The PlayStation 5 has been out for a few years now, having launched in November 2020, but rumors suggest a Pro version could launch much sooner than expected. So what will it look like and when can you get your hands on it?
Here’s everything we know about the PS5 Pro.
When will the PlayStation 5 Pro be released?
There’s been no official word from Sony on the console’s next releases, but at a recent launch event for its new line of TVs, TCL may have revealed when it will appear. Polish tech site PPE had a reporter at the TCL event take the photo below which shows TCL’s expectations for the PS5 Pro and new Xbox Series S/X, to debut in 2023/4.
That’s by no means certain, of course, and it’s possible – perhaps likely – that TCL itself was only speculating on a launch date based on previous trends. Yet, this ties into other rumors that have been reported by the likes of WCCF Tech as well as earlier posts from PPE.
The Insider Gaming site predicted a similar timeline, citing unnamed sources as saying a PS5 Pro will launch in some time. end of 2024. He thinks a PS5 Slim model with a removable disk drive will come first, possibly as early as 2023, and between the two launches there could even be a portable cloud gaming PlayStation console too.
A 2024 launch would match the pattern Sony set with the PS4. The console was first introduced in 2013, followed by the Pro model three years later in 2016. This would make the 2023/24 window in line with the PS5 launch in 2020.
One of the main reasons people expected a later upgrade is that Sony struggled to deliver PS5 stock to retailers due to the continued shortage of available processors. This is fading away now, potentially opening the door to an upgraded build.
How much will the PS5 Pro cost?
Since Sony hasn’t even confirmed the existence of the PS5 Pro yet, no pricing information is available. As an indicator, we can look to the previous generation.
At launch, the PS4 cost $399/£349/$399 and was followed three years later by the PS4 Pro which cost $399/£349/$399. As you can see, this is the same price as the model it replaced, although the original PS4 later got a new reduced price to differentiate them.
The PS5 comes with a ticket price of $499/£449/$499 for the standard edition or $399/£359/$399 for the digital version (no physical disc drive). So if Sony stays the same course for this generation, you should see the PS5 Pro pick up those prices, with the PS5 dropping to a more affordable figure.
To see how the two current models compare, read our PlayStation 5 Standard vs PlayStation 5 Digital article.
What specs and features will we see in the PS5 Pro?
Again, there’s no official word from Sony on specs, but the TCL leak we covered above also contained actual technical details. In the slide it presented, the company said it expected the next-gen console to match or rival the Radeon RX 7000 series in terms of graphics power.
That could mean including the Navi 33 GPU, 8GB of GDDR6 memory, 4096 shader units, a 128-bit memory bus, and 1800MHz clock speeds that can boost up to 2200MHz.
TCL’s slide also claimed that the new hardware would be capable of rendering 2160p/120fps, with output support at 8K/120fps.
This would mark a step up in graphics capabilities for the PS5 Pro, which is exactly what you’d expect from the new model. Those vague details aside, we still don’t know how Sony will approach the PS5 Pro. Whether TCL knows the development plans for the PS5 Pro or is just making an educated guess as to what specs a modern console will need in 2024, hopefully we won’t have too long to wait to find out.
Until then, be sure to read our guides to the best PlayStation 5 games, where to buy a PlayStation 5, as well as our roundup of the best games consoles to make sure you’ll always have something to play.
