Sony Reveals PS5 Pro Launch Date, Checkout Price, Major Changes, and Features

We just got hit by a surprising announcement. Sony in an unexpected move announced the launch of PlayStation 5 Pro which it calls the "most advanced and innovative console hardware to date".

The device will launch on November 7 at the price of $699.99.  Compared to its predecessors PS which was launched in 2020, PS5 Pro costs $200 extra. It will include a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed in every PS5 Pro purchase.

What's New in PS5 Pro?

In a recent post on the PlayStation Blog, Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Platform Business Group, disclosed the PS5 Pro's features:

• Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
• Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
• AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

Other enhancements include PS5 Pro Game Boost, which can apply to more than 8,500 backwards-compatible PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro. This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games will be also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games. PS5 Pro will also launch with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in territories supporting this standard. VRR and 8K gaming are also supported.

Hideaki Nishino also announced "Several games will be patched with free software updates for gamers to take advantage of PS5 Pro’s features. These games can be identified with a PS5 Pro Enhanced label within their title. Some games you can look forward to include blockbuster hits from PlayStation Studios and our third-party partners, such as Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest, The First Descendant, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and more."

PS5 will be compatible with the PS5 accessories currently available in the market, including PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge, Access controller, Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore. The user interface and network services will also remain the same as PS5.

Pre-orders of the console will begin on September 26. On October 10, 2024, pre-orders will be available at all other participating retailers.

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