Sony has officially announced the PlayStation 5 Pro, a mid-generation upgrade to their popular PS5 console. Set to launch on November 7, 2024, the PS5 Pro promises significant performance improvements and new features for gamers willing to pay the premium price.
Key Details:
- Release Date: November 7, 2024
- Price: $699.99 / £699.99 / €799.99 / ¥119,980
- Pre-orders: Begin September 26, 2024
PS5 Pro vs PS5 vs AMD vs NVIDIA
| Component | PS5 | PS5 Pro (Estimated) | AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU Architecture | AMD RDNA 2 | AMD RDNA 2/3 | AMD RDNA 3 | NVIDIA Ada Lovelace |
| GPU Performance | 10.28 Teraflops | ~17.17 Teraflops | ~28.1 Teraflops (FP32) | ~29.1 Teraflops (FP32) |
| Compute Units | 36 CUs (2,304 cores) | 60 CUs (3,840 cores) | 54 CUs (3,456 cores) | 46 SMs (5,888 CUDA cores) |
| GPU Clock Speed | 2.23 GHz | 2.23 GHz (assumed) | 2.54 GHz (Boost) | 2.475 GHz (Boost) |
| Ray Tracing | Supported | 2-3x faster than PS5 | 54 Ray Accelerators | 46 RT Cores |
| RAM | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 12GB GDDR6 | 12GB GDDR6X |
| RAM Bandwidth | 448 GB/s | ~573.44 GB/s | 432 GB/s | 504 GB/s |
| Storage | 825GB Custom SSD | 2TB SSD | N/A (PC dependent) | N/A (PC dependent) |
| SSD Speed | 5.5 GB/s (Raw) | Not specified | N/A (PC dependent) | N/A (PC dependent) |
| Release Date | November 2020 | November 7, 2024 | August 25, 2023 | April 12, 2023 |
| Launch Price | $499 | $699 | $449 | $599 |
Note: All values for the PS5 Pro are approximate and based on announced improvements over the PS5. Actual specifications may vary.
Compare AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 and more at our GPU comparison tool.
Understanding the Comparison
This comparison provides an interesting look at how the upcoming PS5 Pro might stack up against current high-end PC graphics cards. However, it’s crucial to keep several factors in mind:
- Console vs. PC Architecture: Direct comparisons between console and PC hardware can be misleading due to differences in architecture and optimization. Consoles often perform better than their raw specs suggest.
- Teraflops Aren’t Everything: While Teraflops provide a rough measure of computational power, they don’t directly translate to gaming performance, especially across different architectures.
- Value Proposition: The PS5 Pro, at $700, includes not just the GPU but also the CPU, RAM, storage, chassis, controller, and a game. Comparable PC GPUs alone cost between $450-$600.
- Optimization: Console games are often highly optimized for the specific hardware, which can lead to better performance than equivalent PC hardware.
- Feature Set: The PS5 Pro introduces new features like AI upscaling (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) which may not have direct equivalents in PC space.
For a more detailed look at these GPUs and how they compare in real-world scenarios, check out our GPU review and comparison tool.
Is the PS5 Pro Worth It?
The decision to upgrade to a PS5 Pro depends on your individual needs and circumstances:
- If you already own a PS5, the upgrade might be less compelling unless you’re particularly interested in improved ray tracing or 4K performance.
- For those who haven’t yet entered the current console generation, the PS5 Pro offers a significant performance boost over the base PS5 for $200 more.
- PC gamers should consider that while individual components like the RX 7700 XT or RTX 4070 might offer similar or better performance, the total cost of a comparable PC would likely be significantly higher than the $700 PS5 Pro.
Remember, while GPUs like the RTX 3080 might offer similar performance, they belong to older generations. The PS5 Pro is using more current architecture and may have optimizations that provide better real-world performance than raw specifications suggest.
Ultimately, the value of the PS5 Pro will depend on how much you prioritize cutting-edge console gaming performance and whether the improvements it offers align with your gaming needs and budget.
Calculation Notes:
- The GPU architecture remains RDNA 2-based, but with significantly more Compute Units.
- Overall GPU performance is estimated to increase by 67%, potentially reaching ~17.17 Teraflops.
- Ray tracing performance is stated to be 2-3 times faster in the PS5 Pro.
- While RAM capacity remains the same, its bandwidth is estimated to increase by 28% to about 573.44GB/s.
- Storage capacity more than doubles from 825GB to 2TB.
- SSD read speeds for the PS5 Pro have not been specified, so it’s unclear if there’s an improvement.
- The PS5 Pro introduces new AI upscaling technology called “PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution”.
These calculations are based on the percentages provided in the announcement and the more accurate PS5 specs. Actual performance may vary, and Sony may reveal more precise specifications closer to the launch date.
