With the PS5 inventory shortage finally resolved and the console readily available, many people have already started wondering if the PS5 Pro will be a thing. After all, the PS4 received a bigger and better successor in the PS4 Pro three years after its launch. Though the PS5 Pro rumors and leaks are few and far between right now, every gamer is wondering about the development around Sony’s next-gen console. So today, we have compiled an article to round up everything we know about the PS5 Pro. We also discuss the rumored PS5 Slim briefly in the latter half of the section, so read till the end.
We compiled all the information about the rumored and yet-to-exist PlayStation 5 Pro in this article. Remember that available details come from leaks and rumors. Hence, them with a pinch of salt. We have also included a dedicated section talking about the PS5 Slim. That said, let’s dive right in!
Editor’s Note: This article was last updated on August 24, 2023, to include new details and the updated timeline for the release of PS5 Pro.
PS5 Pro Development
[UPDATE | August 24, 2023]: As per a new specification leak by YouTuber RedGamingTech, the PS5 Pro is in development. He called the upcoming console a “4K ray tracing monster.” The console runs faster on 23.04 TFLOPS (rumored), boasting a faster loading time. Furthermore, judging by the alleged specification (more on that below), the PS5 Pro will be the much-needed mid-generation performance leap for the Sony Console.
As per a new report from Key To Gaming (via Insider Gaming), it seems that the PS5 Pro is in development. Codenamed “Project Trinity,” numerous videogame studios will receive development kits by November 2023. Additionally, Sony is currently showcasing the improvements of the console through various demo events to developers.
Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, expects to see a PS5. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Zelnick asserted that we will see a PS5 Pro released within the current console generation. He also said that the release of PS5 Pro won’t affect the business very much.
While these don’t confirm the existence of a PS5 Pro, Take-Two is a partner studio for PlayStation. With work on GTA 6 currently in full swing, it won’t be surprising if the studio already received dev kits to play around with.
While news of the PS5 Pro’s existence is nothing set in the ground, there have been numerous instances where companies have accidentally revealed its existence. A possible PS5 Pro was initially confirmed in May 2022 during a TCL showcase. The X post (previously Twitter) shared by Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming included two images from a conference by TCL Technologies, where it not only allegedly leaked the hardware for the rumored PS5 upgrade but also leaked the existence of an upgrade to the Xbox Series X/S.
Of course, as noted by many users, this could have been speculation or forecast on the company’s part. However, this was the first mention of the PS5 Pro ever spotted in the wild. The rumor mill has since been brewing with not many new details on the horizon. Another Twitter user called @Onion00048 recently pointed out that Sony’s Mark Cerny filed a patent to optimize their Raytracing techniques. This further prompts that the PS5 Pro might indeed be real.
As per Insider Gaming’s latest report, sources confirm that PS5 is due for a mid-life-cycle upgrade, and Sony is already working towards a late 2024 tentative launch date. We discuss more details about the speculated release date in the next section.
PS5 Pro Release Date (Rumored)
Right off the bat, let us clear that nothing is set in stone for the release of the PS5 Pro. However, the rumor mill suggests that the PlayStation 5 Pro could launch in 2024. As previously mentioned, citing sources aware of the development, Insider Gaming reports that the PS5 Pro will launch sometime in late 2024. In the last generation cycle, Sony launched the PlayStation 4 Pro in November 2016. This was three years after the original launch of PlayStation 4 in November 2013.
With Sony’s past track record and PS4 receiving the Pro upgrade, next year’s holiday release might become a reality. However, remember that only recently (more than two years after its launch) did Sony manage to fix its distribution woes, with the PlayStation 5 shortage slowly fizzing out.
Moreover, in a recent YouTube video, Henderson talked extensively about the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim, speculating that a new PS5 model with a detachable disk drive will launch in 2023. After that, the Pro model should likely hit the shelves in 2024, which is in line with the timeframe that took the PlayStation 4 Pro to launch after the original console.
PS5 Pro Design Upgrade
It’s hard to speculate the design upgrade that the PS5 Pro will bring over Sony’s latest-gen console. It’s a mammoth console that occupies space on your desk. And if we go by PS4 and PS4 Pro standards, we can only expect the PS5 Pro model to be beefier than its predecessor.
If the specifications and feature upgrades we discuss in the next section become a reality, the PS5 Pro might become larger. However, if Sony is aware of the user feedback on the PS5, the company knows they have been requesting a smaller console. So, the PS5 Pro could preserve the same bulky design (with aesthetic upgrades) and cram the latest components within. We will update this section once we receive any official design leaks, so stay tuned for more information.
PS5 Pro Specifications and Leaks
[UPDATE | August 24, 2023]: As per the specification leak from YouTuber RedGamingTech, The PS5 Pro will have the following specifications:
- New Custom APU with TSMC 5/4nm Process
- 8 Cores based on Zen 4
- Integrated GPU with 30 Workgroup Processors (WGP) and 60 Compute Units (CU)
- iGPU could be based on RDNA 3 or RDNA 3.5 architecture
- APU could feature 96 ROPs (50% more compared to base PS5)
- Higher CPU clocks at 3.6GHz, along with higher GPU clocks at 2.7GHz
- 16GB GDDR6 Memory
- Potential enhancements to the built-in NVMe SSD
Each of these upgrades, if true, confirms that the console will provide an impressive performance boost for the upcoming and existing games. Additionally, as per the specs, we can expect Sony to improve the console’s Raytracing capabilities and loading times.
According to the mentioned Key To Gaming report, specifications are hard to come across. However, this “Project Trinity” will have 30 WGP and 18000mts memory. As for the console’s expected performance target, PlayStation looks to obtain a consistent FPS at 4K resolution, a new ‘performance mode’ for 8K resolution support, and better Raytracing implementation.
The next thing numerous people wonder about is the specifications of the PS5 Pro. We noticed an impressive performance leap between the original PS4 and the PS4 Pro when it launched in 2016. In the case of PS5, the base console supports next-gen features like Raytracing, higher resolution gaming (4K @ 120Hz), and more. You will find a list of the best PS5 games attached here.
We expect the PS5 Pro to include a better Radeon GPU to deliver better frame rates while utilizing Raytracing and supporting up to 8K gaming. As previously mentioned, TCL also claimed the same during their presentation. Sony’s next-gen console might include the upcoming RX 7700XT graphics card based on the RDNA 3 architecture, enabling true 8K @ 60Hz gaming. However, we suggest you take this leak with a pinch of salt and wait for more concrete information.
Currently, the PS5 is based on AMD’s Zen 2 architecture, utilizing an 8-core processor and 16GB of RAM. This allows the console to deliver true 4K @ 120Hz gaming with ray tracing. Since its launch, AMD has made great strides in the CPU segment. So, you can expect the PS5 Pro to utilize the latest AMD Zen4 CPU architecture, bringing better performance and enhanced efficiency. Further, a report from last year suggested that the PS5 Pro will offer double the capabilities of the PS5.
Sony should also consider upgrading the internal SSD to provide more usable storage space to gamers. The PlayStation 5 has an 825GB SSD with only 667GB of usable space. Hopefully, Sony will equip the PS5 Pro with at least 1TB SSD, offering more usable storage space to gamers. With modern games getting larger, users are forced to install or upgrade the SSD on their PS5.
The CPU and GPU upgrades could make the PS5 Pro an attractive investment for buyers since 8K TVs are slowly becoming affordable for gamers to purchase.
PS5 Pro Pricing (Speculated)
The same story as above continues in the pricing segment as well. There is not much available information, but we can make an educated guess about the PlayStation 5 Pro pricing.
Looking at the previous-gen console pricing, the PS4 Pro was released at the same price as the original PS4 at $399 in the US. The company also launched the PS4 Slim, an updated PS4 console with a smaller form factor for $299. Sony could follow the same strategy this time around as well.
That means the PS5 Pro will replace the current-gen PS5 and launch at the same price of $499 in the market in 2024. We could also see the PS5 get a compact version, which we discuss in the next section. This is mere speculation at this point, though. Given the hardware upgrade and performance improvements the console might bring, we could see Sony bump the price and release the PS5 Pro at $599, a $100 increase over the existing console. It won’t be surprising at all. However, Sony needs to be aggressive while competing with Xbox. Plus, you can expect the original PS5 to finally receive a price cut, as it hardly received discounts post-launch.
PS5 Slim: Smaller Console In the Works?
Another possibility of platform revisions could be the release of the PS5 Slim. During PS4’s life-cycle, Sony discontinued the original PS4 and released a compact variant with similar performance, calling it PS4 Slim. Launched in November 2016 alongside the PS4 Pro, the slimmer variant shrunk the console size, retaining its performance capabilities.
The same is expected from the PS5. Sony has finally figured out its manufacturing woes and slowly ramped up production, already launching a couple of variants of the PS5. The slimmer PS5 console can launch to replace the current-gen PS5 in the market.
Multiple news outlets and Twitter users recently spotted a PS5 Slim listing on an Australian retailer’s site, seemingly confirming a slim variant. This was later debunked, as many pointed out that the page existed in 2021. This page was initially made for the PS4 Slim, and the site updated it to PS5. While it certainly buries the doubts for a slim variant, who knows, we might get news later this year.
Apart from the Slim, there are rumors of the PS5 getting a detachable drive variant. As per Tom Henderson in a recent YouTube video, this variant will have a detachable disk drive, allowing users to save some space or use the console like the digital-only variant. It is scheduled to replace the current model by the end of 2023 and will start hitting the shelves in September 2023. We should receive more news about the new models in June when most gaming companies announce their ongoing projects.
PS5 Pro: Frequently Asked Questions
The rumors suggest that Sony has started developing the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim, and we could see more leaks in the coming weeks. There is no concrete information on what upgrades these two consoles will bring, but late 2024 is the expected release date.
The PS5 Pro, if it exists, is likely to offer you better hardware and performance overall. However, its launch is still far away, the rumors hinting at a late 2024 release date. So, if you are eager to buy a gaming console right now, we suggest you go for the PS5 instead of waiting for the Pro upgrade. You are missing out on games like GOW Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, and many more.
The PS5 natively supports gaming at 4K@60Hz resolution, with some games even achieving up to 120FPS (frames per second). The latest rumors suggest that PS5 Pro’s hardware upgrades will deliver double the performance of the original PS5 console. So, you can expect the PS5 Pro to support true 4K gaming at 60FPS with ray tracing enabled, along with 8K gaming for select games.
Ps5 pro needs diagonal movement.