Sony’s Mark Cerny finally revealed the long-rumored PlayStation 5 Pro console, which will launch on November 7, 2024, for $699 USD. The PS5 Pro’s most notable feature is its upgraded GPU, which features 67% more Compute Units than the baseline PS5 and 28% faster memory. According to Sony, this delivers up to 45% faster performance and a smoother experience.
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Throw in more powerful ray-tracing hardware that can double or even triple RT performance and Sony’s DLSS-like AI-driven upscaling solution called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, and Sony is positioning the hardware as a console that will let gamers play titles with increased visual fidelity at 60 FPS. Whether you choose a ‘Fidelity’ or ‘Performance’ mode, you will get a smooth 60 FPS.
In addition, one PlayStation 5 Pro console feature not mentioned (or brushed over) in the announcement presentation is PS5 Pro Game Boost, which allows the PS5 Pro to enhance over 8,500 games without needing a patch.
Developers will need to release a ‘PS5 Pro Enhanced’ patch to take advantage of the console’s beefed-up GPU and AI features for PS5 games, while PS5 Pro Game Boost is an automatic tool that will apply to all backward-compatible PS4 games and even some PS5 titles.
“This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games,” Sony writes. “Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games.”
The wording is vague and confusing, so we’ll need to learn more about this feature. It sounds like backward-compatible PS4 titles will get a resolution and performance boost, a feature similar to Xbox’s backward-compatible enhancements – however, not all games. The ‘stabilize’ part probably means that titles PS4 and PS5 locked at 30 FPS or 60 FPS will maintain that performance without dipping. This would be an excellent feature for titles with performance issues on the baseline PS5.
Unfortunately, Sony hasn’t provided any PS5 Pro Game Boost examples and missed an opportunity to showcase the PS4 classic Bloodborne running at a higher resolution and 60FPS. FromSoftware fans have wanted to see Bloodborne remastered and enhanced for years.