PS5 vs. PS5 Pro: Is the Pro worth the upgrade?

The PlayStation 5 Pro is official and promises to make the best PS5 games even better. However, those improvements don’t come cheap. Just like the DualSense Edge was a premium version of the default PS5 controller, the Pro model is being sold as an option for gamers who want the best possible experience. But this is way bigger of an investment than an accessory, so is the Pro worth that extra cost, or are you better off sticking with your base model and installing a new SSD? Let’s put the PS5 and PS5 Pro head-to-head and see which makes the most sense for all the upcoming PS5 games you have your eye on.

PS5 vs. PS5 Pro specs

Not every single detail of the PS5 Pro was revealed, but we did get all the major points during its initial announcement. The Pro model has had several performance boosts over the base model that will not only make future games look and possibly run better but also boost existing ones that receive a patch and thousands of backward-compatible PS4 games. Here’s a quick rundown of all the specs that have been confirmed.

The big question marks here are the GPU and RAM, but only in the specifics. PlayStation hasn’t said what specific chips will be used but did explain how much more powerful those components will be. PlayStation 5 system architect Mark Cerny said that the Pro’s GPU would have 67% more Compute Units than the base model, and have 28% faster memory. The combination of the two reportedly results in 45% faster rendering during gameplay. This isn’t the type of jump a true next-generation system would have for graphics or rendering, but instead is more akin to a massive power boost to the current PS5. The big example is that the Pro will be able to handle advanced ray tracing.

The RAM is likely to be the same 16GB GDDR6 chips, but given a speed boost.

The CPU is the big point to note because they are identical. That means that most games in which the frame rate is CPU-bound, which is most, will not get any noticeable boost in that regard. Games where the graphical quality was the limiting factor, however, can see frame rate boosts on the Pro.

Finally, the Pro has more than double the SSD size of the base PS5 with a 2TB SSD built-in.

PS5 vs. PS5 Pro graphics and resolution

On paper, the Pro doesn’t look like it provides any bump in graphics or resolution based on the output, but that is far from the truth. We mentioned how big a leap the GPU was over the base unit, but that’s only part of the magic the Pro will bring. Currently, ray tracing is limited to very few games and at the cost of frame rate. The Pro will be able to run games with even better ray tracing options without sacrificing frames. This means more accurate reflections and lighting during gameplay.

Not only that but the Pro has PlayStation’s unique AI upscaler called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). This technology will add detail to a game’s graphics without affecting the performance. Using this technology, developers can render their games at below 4K and then allow the AI to upscale the image to that target resolution. The PS5 uses a checker-boarding upscaling solution that isn’t quite as efficient. This means you won’t have to sacrifice frame rates to play a game at the highest graphical settings on the Pro. Essentially, the Pro will be able to hit those 4K targets more easily, and with better ray tracing when available, than the current PS5.

Graphics won’t be a night-and-day leap between the two models, especially if you don’t have the TV to show off all those details, but the Pro will easily outclass the base model in showing off how good PS5 games look.

PS5 vs. PS5 Pro price

The big point of contention with the PS5 Pro is the price. There is only one model of PS5 Pro, which does not come bundled with a disc drive, that sells for $700. If you want to add that optional drive, you will need to purchase it separately.

On the other hand, the two current PS5 models are both still selling for full price at $500 with a disc drive and $450 for the digital-only version. If you don’t have a PS5 yet and want to make sure you have the best hardware for the remainder of the generation, the Pro is the better option, but by no means essential. If you already have a PS5, it all depends on if you can sell your current model or care enough about graphics to feel the purchase is worth it.

PS5 vs. PS5 Pro storage

There’s nothing special or new about the SSDs between the two models except for how much storage they have. The base PS5’s 1TB SSD is criminally small, but you can expand your storage for way cheaper than what it would cost to upgrade to the Pro. The Pro’s 2TB will likely not last you too long if you play a ton of large games so, while nice, isn’t going to be the final solution to your storage needs.

PS5 vs. PS5 Pro games

There will not be any PS5 Pro-exclusive games. Instead, all the games we have now with performance and fidelity modes will be playable at even higher resolution and frame rates. This will all be up to the developers, though, and whether they choose to take advantage of that extra power. The current PS5 will continue to play every game released, but on the Pro you simply won’t have to decide whether you want to prioritize the game’s graphics or its frame rate. On the other hand, games that can’t run at 60 fps on the base PS5 due to CPU limitations also won’t run at 60 on the Pro since it is using the same CPU. A small list of current PS5 games have already been confirmed to be getting PS5 Pro enhancements, such as Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

PlayStation made sure to mention that over 8,000 PS4 games will enjoy performance boosts thanks to the “PS5 Pro Game Boost” feature. We don’t know the specifics of how much improvement these games will get, but we can assume resolution, loading times, and perhaps frame rate will be increased.