My Take on the PS5 Pro

[mibu no ookami]

First, everything has been in line with leaks, so huge props to MLiD.

I knew how much this was going to cost and what features it would have. Combined with the leaks it all made sense logically, yet I hear people saying it isn't good value and I can't help but think they're being disingenuous.

If we all agree that the PS5 Slim Digital is worth its price, 450 is the baseline.

The questions become

• What is the value of a 1TB expansion?
• What is the value of 45% increased GPU?
• What is the value of PS AI upscaling?
• What is the value of dedicated RTX?

I think we can all relatively agree that moving to 2TB from 1 is worth at least 100 USD.

So the question is does a near 50% boost in GPU (45 percent*, which impacts PS4 and PS5 games across the board), AI Upscaling, and dedicated RTX equate to 150 dollars in value?

There is a pretty easy way we can ascertain whether that is the case.

The XSS is 350 USD and the XSX is 500 USD... the EXACT same price gap between a 2TB PS5 Digital (based on the agreed minimum value of 100 USD) and the PS5 Pro... and that's largely what you're getting in return when combining the enhanced GPU with the AI upscaling and dedicated RTX. Yet I don't hear anyone championing the XSS as a good value today or that the XSX isn't worth it compared to the XSS...

I think a lot of naysayers will have their day today and in the weeks to come, but when games on the base PS5 and XSX end up being 1080p30 or 720p60 and the PS5 Pro is playing in 1440p60 or 4K60, we all know what people will gravitate towards.

Personally, I'm tired of having to choose between fidelty and performance and I'll be day one on the PS5 Pro. It'll be interesting to see people on the XSX and base PS5 running games at 30 fps for the rest of the generation, which is going to be 4+ years btw (yes Microsoft will be earlier, but they're going to be super expensive as well, and not a traditional console).

Finally, for those asking why this includes 2TB and no disc drive, that's simply Sony accurately reading telemetry data on the PS5 to make the best business decisions.

Sony knows how many people upgraded their PS5 to 2TB and how quickly they upgraded after registering their PS5 (it's pretty much every body). They also know how many people actually use the PS5 disc drive for games and for movies (it's pretty rare). What people are actually angry about is having to pay a premium for adding the disc drive rather than getting a bundle at 750, but Sony was clever not to do that due to sticker shock and if they were being honest, it's better for margins. I thought they'd do that with the PS5 Slim.

There is more that separates the PS5 Pro and the PS5 than the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15. Guess which model sells better.

 

[Gediminas]

They also know how many people actually use the PS5 disc drive for games and for movies (it's pretty rare).

what is pretty rare in your book?

 

[mibu no ookami]

what is pretty rare in your book?

70 percent of game sales are digital and the ratio is increasingly digital. Within a year or two that'll probably be 80% so yes, I think they're making the right decision to focus on a digital PS5 Pro to come in at the price they're coming in at.

They could have done a 750 SKU with a disc drive and maybe they will in the future or after the price comes down on the PS5 Pro, but again, I think they're making the right choice not to create sticker shock and limit their stick price to 700.

People playing movies on this will be even more rare. As someone who owns a 400-dollar 4K Bluray player (UB820, price is now 500), I'm a champion of physical media, but that's not where the market is.

 

[Systemshock2023]

Value is relative. It's never measured in terms of cost. And the pro does not have RTX that's Nvidia tech.

I think it serves a niche of tech savvy console gamers. The issue with gaming graphics these days is that leaps in performance are harder to achieve and harder to notice. The jump is and feels way less than from the Xbox one to the one x or the PS4 to the pro.

I think people are also disappointed because they expected a lower price for this model and a price reduction on the base models 4 years in the lifecycle.

 

[Gediminas]

70 percent of game sales are digital and the ratio is increasingly digital. Within a year or two that'll probably be 80% so yes, I think they're making the right decision to focus on a digital PS5 Pro to come in at the price they're coming in at.

They could have done a 750 SKU with a disc drive and maybe they will in the future or after the price comes down on the PS5 Pro, but again, I think they're making the right choice not to create sticker shock and limit their stick price to 700.

People playing movies on this will be even more rare. As someone who owns a 400-dollar 4K Bluray player (UB820, price is now 500), I'm a champion of physical media, but that's not where the market is.

can you answer the question directly?

i can help, look :

mibu no ookami : Gediminas, what is pretty rare in your book?

Gediminas : 1-2%​

 

[arvfab]

I guess the fact that there is barely any first party PS5 exclusives released, nor have they shown anything NEW to look forward to, didn't really help, even though the tech in the box is worth the price.

 

[rofif]

I guess the fact that there is barely any first party PS5 exclusives released, nor have they shown anything NEW to look forward to, didn't really help, even though the tech in the box is worth the price.

if you think about it... sony could've EASILY just say 1 thing.
"AND THIS ALLOWS US TO RUN BLOODBORNE AT 4K AND 120FPS".... and even 1700$ would be justified

 

[Systemshock2023]

Tech was never an issue this generation. The massive bet on gaas, DEI, long lead times and lack of talent were.

 

[Fenton]

 

[arvfab]

if you think about it... sony could've EASILY just say 1 thing.
"AND THIS ALLOWS US TO RUN BLOODBORNE AT 4K AND 120FPS".... and even 1700$ would be justified

Unfortunately they will only touch Bloodborne next-gen, when they announce the remaster + PC port.

 

[FatKaz]

I guess the fact that there is barely any first party PS5 exclusives released, nor have they shown anything NEW to look forward to, didn't really help, even though the tech in the box is worth the price.

While it's true they should have done a better job showcasing games being boosted by the pro

They absolutely do not need new games to show off the ps5 pro, not sure why keep people tieing the pro reveal to new games.

 

[ethomaz]

From a tech perspective it is a nice hardware that push the boundary to new level.
Loved it.

But it is not for me... imo I really don't think I need one... at least not until PS6.
While PS5 can run everything then I'm fine.

 

[rofif]

While it's true they should have done a better job showcasing games being boosted by the pro

They absolutely do not need new games to show off the ps5 pro, not sure why keep people tieing the pro reveal to new games.

They shown tlou2 running 4k30 vs 4k60.... just as an example of what to expect.
Daily, I hear from people that 30fps is unplayable. So they made unplayable, playable. These people should be happy... right?

 

[Systemshock2023]

Unfortunately they will only touch Bloodborne next-gen, when they announce the remaster + PC port.

Remake with botched art style and OST courtesy of bluepoint.

If Sony decides to do nothing with Bloodborne officially, ShadPS4 will run the best version of it down the line which is something at least.

 

[mibu no ookami]

Value is relative. It's never measured in terms of cost. And the pro does not have RTX that's Nvidia tech.

It's definitely measured in cost.

I think it serves a niche of tech savvy console gamers. The issue with gaming graphics these days is that leaps in performance are harder to achieve and harder to notice. The jump is and feels way less than from the Xbox one to the one x or the PS4 to the pro.

We'll see. Do you have an estimate on how many units it will sell in its first year on the market?

Dollar for dollar this is the best buy in gaming. That's a simple fact.

I think people are also disappointed because they expected a lower price for this model and a price reduction on the base models 4 years in the lifecycle.

Not sure why they would have expected that. I called it down to the dollar. Sony said they aren't dropping the price and they just raised the price in Japan. Ignoring global economics doesn't help you come to valid conclusions.

https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-says-big-ps5-price-cut-would-be-very-difficult

In an investor call viewed by IGN, Sony Interactive Entertainment boss Hiroki Totoki said it's harder to “shrink” the PS5’s die size and therefore cut console manufacturing costs compared to Sony’s ability to cheapen the PS4. “Therefore cost reduction is very difficult, simply put,” Totoki said. - Feb, 2024

It's clear Sony isn't dropping the price until after they've sold some units to GTA6 buyers. It's clear that they're desperate for more margin as they've been losing money on hardware the whole generation. Something I've tried to tell people while citing Sony financial reports only to be linked to an inaccurate Bloomberg article.

Sony is in a fragile position in gaming. Something I've tried to convey to people. They're a small tech company surrounded by big tech. They can't afford deep cuts at the moment, it's the opposite. They need operating income so they can grow fast and they need to do it quickly before it is too late.

 

[Systemshock2023]

Poor mom and pop store right?

 

[mibu no ookami]

Remake with botched art style and OST courtesy of bluepoint.

If Sony decides to do nothing with Bloodborne officially, ShadPS4 will run the best version of it down the line which is something at least.

I mean that's certainly your opinion, but the metacritic on it is a 92 and a 8.1 user score. That's pretty good. The original game had an 89 metacritic and an 8.7 user score.

Not all games have to be for you.

 

[arvfab]

While it's true they should have done a better job showcasing games being boosted by the pro

They absolutely do not need new games to show off the ps5 pro, not sure why keep people tieing the pro reveal to new games.

Well the presentation was more or less (games wise) the PS5 reveal presentation, but with "you don't have to choose between fidelity and performance modes". Not really the greatest way to convince people who are on board since day 1 and probably already played all those games to upgrade. Especially if - because of their own fault - you have already better looking versions of the majority of those games on a different platform.

 

[mibu no ookami]

Poor mom and pop store right?

See you have a twisted mentality.

Sony isn't a victim, they're the market leader in console gaming.

While that is true, they're not a trillion-dollar company. Much of their revenue is driven by 3rd party sales. Tomorrow Big Tech could buy up every major 3rd party publisher, leaving Sony with nothing, and they would have no ability to stop it.

Anyone one of these big tech companies could decide to put out their own console or platform, particularly cloud.

The only ones that would have major reservations would be anyone buying EA who would lose exclusive licensing if they tried to go exclusive and to an extent T2 with their 2K sports.

You're conflating self preservation with victimhood. They aren't the same and to do so is childish.

I get why gamers are like you, but when faced with logic, I struggle to understand why you remain blind to realities.

 

[mibu no ookami]

From a tech perspective it is a nice hardware that push the boundary to new level.
Loved it.

But it is not for me... imo I really don't think I need one... at least not until PS6.
While PS5 can run everything then I'm fine.

It's near impossible to show the graphical difference for the Ps5 Pro and the PS5 via compressed youtube videos without jumping into a DF style framerate comparison and zoom and enhance tactics and while that might get hits for DF, it's not great marketing.

This system will be organically marketed by core gamers and by development studios with their individual promises and deliverables.