3 years ago
Kamran Shamsi
Mid-console generation refreshes have become somewhat of normality since Sony launched the [PlayStation 4 Pro](https://amzn.to/3zX26cy) in 2016. These upgrades typically promise a frame rate boost and higher graphical fidelity. They are an effective way of making consumers spend even more money on hardware. Even though the [PlayStation 5](https://amzn.to/3xGwg0V) is just over a year old, speculation has been rampant on what a PlayStation 5 Pro model could look like and when it could release. Sony has not commented on the PS5 Pro just yet. Still, given their track record and the direction of the technology industry, we can theorize what this new model could look like.
Perhaps the most diligent decision Sony needs to make is the price point of the PS5 Pro model to ensure that they either match or undercut the costs their competitors come out with. When the PS4 Pro was released in 2016, Sony charged around £100 more than the base model, so it stands to reason they could follow a similar trend this time around. Of course, there are a variety of factors that would impact the cost, such as specs and the availability of components. Still, if we follow the same trend, this will place the PS5 Pro at around £549.
https://pliki.ppe.pl/storage/d0ebecc79bce281add46/d0ebecc79bce281add46.jpg
Last month, TV manufacturer TCL Technology predicted the specs that the PS5 Pro will boast over the current model. In their presentation, they listed a period known as “Gen 9.5” which includes not only the PlayStation 5 Pro but also a new Xbox Series X model with features that could include:
- 2160p resolution with frame rates reaching 60-120fps (compared to the current 1440p/60-120fps)
- UHD-8k/60-120 output
- RX7700XT GPU (compared to the current RX6700XT GPU)
These specs would undoubtedly be a welcome improvement from current models. Still, it’s doubtful that TCL would be privy to this inside information without being subject to a strict NDA.
Perhaps the biggest complaint of the PS5 so far is the monolithic size of the hardware. It’s no surprise that the PS5 is the largest (in terms of dimensions) console of all time, making it a pain for many buyers to integrate with their current setup. The culprit is the 120mm double-sized fan inside the console, which cools the hardware from both sides. An enhanced version of the PS5 could see Sony addressing these complaints by architecting a more efficient manner to cool the console while not compromising on the dimensions.
https://blog.playstation.com/tachyon/2022/03/af8d7dc5880d606f6a92ae4b089d598b34a41ec5.jpg
Three years after the launch of the PlayStation 4, Sony unveiled both the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim, so if they follow this trend again, we could see the PlayStation 5 Pro launch towards the end of 2023. However, due to the ongoing chip shortage, PS5s have been elusive for people to get their hands on, which has impacted sales as supply cannot meet demand. Because of this, Sony may decide to delay the launch of the PS5 Pro until they can squeeze out every last sale from this current iteration. This means we may also see a PS5 Slim on the way eventually.
**Disclaimers**
Kamran Shamsi is a gaming and technology journalist for Stock Checker. You may follow him on Twitter [Kamrann64]( https://mobile.twitter.com/kamrann64)
Images used in this article belong to Sony and PPE respectively.