What we know about the future PlayStation 5 Pro

If you are looking for an analogue to the processor of the original PS5, then the most likely candidate for this title will be the Ryzen 7 4700G: Zen 2 architecture, 7 nm, 3.6 GHz base frequency overclocked to 4.4 GHz, 8 cores, 16 threads.

If our assumptions are correct, the PS5 Pro processor will receive an updated architecture and a significant increase in the base frequency. What will the productivity gain be? You won’t find any direct comparison tests between the Ryzen 7 4700G and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D online. Still, there are more than two years between the Ryzen 4000 and Ryzen 7000 series. However, iXBT.com’s 2020 unified testing methodology allows the two AMD products to be compared.

Thus, the Ryzen 7 4700G, or rather the 4750G, received an integral result of 142.9 points , while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D received an integral result of 343.1 points . Points, according to the methodology, are calculated relative to the base Intel Core i5-9600K processor. In other words, the PS5 processor is 1.4 times faster than the Core i5-9600K, and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is 3.4 times faster. But the new AMD processor performs especially well in games, as shown by testing conducted in August 2023 .

The original Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an integrated video accelerator consisting of two RDNA 2 computing units. The performance of the graphics part of the processor is clearly not enough to meet the requirements of gamers, and even more so, to be installed in a PlayStation with the Pro suffix. Obviously, a different accelerator was installed in the APU for the processor part for the PlayStation 5.

Video accelerator

The original PlayStation 5 has an RDNA 2 architecture GPU with 36 compute units that operate at up to 2.23 GHz. Performance is 10.3 teraflops. The closest analogue among AMD video cards in the AMD Radeon RX 6000 line is the RX 6700 video card – 36 computing units, frequency 2.17 GHz, 11.29 teraflops. This is a good mid-range video card, the performance of the 6700 XT, according to the iXBT laboratory , is between the RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3070 in games without tracing enabled. Well, turning on ray tracing brings this video card down to the level of the RTX 3060.

In March 2021, in a review of the AMD Radeon 6700 XT video card, the following conclusions were made: “ in practice, this means that the Radeon RX 6700 XT will allow you to comfortably play at 2.5K resolution at maximum graphics settings, AMD did not deceive us on this. However, all this is true if we do not consider games with ray tracing (or rather, we do not consider the use of this technology in them) .” But now, knowing the real performance of the PS5, we see the same thing! That is, indeed, the level of the console is the level of the RX 6700.

What do insiders promise? From 60 to 72 computing units, and a total performance of 20 teraflops. We’ll go back to AMD’s official website and take a look at the RX 7000 graphics chips . No accelerator has 72 computing units. The RX 7900 GRE has 80, the RX 7700 XT has 54. But the RX 7800 XT has exactly 60. The frequency is 2124 MHz. It is very likely that this particular version of the 7000-series chip will be at the heart of the PS5 Pro graphics core. How powerful is this video card?

Other iron

Insiders promise an increase in SSD storage capacity. As practice shows, the “magic” SSD developed by Sony is not so unnecessary for modern games. The declared sequential read and write speeds on the PCIe 4.0 bus are achieved by high-quality drives on PCs – nothing has changed in this regard since 2021. Of course, the clever data compression algorithms that Sony uses in its drives provide a certain increase, but the games existing on the console do not demonstrate the need to use such devices.

Something else is interesting about the leaks. Some insiders point to the presence of a certain “custom” chip, which is designed to speed up the work of AI (artificial intelligence). According to leaks, this chip is being developed jointly by AMD and Sony. It is designed to speed up the operation of neural networks. AMD’s (FSR) technologies used to optimize performance in video games are inferior to Nvidia’s (DLSS). Perhaps the use of this chip will help bridge the gap with the competitor in this area. What kind of chip could this be?

At the beginning of 2023, AMD introduced the world’s first x86-compatible processors with an integrated AI engine. Ryzen AI is a general-purpose computing unit and, in theory, its scenarios are not limited to just graphics processing. But this block can be used to process graphic information.

So far there is no talk of widespread implementation of Ryzen AI in AMD processors. This is not a cheap process, and AMD needs to develop real scenarios for using these computing units and ensure mass production. But Sony PS5 Pro will be able to provide a solution to these two problems.

Price issue

Of course, comparing prices for desktop hardware and consoles is a thankless task. The console, due to the high degree of integration of components, will be cheaper. But we can still make a rough estimate.

First, let’s look at prices in the recent past. The Sony PlayStation 5 at launch had a suggested retail price of $399 for the version without an optical drive and $499 for the version with a Blue-Ray optical drive. The suggested retail price for the console’s intended CPU parent (Ryzen 7 4700G) in 2020 was $290 , and the graphics card was about $480 . That is, the recommended retail price of the console ranged from 50% to 65% of the total cost of a video card and processor of similar performance.

At the same time, according to some experts, Sony lost $170 on the sale of each console. That is, the cost of the console was about $670 (version with a drive), which is 87% of the recommended retail price of the processor and video card underlying the console. However, the $170 loss included the delivery of consoles to warehouses by plane, and in addition, in 2020 and 2021, the industry experienced a semiconductor famine. So in a normal situation the losses would be less.

The price of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor dropped to around $350 by the end of this year . It is not yet clear how much Ryzen AI can add to the price. RX6700 XT graphics cards are trading around $320. That is, more efficient components will cost Sony about 10% less than it was at the start of the generation.

Of course, all our “calculations” are not the truth and are sewn with white threads, but miracles do not happen. Very roughly, you can estimate the cost of the PlayStation 5 Pro at $600. Even if we assume that logistics and production costs will be lower than at the launch of the original PS5, the lower limit of the cost of the console can be estimated at $500. Therefore, the $499 price stated by insiders for the PS5 Pro means that Sony will be losing money at launch or, at best, selling them at a loss until production costs drop even lower.

We will cautiously assume that the initial price of the PS5 Pro may be higher than expected. By at least $50 (that is, $549). It is possible that we will see a price tag for the Pro console of $599. Still, the company is not in a financial position to lose money.

Overall assessment of the future PlayStation 5 Pro

The potential PlayStation 5 Pro looks like a very interesting gaming device. In terms of performance, it, of course, will not be able to compete on equal terms with top-end PCs with an RTX 4090 or RX 7900 on board. But, perhaps for the first time in games on a console, you can count on honest 4K resolution or honest 60 frames per second ( exactly or ) with support for ray tracing technology.

Rumors about support for 8K resolution should be considered marketing fluff. That is, the image on a TV, of course, can be in 8K, but there can be no talk of any rendering in this resolution. Even top current AMD hardware is not capable of such performance. Sony chose as a basis perhaps the best solutions of its partner, taking into account the price. Even if Sony can’t keep the cost of consoles under $500 (and they probably won’t), the Play Station 5 will still be the best gaming device in terms of price and performance in 2024.

If the information about the integration of an AI chip into the processor is confirmed, then we will probably hear a lot of advertising hype about the unimaginable advantages of silicon artificial intelligence, just as we heard stories about the magic SSD before. Artificial intelligence is in vogue these days. But will this chip be used in games?

If this chip does not require significant changes to the game code to process graphics, as is the case with FSR, then players can count on increased performance and quality of AMD’s scaling technology. Otherwise, it is difficult to expect support for a special chip from third-party game developers. There is no such chip on Xbox consoles (yet!), and it is not widely integrated into Ryzen processors.

Overall, the console looks like a solid gaming PC, which is what it actually is.

Okay, but why?

If the information from insiders and our assumptions turn out to be correct, then the PlayStation 5 will be a great device, but who will need it? Look at the PlayStation 4 Pro presentation from today’s perspective. In November 2016, Sony promised us:

• Gaming in 4K.  Play the latest games in incredible 4K clarity; Skin tones become warmer, objects take on more realistic textures, and environments look unusually alive.
• Stunning detail.  With PS4 Pro, faces appear more realistic, curves appear smoother, angles appear sharper, and visual elements like hair, water, and grass seem to ooze life.
• Rich and vibrant colors with HDR.  Thanks to HDR TVs, compatible PS4 games display nearly the entire range of colors visible to the human eye, making environments incredibly vibrant and lifelike.
• Mind-blowing surroundings.  Large texture details, like dirt on clothing or rust on metal, become more vibrant when playing on PS4 Pro, while shadows that are dark, crisp, and clearly visible over long distances add a stunning sense of depth to PS4 Pro-enhanced games.
• Continuous immersion.  What’s happening on the screen becomes even more dynamic, smooth and vibrant thanks to faster and more stable frame rates.

How much of this turned out to be true? Replace PS4 Pro with PS5 Pro in this text and you can print promotional flyers. The PlayStation 4 was a great console, the PlayStation 4 Pro offered better performance, but de facto, players did not see the need to exchange the PS4 for the PS4 Pro (or purchase the PS4 Pro when there is a more affordable basic version). Marketers tried to portray the Pro version of the console as a “unique selling proposition,” but it didn’t work. Sony loves to brag about the sales of its consoles, but for some reason, it does not mention the number of PS4 Pros sold.

It is doubtful that the pro version of the PlayStation 5 will have a different fate. Both consoles are capable of running the same games. Both consoles will not be able to honestly render images of maximum quality in 4K at 60 frames per second. The pro version will handle this a little better, the basic version a little worse, but some modern titles have such disgusting optimization, especially on Unreal Engine 5, that they won’t even show 30 frames per second on the RTX 4090. But in such a situation, does it make sense? overpay?

Of course, the PS5 Pro looks like a good replacement for the PlayStation 4, especially for Western buyers. Moreover, there is no longer any need to wait for new games on PS4, and, apparently, there is no threat of a shortage for the new product. On the other hand, prices for the base version of the console are expected to drop after release and, if you are a casual gamer, perhaps switching from the PS4 to the updated base PS5 will be a more rational choice. Replacing the PlayStation 5 with a Pro version is not the most obvious strategy. The performance of the new product is, of course, higher than that of its predecessor, but if you don’t have a TV with 4K resolution, you won’t see the difference.

What about the competitors?

Other factors may also affect PS5 Pro sales. Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in 2024. Probably no one doubts that it will be a portable console. Therefore, in terms of performance, the new product from Nintendo will not be able to compete even with the ordinary Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5, not to mention the Pro version. But the Switch, like the Steam Deck, is an ideal second console. For home and multi-platform games – a large console, for travel and your loved ones – a portable console.

It is extremely doubtful that a player, faced with a hypothetical choice between upgrading his PS5 to a PS5 Pro and buying a Switch 2, will choose the first option. In terms of price, by the way, the deals will be approximately equal, even taking into account the sale of the old console on the secondary market. Given the rumors about Microsoft’s interest in collaborating with Nintendo, we cannot rule out the possibility that games from internal Xbox studios will appear on the Switch. If Call of Duty is going to be there , then why are the others worse?

By the way, about Microsoft. She, too, can add a fly in the ointment to Sony’s ointment. Of course, unless something extraordinary happens, Xbox owners will not switch to the pro version of the PlayStation 5 if they have not already switched to the Sony ecosystem. Xbox exclusives in this generation of consoles are a dubious pleasure, but Sony is not able to offer an adequate answer to Gamepass. The point here is different.

According to rumors, Xbox bosses have admitted defeat in this round of console wars, but are planning to win back in the next one. Microsoft is preparing carefully for a new confrontation. By the start of the next round, integration with Activision Blizzard’s divisions should be completed, and internal studios that were acquired earlier should begin releasing games currently in development. There are various rumors regarding the release of new Microsoft consoles.

Some insiders are confident that there will be no Xbox Series Pro, and the immediate launch of “ Xbox Next ” is planned in 2026. Due to the earlier launch, the new generation of Xbox will likely be weaker than the upcoming PlayStation 6, but stronger than the PlayStation 5 Pro. If information about this is confirmed in 2024, then this will be a blow for the pro version of PS5. Many players, especially in the main US market where Xbox is still strong, may be considering waiting a little longer and jumping straight into Next-Gen.

However, there is other information. Allegedly, Microsoft is deliberately misleading its competitor, and the updated Xbox Series will still appear in October 2024. The claimed 12 teraflops of performance is certainly not the same as the expected 20 from the PS5 Pro, but it is still more than the base PS5. But in this configuration, Microsoft will most likely be able to offer a good price for the updated console.

In any case, the PS5 Pro does not look like a trump card, or even a strong card in the confrontation with Xbox.

Is the future PS5 Pro necessary for PC boys? For Russia, the question is ambiguous, but no is more likely than yes. The main market for games in Russia is on PC (and mobile phones). If you are used to Steam and have adapted to purchasing games on a PC bypassing sanctions, then moving to the Sony ecosystem is fraught with new problems. In addition, there are no guarantees that a foreign corporation will not decide to put new spokes in the wheels of domestic players. And it may happen that a console purchased at a significant markup will turn into a brick.

What other potential advantages does the PlayStation 5 Pro have over PC? For fans of virtual reality, PSVR 2 is, of course, interesting, but Quest headsets are in many ways no worse, and in terms of the number and quality of games, they will probably be even better. PlayStation Portal? Don’t mix Steam Deck OLED and its Chinese clones. Price?

On the one hand, even with a premium, $700-800 for such a console looks quite attractive, considering the performance. But the difficulties with purchasing console versions of games and their prices partially offset this advantage. And the purchase of an additional drive (if the console is shipped without it), branded headphones, an additional gamepad and other amenities can bring the final cost of the console up to $1,000. In this situation, the PC no longer looks so expensive compared to the console, and the range of additional equipment and functionality will be greater.

So who needs a PS5 Pro? It turns out that for a very limited circle of players.

Diagnosis

The upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro promises to be an excellent gaming device. There is nothing to complain about about the supposed technical content of the new product. Adequate configuration, excellent, although not the highest performance. The price will most likely be adequate, even if Sony does not dump in hopes of increasing market share. But with all this, the PlayStation 5 Pro will likely remain unnecessary for most players, with the exception of dedicated fans.

In general, the idea of ​​an intermediate generation raises questions. Increased performance still won’t provide the experience expected from the new generation of consoles and games. And there won’t be a new generation of games on a more advanced version of the current generation console. At the same time, cheaper, albeit less powerful, PlayStation 5 consoles remain on the market. Given economic realities, it is difficult to expect that players will flock to the new product.

We doubt that PS5 Pro will provide an influx of audience from other platforms. Everyone who wanted to switch to PlayStation has already done so. The rest will remain, some on Xbox, some on PC or Switch. The Pro version of the console will not be enough reason to change your mind. Another thing is the future PlayStation 6. But the release of this console is still a long time coming.