PS5 Pro: is this chic console worth its shock price?

Is the PlayStation 5 Pro only made for “pros”? Because to obtain the new Sony console which is released this Thursday, November 7, you must have the means to pay the full price: €799.99. A price that does not include either the disc reader to play physical games (€119.99), nor the base to hold the console vertically (€29.99)!

For many players, this is too much. « I think it's really too expensive for what it is. In my opinion, there are other alternatives to play cheaper »denounces Camille*, PS5 user. Théo*, a regular player, is of the same opinion: « For me it's more marketing than anything else. A PS5 may be more than enough. »

Notable improvements, but more than 8K

To understand why its price is so high, you must first look at the few new features that this console brings. The PlayStation 5 Pro is above all more powerful than its classic version and allows, according to Sony, to obtain 45% higher performance with 28% faster memory and ray tracing (technology which improves image quality) two to three times higher.

To achieve this, it integrates a new technology that works with AI (Artificial Intelligence) called “PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution” or “PSSR”. This aims to improve gaming performance. It is also compatible with Wi-Fi 7 (provided you have a compatible box) and has 2 TB of storage compared to Wi-Fi 6 and 825 GB storage of the classic PS5.

As for the promise of an “8K” display, or four times more pixels than ultra high definition (4K), this is no longer relevant. When announcing the console, Sony guaranteed that the PlayStation 5 Pro would be compatible with 8K content and screens. But it is the “4K” badge at 120 frames per second that is affixed to the box today. This broken promise had already affected the PS5 just before summer. Contacted by 60 Million consumersSony did not wish to respond to our requests for details.

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The PlayStation 5 Pro, reserved for the wealthiest?

Is the PS5 Pro the most expensive console in history? By comparing the launch price of consoles since the PlayStation 2 in 2000, including consoles of the same generation, that is to say, the Nintendo Switch (€342) and the Xbox series S (€393) and X (around €572), Frandroid.com demonstrates that, despite inflation, their price remains significantly lower than that of the new PlayStation Pro, with the exception of the PlayStation 3 (€804 including inflation). Sony is thus taking advantage of the free space left by its rivals in the high-end console niche to set its price as it sees fit.

Finally, is this console interesting enough to break the bank? For Julien Chièze, YouTuber specializing in video game news, not really. Having tested the console in preview a month ago, he explains: « If you already have a PS5 or if you want to buy the console and you are wondering which one to choose, I want to say that the most important thing is the games. If you don't have a 4K TV, you won't see a difference ».

According to him, this console is therefore primarily aimed at people « very technophiles who have the means to afford this kind of somewhat expensive pleasure ». In short, it will be future sales figures that will reflect gamers' interest in this new console.

* First names have been changed.