Will there be a PS5 Pro? Release date rumours & predicted specs
Faster CPU, increased system memory, 8K and a fall launch window, here's everything we know
Another year, another new console. This time it's Sony who is in the hotseat, with rumours of a mid-generation upgrade in the works via a PlayStation 5 Pro.
Even though the PS5 Slim model just hit store shelves last year, this hasn't stopped speculation and 'leaks' making their way to the web. Everything from faster rendering for support for 8K resolutions to that all-important release date has been divulged by reporters and internet sleuths.
In many ways, it makes sense. Sony previously released a PS4 Pro and we've been seeing more and more PS5 deals as the year has gone on. A price drop before the official reveal and launch date is definitely not out of the realm of possibility, either.
For now, let's focus on everything we know about the rumoured PS5 Pro as well as what specs it might have and when it sounds like we'll have our hands on the new enhanced model.
Will there be a PS5 Pro?
The existence of a PS5 Pro has not been officially confirmed by Sony at the time of writing.
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That said, rumours are running rampant with some claiming a PS5 Pro is imminent and others claiming Sony will instead jump straight to the PS6 in a few years down the road. The Japanese games firm did release a PS4 Pro three years after the standard PS4 launched, so there is a precedence for it. With the PS5 hitting store shelves in November 2020, 2024 would make sense (taking an extra year into account due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
The closest we have to an official comment is from Hideaki Nishino, Sony’s senior vice president of platform experience, who was asked about the future prospects for the PS5 similar to the PS4 Pro by Famitsu in December 2022: "We believe that cumulative sales will exceed 37 million units by the end of fiscal 2022, and that it will be a very important time for the platform, as well," Nishino said.
"I won’t be able to talk about specifics at this time, but I hope that you will look forward to next year."
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This certainly wasn't a denial, so many took this as proof of a PS5 Pro - Nishino was likely referring to the PSVR 2, PS5 Slim model and PlayStation Portal, however.
Unless we get an official announcement, the best we have to go on are rumours and supposed leaks. Among the most promising so far can be found on this ResetEra thread.
Potential PS5 Pro release date rumours
While there is still no official word from Sony regarding even a reveal of the PS5 Pro's existence, rumours are pointing towards a release date of fall 2024. If so, expect a launch month of November going off Sony's recent history:
- PS4 – November 2013
- PS4 Pro – November 2016
- PS5 – November 2020
- PS5 Slim – November 2023
A rumour about a new PS5 codenamed Trinity began doing the rounds back in the summer of 2023, suggesting that the Pro model has been in development since early 2022 with demo events for the upgraded console ongoing. Supposedly, development kits have been in the hands of studios since late November 2023, intending to launch the console onto the market in fall 2024.
As always, take these rumours lightly until we get official confirmation as there are lots of moving parts in the background and things change all the time.
What could the PS5 Pro specs look like?
Predictions for the PS5 Pro specs are all over the place, but a few features have received consistent mention.
The somewhat controversial design is expected to be similar, perhaps with a detachable disc drive – this was used for the PS5 Slim model, so we could see it happening again on a PS5.
It was then reported in March 2024 (via Insider Gaming) that the PS5 Pro will feature a 28% increase in system memory. Similarly, while the CPU is described as being identical, it will have a 'High CPU Frequency Mode' that will push the CPU to 3.85 GHz (a 10% increase). Another improvement will be a 35% rise in the ACV audio and a 45% speed jump in rendering.
A job listing by AMD in May 2022 (made under the codename Viola) suggested that a next-generation RDNA chipset would be used in the next console models, which would run games at higher resolutions and frame rates.
There could also be added support for 8K gaming as it gradually becomes more commonplace, as the base PS5 model heavily relies on supersampling to achieve this resolution. This was rumoured to be planned for future software development kits, according to Insider Gaming.
Another feature that keeps cropping up is a new liquid cooling system, which will be a relief for anyone sick of the noise of the PS5's fan.
In a ResetEra thread on PS5 Pro leaks and rumours, one user suggests that the PS5 Pro specs have been leaked. You can head there for the full list, but headlines from it suggest that the PS5 Pro is targeting "fast storage, accelerated ray tracing and upscaling".
The list of rumoured specs suggests that "temporally stable upscaled 4K output at higher than 30 FPS is the goal".
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