The Consensus On The PS5 Pro Is: A Significant Performance Boost, But No Need To Rush & Buy… Yet

The PS5 Pro has finally arrived, so the question on your mind is, should I swipe the card and get one? Before you make that decision, see what some folks who had the opportunity to give it a spin had to say before you hit the purchase button.

The base PS5 model still has plenty of life, but that’s not stopping Sony from launching a mid-generation console refresh with the PS5 Pro.

When word of the console first hit, the immediate question was, do we need this $700 machine? Who is this for? We all know it’s definitely for a niche group of gamers who prioritize performance and graphics and want the best of both worlds without building an expensive gaming rig.

Based on the specs, the PS5 Pro is an impressive piece of hardware. Under the hood is an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8-core/16-thread processor with an RDNA-based graphics engine, producing 16.7TF of GPU compute performance compared to the base PS5’s 10.23TF.

There is also 16GB of GDDR6 memory and 2GB of slower DDR5 memory that handles other console tasks not related to gaming, plus a 2TB custom SSD.

Ahead of the console launch, PlayStation confirmed there will be 55 games with PS5 Pro Enhancements, so it’s not entering the chat without titles to show off its power.

So, with all that said, what are the critics saying about the PS5 Pro? Reviews, for the most part, seem mixed, with many saying it’s too early to tell if this console is a flop.

2025 Will Be The Real Test For The PS5 Pro

In his review for Polygon, Cameron Faulkner touched on his experience with the PS5 Pro’s enhanced titles, writing, “I didn’t try each of the 50 games that have gotten a PS5 Pro patch. But what I did try delivered a mixed bag of improvements that I’m not sure I’d be totally happy with if I spent $699.99 on launch day.”

He continued, “That said, there will be many games in 2025 that put the PS5 Pro’s more powerful specs to the test.”

It’s Impressive, But The Price Point Is Eyewatering

IGN gave the PS5 Pro a 7 (Good), and in his review, Michael Higham wrote, “The PlayStation 5 Pro is an impressive console with noticeable boosts in performance and graphics for games that take advantage of its powerful hardware. But for $700, you’ll need to think twice about whether or not the upgrade is worth the price tag.”

Powerful, But Not Essential

Rory Mellon for Tom’s Guide wrote, “The PS5 Pro is set to be where I play the vast majority of new releases for the rest of this console generation thanks to its unrivaled play experience. If you’re also the type of player who wants the best visuals and performance regardless of the cost, then I’d have no qualms about recommending the PS5 Pro. But more budget-conscious console players shouldn’t feel despondent about being stuck with a technically inferior machine. The PS5 Pro is a powerful upgrade to an already excellent console, but it’s not an essential buy at this price.”

The PS5 Pro Is A Niche Product For Now

Tim Gettys from Kinda Funny said about his experience with the PS5 Pro, “The PS5 Pro is the perfect example of a console that fits right at home with an LG OLED, and a home theater receiver, and all of the things on the box. If you care about those things this is for you. $700 is a lot, but it’s not a lot compared to other things in that realm.”

Gettys continued, “I think it’s a niche product for now, but I think it will become a mainstream product very soon.”

So, the consensus is that if you have a base PS5, you are good and don’t need to rush to get a PS5 Pro. While it is a significant boost in performance, waiting until games fully take advantage of the new hardware is a safe bet.