The PlayStation 5 Pro is the latest hardware release from Sony Interactive Entertainment, designed to cater to the needs of more discerning customers. Just like its predecessor, the PS4, Sony has introduced a more powerful version of their current console. While it may not represent a revolutionary leap in gaming like a new generation would, the PS5 Pro aims to address many of the issues that have been associated with some of the top gaming experiences of recent years.
### A More Powerful Companion for the PS5
The PlayStation 5 Pro is essentially an upgraded version of the PlayStation 5, specifically tailored to handle the increasing demands of today’s most ambitious games. As technology advances, the quality of graphics and performance has become a key aspect of the gaming experience.
In response to discussions around resolutions, viewing distances, level of detail, and frame rates, Sony realized that the original console would struggle to keep up with the evolving needs of developers and players over a four-year period. This led to the development of the PlayStation 5 Pro, which aims to significantly enhance the gaming experience through superior hardware.
The enhancements brought about by the upgraded hardware are complemented by the games that developers optimize for the PS5 Pro. By taking advantage of the enhanced specifications and technologies like PSSR, games on the PS5 Pro can achieve a whole new level of visual fidelity and stability.
### The Games
During the early days of the PlayStation 5 Pro, we tested various popular titles from the PS5 lineup. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 16, Alan Wake 2, Madden NFL 25, and Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown were examined for their performance on the new console.
For gamers who prioritize top-notch quality and the convenience of console gaming, the PlayStation 5 Pro proves to be a powerful companion to the original or slim model. The choice between the two models ultimately depends on individual expectations, gaming habits, screen and resolution preferences, and overall gaming inclinations. Sony has indeed delivered a more powerful sibling to the PS5.
Without the specialized tools of Digital Foundry, concrete numbers illustrating the quality leap achieved by the PS5 Pro are unavailable. However, personal experiences playing games on both consoles can provide insights into the improvements brought about by Sony’s new console.
### Cyberpunk 2077
Among the games tested, Cyberpunk 2077 showcased the ability of the PS5 Pro to reconcile graphic quality and performance modes. By optimizing the game for the new console, players could enjoy the best of both worlds, including ray tracing with enhanced performance.
The upgrade to the PS5 Pro allowed for a smoother experience in the 4K 30 mode with ray tracing, offering a sharp image and consistent performance without any issues that were present on the original PS5.
This transformation in gaming experiences highlights the visual improvements made possible by the PS5 Pro.
Cyberpunk 2077
Some games manage to satisfy universally with different graphic modes, but others divide opinions. Some play at 30fps to enjoy better graphics, others play at 60fps for better performance. Enter the PS5 Pro to reconcile the graphic quality of quality modes with the performance of performance modes, which sometimes even means ray tracing with better performance.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
This is one of those cases where we set a game aside because none of the graphic options from Capcom were satisfying. It has been sitting since March waiting for improvements and now, in sync with the arrival of the PS5 Pro, we were finally able to pick up Dragon’s Dogma 2 and play without any issues. Prioritizing graphics resulted in unbearable performance, capable of causing discomfort, headaches, tolerable for short periods of time. Prioritizing performance reduced the image quality to the point of forcing the same effect. On the PS5 Pro, all of this is resolved.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
After 40 hours with this Bioware game on the PS5, for the review, where we were already impressed with the graphic quality, it was the first PS5 Pro test, considering how recent its landscapes and panoramas still are in our minds. Playing the new Dragon Age on the PS5 Pro makes its graphic quality even more fantastic and stabilizes performance. You can play in Quality mode with high sharpness and smooth motion, just as you can play in Performance mode and witness an image much better than what is on the PS5. We can even say that this Dragon Age is one of the best showcases of the PS5 Pro in its early days. Spectacular.
Throughout the next few days, we will try more games that have not yet received the PS5 Pro update and others that we did not have time for, so stay tuned for future mentions.
Considering the frequent promotional campaigns carried out in national stores, the physical format holds immense appeal for its versatility (the possibility of lending games between friends and family, buying and selling in used game stores, and a wider range of promotions, not restricted to the PlayStation Store). This is the big downside to the PS5 Pro and an important element to take into account when buying it.
On the other hand, if you are one of those who have fully embraced the digital format and even use the PlayStation Plus Catalog (in the Extra and Premium tiers) as one of the main ways to obtain games, this is not a problem, even though it may represent a strong inconvenience for others. As predominantly digital gamers, this is not an issue, since throughout the PS4 generation we got used to buying digital games on the Japanese and Hong Kong PS Stores to play them earlier, cheaper, or even just to experience them.
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The PlayStation 5 Pro is undoubtedly an expensive device, especially when talking about a console in an existing generation and not a new one, but anyone who spends some time with this console will quickly understand the transformative effect it can have on most games. Currently, not all games allow Sony to showcase the splendor of refinement achieved in this PS5 Pro, but those who are making the effort are showing what is possible when the biggest productions of the present enjoy more power to sustain them.
PS5 Pro: The Next Level
The PS5 remains the main console and the Pro does not represent a new generation, but it does everything the original console does with more refinement.
Enhanced Performance
Don’t expect miracles like 4K at 120fps as everything will always depend on the developer and the complexity of each engine or design of the experience, but if you are bothered by some games you have on the PS5 and have even had to stop playing because of it, the PS5 Pro represents the next level.
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