I Just Ordered a PlayStation 5 Pro

🎮 Why did I order one? Is it worth the $700 (800 EUR here in Europe)?

Hey Fellow Gamers,

Right now, I feel like a little kid getting a really big birthday present tomorrow. Why is that? I ordered a PS5 Pro from Amazon this morning, and it should arrive on Friday.

The only downside, despite the hefty price, from my point of view: It would be nice to have a disc drive, which is not included in the basic package. However, I buy most games digitally anyway.

So, am I excited? Yes, pretty much! 🤩

However, for a while, I debated whether the PS5 Pro was really ‘necessary’ for my gaming needs. Given my current lineup, which includes:

• Xbox Series X

• Steam Deck OLED (1TB)

• Asus Rog Ally Z1 Extreme

• PC with an RTX 3080, Intel Core I14700k, 64GB RAM

• Meta Quest 3 for VR

I felt pretty well-equipped. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the PS5 Pro offers something my other platforms, except my PC, don’t: next-level graphics with raytracing tied with a performance of 60fps, or even more, and some other features that will take my gaming to new heights.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of the 55 PS5 Pro enhanced games with improved visuals you can play at launch. Copyright 2024 Marvel

So, despite the premium price, I decided it was time to make the jump.

Check out the PlayStation 5 Pro on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

As a side note, the last PlayStation I owned was the PS3. So, maybe another good reason to get a Sony console again.

No More Quality/Fidelity vs. Performance Mode?

If you have a PS5 (non-Pro) or an Xbox Series S/X, you know the struggle: Do you play AAA (or AA) games on performance mode, usually without raytracing and lower quality but fluid 60fps, or do you choose quality (fidelity) mode which gives you the most beautiful graphics at the cost of playing with 30 fps only... and sometimes even framerate dips.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be one of over 50 PS5 Enhanced Games available at launch. That means you can play with 60 fps and gorgeous graphics.

For me, it always depended on the game: Sometimes, I chose quality over performance on my Xbox and didn’t mind the 30fps. However, sometimes the 60 fps mode looked quite good in terms of graphics, and the 30 fps mode was horrible to watch in terms of ‘non-fluid’ gameplay.

A good example is Star Wars Jedi: Survivor! I am playing this on my Xbox in performance mode, which still looks very good, while the quality mode is terrible, in my opinion, with a lot of stuttering.

Now, with the PS5 Pro, I get beautiful graphics with raytracing, etc. and 60 fps. That’s exactly what I wanted while sitting comfortably on my sofa.

Good to know: It’s not like every PS5 Pro enhanced game runs at 60 fps now in 4k with maximum graphics, raytracing, and whatnot. You still have two modes to choose from and sometimes have to sacrifice a few things. However, it’s still a noticeable leap from the current gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X). IGN did a great deep-dive for many games in their PlayStation 5 Pro Video Review.

In practice, both modes are an upgrade over the original PS5. The PS5 Pro uses a technique called "Spectral Super Resolution," similar to Nvidia's DLSS, to upscale images with minimal loss in detail, making the new mode a compelling choice for a balance of smoothness and quality.

That being said, the difference for most games is actually not jaw-dropping, but it’s there! Even games like FC 25 (my favorite sports game) benefit from better-looking graphics!

Another Reason: My OLED TV

It’s still hooked to my Xbox Series X only: My beloved LG OLED 77” TV. My viewing distance is only 2.5m (8 feet), which gives you a nice immersive gaming experience. I can’t wait to hook up my new PS5 Pro.

I probably wouldn’t have ordered the PS5 if I didn’t have a large OLED TV to get the most out of the new PS5 features.

• LG OLED 77”

• 4k

• 120 Hz

• VRR

In my opinion, if your 4k TV isn’t large enough and doesn't have VRR and 120hz, you won’t get the most out of the improvement the new Sony console provides.

Enhanced Games

Over 50 games are PS5 Pro enhanced at launch, and utilize the power of the new console. There are many more to follow. Here are some of the adapted titles which are already available at launch:

• Alan Wake 2

• Albatroz

• Apex Legends

• Assassin’s Creed Mirage

• Baldur’s Gate 3

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

• EA Sports College Football 25

• Dead Island 2

• Demon’s Souls

• Diablo IV

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard

• Dragon’s Dogma 2

• Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition

• EA Sports FC 25

• Enlisted

• F1 24

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• Fortnite

• God of War Ragnarök

• Hogwarts Legacy

• Horizon Forbidden West

• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

• Kayak VR: Mirage

• Lies of P

• Lords of the Fallen (2023)

• Madden NFL 25

• Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

• Naraka: Bladepoint

• NBA 2K25

• No Man’s Sky

• Palworld

• Paladin’s Passage

• Planet Coaster 2

• Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

• Resident Evil 4

• Resident Evil Village

• Rise of the Ronin

• Rogue Flight 

• Star Wars: Jedi Survivor

• Star Wars: Outlaws

• Stellar Blade

• Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown

• The Crew Motorfest

• The Finals

• The First Descendant 

• The Last of Us Part I

• The Last of Us Part II Remastered

• Until Dawn

• War Thunder

• Warframe

• World of Warships: Legends

Why Not Play On My Gaming PC?

This is a very valid argument, and I agree with those who say this, but I find it somewhat uncomfortable to boot up a game and then troubleshoot and tweak the settings for the game for about half an hour or so.

Plus, it’s not unlikely that something won’t work well, and I have to tinker around even more. It doesn’t beat the simplicity of turning on my big OLED TV and the console while I’m chilling on my sofa. 🛋️

I don’t play a lot of FPS games, but when I do, I play them on my PC. Currently, it’s BO6.

However, I also do play on my PC, of course. For example, first-person shooters are one genre I will never play anywhere other than on my gaming PC. The other day, I installed Black Ops 6 (via Game Pass) and had a blast!

For other genres, from platformers to racing games, I stick to my consoles or my Steam Deck (or Rog Ally).

So, is the PS5 worth the price?

I think it is if you have the right TV and want top-tier graphics and performance on a console. However, casual players may not notice enough of a difference to justify the the really hefty premium price.

Also, you might be super happy with your current PS5, which I don’t own… then just don’t buy the Pro. 😉

Thanks for reading and keep playing,

Michael

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