the PS5 Pro is reminiscent of the PS5 Slim opposed to the first run of PlayStation 5 consoles in 2020. It also looks more aerodynamic with its curved edges, fins and ridges in the centre of the console that is quite striking with its majority “pure” white and black colouring. It’s like the evolution of Astro Bot between Astro Bot Rescue Mission (2018) to Astro Bot (2024).

On the front of the console are 2 x USB-C ports and on the rear, 1 x HDMI (2.1), 1 x Ethernet and 2 x USB-A ports. If you own a PS5, you will also notice how much lighter it is compared to the 2020 PS5 at 3.1kg opposed to 4.5kg. It is a lightweight gaming beast that works straight out of the box.

The Setup

The PS5 Pro does come with a manual to help set it up but like other consoles from Sony, it is super easy to get it up and running. You basically plug in the power cord, connect it to a TV via the supplied HDMI 2.1 cable (which provides a higher bandwidth for speed and resolution), connect the DualSense Controller and just go through the setup wizard (including firmware update) that also offers to transfer your data (saves) from your existing PlayStation 5 to the Pro.

The UI is the same as the other P55 models, however the Pro does come with an exclusive wallpaper background.

What about gaming? The line-up of launch titles on the PS5 Pro is great with over 50 titles available, including latest games such as Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Understandably, there is also a strong group of PlayStation “in-house” titles like the Spider-Man games, The Last of Us 2 Remastered and God of War Ragnarök to name a few that fly the PS5 Pro flag high with the new capabilities of this mid-gen next-gen console.

Impressive to say the least…

And here’s some comparisons for you to, well… compare;

First up, let’s talk about Insomniac Games’ Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales. This is one game that runs far better on the PS5 Pro thanks to its Performance Pro Mode which runs at 60 fps with ray-tracing enabled. Not only does it look amazing, it plays very well. There is even a Fidelity Pro mode that makes the game look even nicer with PlayStation’s new advanced ray tracing technology.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Pro Enhanced

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (also from Insomniac Games) features the same modes and the Performance Pro mode is again the highlight on the Pro due to the improved graphics with ray tracing at a lush 60 fps. The quality and high frame rate makes you want to play this 2021 game again.

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II: Remastered comes with a “Pro” mode with the highlight being 4K at 60fps that not only looks exceptionally detailed and with (when used) vibrant colours but all in all, very smooth gameplay. Joel and Ellie look fantastic!

Also if you enjoyed God of War: Ragnarök, that’s also Pro-ready mode (and again) with noticeable graphical improvements and of course 60 fps for that next-gen smoothness. Kratos has never looked this detailed before!

Horizon Forbidden West… one of my favorite Pro experiences…

Not only is it an amazing game but the Pro version offers three options with one mode powering those high frame rates;

1. Favor Resolution Pro = Maximum fidelity at 30fps
2. Balanced Pro = Very high fidelity at 40fps
3. Favor Performance Pro = High fidelity at 60fps

Although the Favor Resolution Pro (maximum fidelity at 30 fps) looks absolutely stunning, the Favor Performance Pro mode which displays high fidelity at 60 fps is nothing short of spectacular in relation to the detail and very (very) smooth gameplay. If you missed Horizon the first time around, this is how you should play Alloy.

New titles such as The Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 also come with a “Pro” setting that adds more clarity and depth to both these games. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard – it looks amazing on the PS5, however on the Pro, it’s all about fps and with the realistic hair, detailed textures and lighting, it’s nothing of graphical gaming goodness. I also LOVE the speed of Call of Duty which adds to that first person shooter experience.

Another favourite game of 2024 for me was Star Wars Outlaws, which is an awesome game.

However on the PS5, you were only able to run at either 30fps in quality mode or 60 fps in performance mode but on the Pro it runs at 60 fps in quality mode and difference is a superior speed boost. Visually it’s how the game should be played and I for one cannot wait until the new DLC so I can revisit this galaxy far far away on the PlayStation 5 Pro.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – Square Enix offers a plethora of Pro adjustments as you return to the world of hero Cloud Strife. And as you guessed it? It looks quite impressive on the PlayStation Pro!

But wait, there’s more! Alan Wake 2 is another game that takes advantage of the PS5 Pro that provides faster performance with superior ray tracing capabilities. While Alan Wake 2 looked wonderful on the PlayStation 5 (it still does), the Pro version levels up the game with its detailed visuals, including improved fps with two modes;

Quality Mode

• 30fps with ray tracing
• Ray traced reflections (opaque and transparent)
• Output resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)
• Render resolution 2176 x 1224

Performance Mode

• 60fps
• Using approximately the same render (image quality) settings as the base PS5 Quality mode.
• Base PS5 Performance mode version runs at lower render (image quality) settings
• Render resolution 1536 x 864
• Output resolution 3840 x 2160 (4K)
• Base PS5 version outputs 1440p.

And the victory for me is the performance mode – 60fps is the only way to go now.

But there are so many more games that makes the most out of the architecture behind the PS5 Pro. So yes, if you want visuals with 60 fps, the PlayStation Pro 5 delivers both and more if you want even more detailed visuals.

Does the power create more noise or heat?

Even though the Pro is more powerful than the base PS5, PlayStation should be commended on its thermal and cooling dynamics as it is virtually silent, whereas before I could hear the fan on games such as Black Ops 6 and Star Wars Outlaws when playing it on fidelity. You can still feel the warm air at the rear of the Ps5 Pro however, it is very quiet.

As to 8K?

For now, there are only three titles that support 8K which include No Man’s Sky, F1 24 and Gran Turismo 7. Not many gamers own 8K TV’s and like them, I was unable to test this resolution out.

It’s Portal compatible!

And don’t forget about the PlayStation Portal. Just like on the PlayStation 5 (thanks to the D-Link Mesh system), this portable streaming device worked a treat on the PS5 Pro – Star Wars Outlaws, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Call of Duty Black ops 6 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 never missed a beat with no graphical glitches and framerate drops.

Who is the PS5 Pro for?

If you are a PlayStation 5 gamer that wants the best graphics and fps, then the PS5 Pro is for you – If you are a PC or an XSX gamer that enjoys visuals and performance and want to make the leap to the PlayStation platform, then the Pro is also for you. If you own a PS5? Like I said earlier, the PS5 is still an amazing console and still perfectly creates those amazing virtual worlds (Astro Bot, Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard) very well and what you don’t know, you don’t know. There is also the rising cost of living that plays into the equation and if you want the new PS5 Pro with the drive and the stand, it will cost you just over $1400AUD (November). Something to consider.

And this old gamer? I’ve been a PlayStation gamer since the PS2 and loved the gaming journey since then. Undeniably the PS5 Pro is a true upgrade that with the increased GPU performance, it makes these worlds look even better and faster, so for me, the choice would be the Pro. In the United States, the PS5 Pro retails for $699USD and in the United Kingdom, £699. So, if you’re looking for the next jump in next-gen consoles, the PS5 Pro provides you just that and PlayStation games have never looked this great.

PS5 Pro Highlights

• Next Level Online Wireless Connectivity
  PS5 Pro supports enhanced wireless internet capabilities with more usable bandwidth to increase transfer speeds with IEEE 802.11be and your compatible router, which means you can experience reduced latency and boosted stability when playing online.9
• Ultra-High Speed SSD 
  Maximize your play sessions with near instant load times for installed PS5® games.
• Integrated I/O
  The custom integration of the PS5® Pro console’s systems lets creators pull data from the SSD so quickly that they can design games in ways never before possible.
• 4K-TV Gaming
  Play your favorite PS5® games on your stunning 4K TV.
• 1440p HDMI Video Output
  Enjoy the crisp visual performance of games that natively support 1440p resolution.8 If you’re playing a game with a higher native resolution (such as 4K), you may benefit from improved anti-aliasing through supersampling down to 1440p output.
• 8K Gaming Support
  The PS5 Pro console is compatible with your 8K display through HDMI 2.1 support, so you can play games that support 8K resolution output.*,11
• Up to 120fps with 120Hz Output
  Enjoy smooth and fluid high frame rate gameplay at up to 120fps for compatible games, with support for 120Hz output on 4K displays.
• Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
  Enhance the visual performance of compatible PS5® games by enabling VRR. This syncs the display’s refresh rate to the console’s output. Gameplay feels smoother as scenes render seamlessly, graphics look crisper with frame pacing issues and screen tearing minimized.7
• HDR Technology
  With an HDR TV, supported PS5® games display an unbelievably vibrant and lifelike range of colors.
• Tempest 3D AudioTech
  Immerse yourself in soundscapes where it feels as if the sound comes from every direction. Your surroundings truly come alive with Tempest 3D AudioTech2 in supported games.
• Haptic Feedback
  Experience haptic feedback via the DualSense® wireless controller in select PS5® titles and feel the effects and impact of your in-game actions through dynamic sensory feedback.
• Adaptive Triggers
  Get to grips with immersive adaptive triggers, featuring dynamic resistance levels which simulate the physical impact of in-game activities in select PS5® games.
• Includes ASTRO’S Playroom
  Explore four worlds, each one showcasing innovative gameplay using the versatile features of the DualSense® wireless controller, in this game included for all PS5® Pro console users.

And for fans of Raiders or older gamers…

About the Author

Andrew Bistak When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.

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