Yesterday was quite something.
I’d like to say that the PlayStation 5 Pro was announced to much excitement and jubilation, but that most definitely was not the case.
No. The PlayStation 5 Pro was instead announced to much ridicule and outrage.
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The PlayStation 5 Pro boasts three main upgrades, architect Mark Cerny revealed during the presentation.
It has a GPU that’s 67% larger, allowing for games to render 45% faster.
Ray-tracing has also been improved, with double or triple the speeds of the PS5, and AI-driven upscaling has been introduced, called PSSR.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered and Horizon Forbidden West were just two examples of games shown running side by side on the PS5 and PS5 Pro.
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Yes, perhaps the PS5 Pro version boasted a slightly better frame rate and level of detail, but is that worth the console’s high price point?
Most people think not.
ICYMI: Astro Bot, the PS5’s latest exclusive, is a true delight.
The PS5 Pro will retail for a shocking £699.99 - and that’s just the digital edition.
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If you want to add an Ultra HD Disc Drive, that’s another £99.99.
Throw in another £24.99 for the vertical stand and you’re looking at a heinous mid-gen price total just shy of £825.
You can see why people are saying they’ll wait another three years for the PS6, but that too is likely to come with a steep price tag.
The PlayStation 4 Pro launched for £349. A few years later, the digital edition of the PS5 launched for £359, with the disc drive edition costing £449.
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Those are rises of £10 and £100 respectively when compared to the preceding model, the PS4 Pro.
As I’ve said, the PS5 Pro will launch for £699.99.
If we’re to assume the same kind of pricing strategy given that the PS6 will likely subtly build upon the PS5 Pro’s specs, then the PS6 is very likely to cost in excess of £700 - perhaps also touching £800.
It’s easy to ignore a Pro model - most of us remain very happy with our base consoles that cost several hundred pounds less.
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But if the PS6 demands that same price tag? That’s going to lock out many perhaps otherwise willing to upgrade.
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 5, Sony