Even though the PlayStation 5 Slim launch is still fairly close in the rearview mirror, many are already wondering about a potential PlayStation 5 Pro. It makes sense - platform holders like Sony have a history of releasing souped-up revisions of their flagship consoles to provide new visual and quality-of-life improvements in the middle of console generations.
Sony has not officially confirmed any details about a rumored ‘Pro’ version of the PS5. Nevertheless, we’re collecting all of the information and reporting we can find on this anticipated upgrade to keep you in the loop until an official announcement is made.
Potential PS5 Pro Release Window
In February 2024, analysts reported to CNBC that they anticipate Sony will release a ‘Pro’ variant of the PS5 in the latter half of 2024. Elsewhere, Insider Gaming has also reported that the PS5 Pro is “aiming for a tentative holiday 2024 release.” Unfortunately, there’s been no official word from Sony on this front, so it’s hard to say whether the alleged console variant will surface later this year. Though you we can look at previous PlayStation release dates as an indicator of what to expect.
A late 2024 release window for the PS5 Pro would come ahead of the planned 2025 launch of Grand Theft Auto 6, easily one of the most anticipated console games on the horizon. If the first trailer is anything to go off, GTA 6 looks like a graphically intense AAA blockbuster that would likely benefit from the upgraded hardware a ‘Pro’ PS5 could offer.
Considering the PS4 Pro launched in the latter days of the previous-gen console, it’s fair to assume the Pro model of the PS5 could follow suit. In February 2024, Bloomberg reported on Sony’s fiscal plans, quoting the brand's senior vice president, Naomi Matsuoka. In the article, Matsuoka said, ‘Looking ahead, PS5 will enter the latter stage of its life cycle. As such, we will put more emphasis on the balance between profitability and sales. For this reason, we expect the annual sales pace of PS5 hardware will start falling from the next fiscal year.' which runs from April 2024 to April 2025.
After years of PS5 shortages, 2023 and 2024 saw the console resume regular stocking and availability across much of the world—a relief to parents everywhere. Considering the PS6 is likely still a few years off, it would also be a fortuitous time for a new and improved PS5 to drop. It's best not to take this information as gospel without a press release from Sony, though.
PS5 Pro Price & Models
Sony’s most recent console revision, the PlayStation 5 Slim, launched in December 2023. Like the PlayStation 5, it has a digital and disc version, with the digital version shipping at a lower price. While models haven't been confirmed for the rumored PS5 Pro console, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sony repeated this pattern and released a digital and disc-based variant.
Without any official word about a new console revision, we can only speculate how Sony will price an upgraded variant of the PS5 at launch. Even so, the rumored ‘Pro’ tag may ensure a higher price point from the PS5 Slim model, especially if it is a more powerful piece of hardware.
Here are the prices for the PlayStation 5 Slim models for reference:
U.S.
- PS5 Slim with disc drive – $500
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition – $450
Europe
- PS5 Slim with disc drive – €550
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition – €450
U.K.
- PS5 Slim with disc drive – £480
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition – £390
Japan
- PS5 Slim with disc drive – 66,980 JPY (includes tax)
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition – 59,980 JPY (includes tax)
See our guide on where to buy a PS5 for purchasing options, or dive into the latest PlayStation deals today.
PS5 Pro Design - What Will the PS5 Pro Look Like?
Despite a lack of official statements, there’s been plenty of reporting about the specifications of the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro. Alongside providing a possible launch date for the console, the leak from Moore’s Law is Dead, initially reported on by Insider Gaming and further corroborated by The Verge, featured a list of specifications to unpack.
Sources told The Verge that developers are being asked to optimize their games for the new console and that improved raytracing is a significant focus for the alleged PlayStation 5 Pro. According to The Verge’s sources, developers who “provide significant enhancements" will be able to add the ‘Trinity Enhanced’ label to their games, a reference to the console’s reported codename, Trinity. The reported specifications suggest that the PlayStation 5 Pro will feature GPU and CPU upgrades, with GPU rendering “45 percent faster than standard PlayStation 5,” according to The Verge’s reporting. The PlayStation 5 Pro’s CPU will reportedly be the same as the standard model but feature a higher-frequency mode that will afford developers more power to play with, as well as benefiting from upgrades to system memory.
Finally, The Verge’s report mentions “PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution,” a new Sony technology that apparently functions similarly to Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling and image enhancement tech. When paired with an RTX graphics card, DLSS stabilizes frame rates and boosts fidelity in PC games, and PSSR reportedly seeks to provide the same sort of solution on the rumored console revision.
If you want to dig deeper into the specifics of these changes and what they might mean for upcoming PS5 games, check out our PS5 Pro breakdown here.
Aside from the reported internal specification upgrades, little has been said about the Playstation 5 Pro's potential design and outer casing. Considering Sony has iterated but kept the original style with the PlayStation 5 Slim, it’s fair to say we may see a similar outer shell here, too – though only time will tell.
