Hardware PS5 Pro Review

The PS5 Pro represents Sony's most powerful gaming console to date, pushing the boundaries of home gaming performance. This upgraded version of the PlayStation 5 promises significant improvements in graphics, processing power, and overall gaming capabilities. Our PS5 Pro review examines whether these enhancements deliver the premium gaming experience players expect.

The comprehensive evaluation covers the PS5 Pro's upgraded hardware specifications, enhanced gaming performance with 4K 60FPS gameplay, and expanded game compatibility features. We tested the new PSSR upscaling technology, analyzed the console's improved ray tracing capabilities, and examined its performance with both new titles and existing PS5 games. These findings will help you decide if the PS5 Pro justifies its premium price point.


Diving into the technical heart of Sony's latest console reveals substantial improvements across the board. The PS5 Pro represents a significant leap forward in gaming hardware, featuring a carefully balanced mix of enhanced components and refined design elements.

Upgraded Hardware Specifications

At the core of the PS5 Pro's enhanced capabilities lies its upgraded processing power. The CPU now operates at an impressive 3.85 GHz, marking a 10% increase over the standard PS5. The most substantial improvement comes from the custom AMD Radeon GPU, delivering 33.5 teraflops of power—more than triple the original PS5's capability. This dramatic boost enables significantly more detailed graphics and smoother gameplay.

Key Technical Specifications:

Sleek New Design Features

The PS5 Pro showcases Sony's commitment to sophisticated design while prioritizing functionality. The console features a refined matte finish on its white panels, creating a more premium look compared to the original's glossy surface. The striking black fins across the middle serve both esthetic and practical purposes, enhancing the overall cooling efficiency.

The redesigned cooling system demonstrates Sony's engineering prowess, utilizing a smaller yet more efficient fan coupled with additional heat pipes. This optimization results in better heat dissipation while maintaining quieter operation during intense gaming sessions. The console's dimensions of 15.2 x 3.5 x 8.5 inches strike a balance between power and practicality, making it easier to integrate into existing entertainment setups.

Storage and Connectivity Improvements

Storage capabilities receive a substantial upgrade with the PS5 Pro, featuring a built-in 2TB SSD that doubles the capacity of the standard model. The console maintains compatibility with M.2 NVMe SSD expansion, allowing users to further increase storage capacity up to 8TB using compatible drives.

Connectivity options have been enhanced with:

• Wi-Fi 7 support for reduced latency and improved stability
• Two front-facing USB-C ports for modern peripherals
• Two rear USB-A ports for additional accessories
• HDMI 2.1 output for 4K/120Hz gaming

The PS5 Pro introduces IEEE 802.11be wireless capabilities, providing increased bandwidth for faster data transfer speeds when paired with compatible routers. This enhancement particularly benefits online gaming and digital content downloads, ensuring more stable connections during competitive play.

The integrated I/O system maintains the custom architecture that allows developers to utilize the SSD's speed effectively, enabling near-instant load times and seamless game world transitions. This optimization extends to the console's ability to handle complex ray tracing calculations and AI-driven upscaling through the new PSSR technology, setting new standards for console gaming performance.



Performance improvements stand at the forefront of the PS5 Pro's evolution, delivering substantial upgrades that transform the gaming experience. Let's dive into how these enhancements translate to real-world gaming scenarios.

4K 60FPS Gameplay

The PS5 Pro finally bridges the gap between visual quality and performance that players have long desired. While the base PS5 often required choosing between resolution and frame rate, the Pro delivers both simultaneously. Games now run at native 4K resolution while maintaining 60 frames per second, creating a notably smoother and more detailed gaming experience.

Performance modes have been reimagined with the Pro's enhanced capabilities:

Improved Ray Tracing

Ray tracing capabilities on the PS5 Pro represent a significant leap forward, approaching the quality previously exclusive to high-end gaming PCs. The enhanced GPU, featuring 67% more computing cores, delivers more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows across supported titles.

F1 24 demonstrates these improvements dramatically, with ray-traced reflections on wet tracks creating photorealistic racing conditions. Similarly, Gran Turismo 7 showcases enhanced ray tracing effects while maintaining smooth performance, even offering experimental support for 8K/60fps output.

PSSR Upscaling Technology

PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) marks a revolutionary step in console gaming, representing the first proper AI upscaling technology for home consoles. This sophisticated system delivers several key benefits:

• Enhanced detail and clarity in both native 4K and upscaled content
• Improved anti-aliasing for cleaner image quality
• Better performance without sacrificing visual fidelity
• Optimized handling of specific elements like foliage and textures

PSSR's machine learning capabilities shine particularly bright in titles like The Last of Us Part 1, where the Pro Rendering mode maintains exceptional visual quality while delivering superior frame rates compared to the base PS5. The technology analyzes each frame, adding extraordinary detail while maintaining the game's artistic vision.

The system's ability to enhance both current and previous-generation titles showcases its versatility. For instance, developers at Insomniac Games note that PSSR allows them to "render at a lower resolution, bring it up to full 4K, and get tons of extra detail out of the picture." This technical achievement becomes particularly evident in games featuring complex environmental effects, where the neural network's training specifically enhances elements like atmospheric fog and particle effects.

The Pro's enhanced performance capabilities extend beyond just raw power. Games like Dragon Age: Veilguard now feature ray tracing in their 60fps mode, something previously limited to 30fps on the base PS5. This advancement demonstrates how the PS5 Pro's additional processing power combines with PSSR to deliver previously impossible performance targets.

It's worth noting that while over 50 titles are already optimized for PS5 Pro at launch, the benefits extend across the PlayStation library. The console's Game Boost feature, working in tandem with PSSR, ensures that even backward-compatible PS4 titles can benefit from improved visual clarity and performance stability.



The extensive game library for the PS5 Pro showcases the console's technological prowess, with developers leveraging its enhanced capabilities to deliver superior gaming experiences. From launch titles to upcoming releases, the gaming ecosystem demonstrates significant improvements across various genres.

PS5 Pro Enhanced Titles

Sony's latest powerhouse launches with an impressive roster of over 50 enhanced titles, with an additional 46 games scheduled for future updates. Notable titles receiving the "PS5 Pro Enhanced" treatment include:


The implementation of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology has revolutionized how these games perform. For instance, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered demonstrates remarkable improvements in lighting, reflections, and water details. The game's "Pro mode" renders at 1440p before utilizing PSSR to upscale to 4K while maintaining 60fps, delivering visuals that rival the original PS5's fidelity mode.

Backwards Compatibility

The PS5 Pro maintains comprehensive backwards compatibility with PS4 titles, offering enhanced experiences through various technological improvements. The console's Game Boost feature benefits over 8,500 PS4 and PS5 titles, providing smoother framerates and improved visual fidelity.

Key backwards compatibility features include:

• Enhanced image quality option specifically for PS4 games
• Improved stability in performance modes
• Seamless digital game transfers from PS4
• Support for PS4 peripherals and accessories

However, it's worth noting that the digital-only version of the PS5 Pro presents a limitation for users with physical PS4 game collections. To access disk-based games, players would need to purchase the optional disk drive, effectively increasing the total investment.

PSVR2 Performance Boost

Virtual reality gaming receives significant attention in the PS5 Pro's architecture, with Sony promising substantial enhancements for PSVR2 experiences. While comprehensive testing data remains limited, early indicators suggest promising improvements in virtual reality performance.

Kayak VR: Mirage serves as an early example of PSVR2 optimization, showcasing the potential of the PS5 Pro's enhanced graphics capabilities in virtual environments. The increased GPU power and improved memory bandwidth contribute to more stable frame rates and enhanced visual fidelity in VR experiences.

The technical improvements particularly benefit VR gaming through:

• Enhanced Resolution: Clearer image quality in headset display
• Improved Frame Rates: More stable performance for reduced motion sickness
• Better Ray Tracing: Enhanced lighting and reflections in VR environments
• Reduced Latency: More responsive VR interactions

Developers are actively working on implementing PS5 Pro enhancements across various titles. The Last of Us Part II Remastered exemplifies this optimization, featuring a new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that leverages improved graphics processing. The game renders at 1440p before utilizing PSSR upscaling to 4K, maintaining the crucial 60fps target while delivering superior visual quality.

The gaming ecosystem continues to expand with upcoming titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Dragon Age: The Veilguard already announcing PS5 Pro optimizations. These games will take advantage of the console's enhanced ray tracing capabilities and PSSR technology to deliver unprecedented visual quality while maintaining smooth performance.

For competitive gaming enthusiasts, titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends benefit from the increased processing power, offering more stable frame rates and improved visual clarity during intense gameplay moments. The combination of enhanced hardware and sophisticated upscaling technology ensures that both graphically intensive single-player experiences and fast-paced multiplayer games receive meaningful improvements.




The PS5 Pro stands as a remarkable achievement in console gaming, delivering substantial improvements across every aspect of its design and functionality. Raw processing power combines with sophisticated PSSR technology to create gaming experiences previously impossible on consoles. These advancements manifest through stable 4K/60FPS gameplay, enhanced ray tracing capabilities, and superior visual quality across both new and existing titles, proving Sony's commitment to pushing technical boundaries while maintaining practical usability.

Players must weigh the PS5 Pro's premium price against its significant performance gains when making their purchase decision. The console's comprehensive game library, featuring over 50 enhanced titles at launch and more in development, demonstrates strong developer support for the platform. Technical achievements like PSSR upscaling and improved ray tracing position the PS5 Pro as a compelling option for gamers seeking the highest quality console gaming experience, though casual players might find the standard PS5 adequate for their needs.