PlayStation 5 Pro promises to be a revolutionary console, with a bespoke GPU and cutting-edge AI technology for a dazzling gaming experience. However, its high $700 price tag and lack of a standard disc drive spark debate among avid gamers.
By all accounts, the PlayStation 5 Pro is a high-end console that promises stunning graphics thanks to a new custom GPU and machine learning-based AI upscaling. In summary, it will significantly improve performance modes in the most demanding games. However, many users are turned off by its $700 price tag, which is up to $250 more than the PlayStation 5 Slim.
In an interview with IGN, PlayStation Head of Product Toshi Aoki explains the rationale behind the high price, saying it’s worth it because of all the new technology built in.
« [Les technologies] that we are integrating to provide new experiences for players, and also not just the technological differences, but the SSD, Wi-Fi 7 and the new technologies that surround the gameplay,” he says. “So it’s more of a complete package that will bring an exceptional offer to players… the most engaged players that we are targeting. »
Concerns about price weren’t limited to the console. PlayStation also announced that the PS5 Pro will not come with a disc drive, which will have to be purchased separately for $80. The manufacturer had already experimented with a detachable disc drive with the PS5 Slim, but at least this console offered an option with a drive included in the box. Aoki added that Sony views the PS5 Pro as a complete package and that it won’t appeal to a large portion of its audience.
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“It’s an option for the players. Not all players have discs, although perhaps most do…but they have the option to add that for those who need it. So I think it’s more about the balance of the value proposition that we offer,” Aoki said.
Aoki confirmed what we all thought: the PS5 Pro is a niche console for a very specific type of gamer, which Sony hopes to attract with such a device. It’s on par with a fairly basic custom gaming PC, although the PS5 Pro’s GPU features unique technology that’s not available on other AMD PCs. And according to previews released Wednesday, it could be worth every penny for the right user. However, it’s not the mid-generation refresh that most customers were hoping for.
