A game is only as good as the console that supports it—this is the attitude we have in the gaming world right now and for good reason. The PS5 Pro, which was released on November 7, 2024, has been performing quite well in terms of early sales numbers. Despite that, it isn’t really a new console or a substantial upgrade from its predecessor. 

Right now, if you look for PS5 Pro reviews, you’ll likely see a flood of them telling you that the PS5 Pro is worth buying just to experience Assassin’s Creed Shadows on it. While the game is undeniably stunning, particularly on a Pro, it’s also worth wondering if we should succumb to the PS5 Pro’s $700 price tag and lack of major exclusives in 2025 so easily. 

PS5 Pro user review

Is PS5 Pro’s Mid-Cycle Refresh a Scam or the Way Forward?

Now that yearly smartphone releases have been normalized, top tech giants keep the products churning out at breakneck speed, even if there isn’t anything notable to offer. There are only so many software and hardware upgrades they can design, test, implement, and produce in a year, and after all that, we’ll roll our eyes and say, “It’s just another iPhone like the last 10 were, what’s the big deal?”

Despite knowing that smartphones don’t have any reason to upgrade every year, current business models cannot thrive without constantly kicking up prices or jumpstarting sales every cycle. This wasn’t always the case with gaming hardware, but it is becoming the standard now. Thankfully they haven’t been cornered into a yearly release just yet, but there has been pressure to upgrade consoles more frequently. 

It would be unfair to blame the PS5 Pro for being the only one to do this. The Xbox did it, the Switch did it, and we’re expecting similar things from other handhelds on the market too. We had the PS4 Pro also give us a min-generation upgrade, but the console’s release was considered more well-timed and accepted more enthusiastically. Why is that?

Understanding the Release Cycle of the PlayStation

The PS4 was released on November 15, 2013, and the PS4 Pro came out on November 10th, 2016. We then got the PS5 upgrade a few years later on November 12, 2020. Sony then released the PS5 Slim on November 10, 2023. The PS5 Pro was released on November 7, 2024. There are rumors about a PS6 release, but it’s unlikely we’ll see anything before 2027.

The PlayStation sees a hardware upgrade every 3-4 years now, which is not a bad rate at all and is considerably better than the wasteful yearly cycles we see for smartphones, and some laptops and tablets. What’s more important to consider is whether we see any substantial upgrades with each one.

PS5 Pro vs PS4 Pro: What’s the Difference?

In terms of specs, the PS5 Pro is far superior to the PS4 Pro and if you’re running an older console, it is definitely worth upgrading to the latest Pro. That said, the utility of the PS4 Pro and the timing of its release was much more significant considering it brought 4K gaming to the front at a time when there was a shift among consumers towards TVs with such technology. The upgrade to the PS4 Pro was well-timed and culturally relevant. 

The PS5 Pro offers a big jump up to 8K outputs, but we’re at a period where consumers haven’t necessarily shifted to 8K TVs and displays yet. Yes, the upgrade ensures the console will be relevant for future changes in consumption habits among users, but it hasn’t given users enough of a reason to consider purchasing it. There was also the fact that the original PS5 was already advertised as being compatible with 8K displays, but Sony allegedly backtracked on that claim. 

This wasn’t the only upgrade the PS5 Pro offered. The console had some key upgrades such as 45% more rendering power, advanced ray tracing, and the AI-driven PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) system that again centered around the graphics and display. Games like Spider-Man 2 were clearer than ever before, leaving fans awestruck at its capabilities. 

These changes are great for advanced gamers, but how many of the rest can run their PS5 Pro on the highest graphics settings and actually play their games? While the upgrades were substantial for the “Pro” players whose setups could fully optimize the capabilities of the console, for customers, there was little reason to upgrade to the latest Pro console. 

Are the Promises Made by the PS5 Pro Enough to Make It Worth Buying?

When the PS5 Pro was released, there were around 80 games that were enhanced to match the console’s capabilities and make it worth the investment. Some PS5 Pro user reviewers were eager to test their favorite titles of the advanced graphic capabilities, but for the rest, the promise of revamped older titles just wasn’t enough. Console-exclusive titles are a dangerous bet and risk ostracizing existing users, but there just weren’t enough “new” titles at launch with the PS5 Pro.

That seems to be changing slowly now, with games like Assassin’s Creed Shadow showing off the full extent of what the Pro is capable of, and we’re expecting future releases like GTA 6 to do the same. Still, gamers might need a few more such promising titles before they make the purchase and by then, it may make more sense to wait till the PS6 and see what it has to offer instead.

Selling a console with the promise of future benefits has rarely worked, and for the PS5 Pro, the sales numbers are not necessarily where they could be, even though we still consider it a really popular device—especially compared to the Xbox.

PS5 Pro vs PS4 Pro Sales Numbers

The PlayStation 5 had its biggest sales quarter in October-December 2024, selling 9.5 million units during the holiday season. The estimates suggest that the overall sales of the PS5 hit 75 million, but Sony didn’t give us specifics on how many of these were the new PS5 Pro.

More recently, it was revealed that despite a strong start, the PS5 Pro numbers have been falling behind the pace set by the PS4 Pro. GameRant noted that industry analyst Mat Piscatella claimed that as of February 21, PS5 Pro sales had been flailing behind PS4 Pro sales in the same timeframe. We don’t have concrete numbers from Sony, but it does appear that he’s right. In 2024-25, most console sales have not necessarily met company targets.

One major reason why the PS5 Pro has not seen the same type of sales is due to the price. The console was priced at $700, which is a very high asking price for a mid-cycle refresher. The hard disk drive being an add-on rather than a built-in feature for that price has also added to the reluctance to purchase the console. 

The omission may have made sense on the cheaper PS5 Slim, but not on the Pro, which targets gaming enthusiasts. The digital push has been one of the more disappointing directions the gaming industry has taken, and the trend of removing features while ramping up the price is equally unpleasant.

Looking at the Big Picture: Stopgap or Game-Changer?

On release, the PS5 Pro was well received and saw many gamers investing in the console, but the interest has tapered out more recently. The console is more liked than the Xbox and its recent releases, but one could argue that the PS5 Pro was both too much and too little on release. 

When the console debuted, it substantially upgraded output quality and then pushed the price up to a more premium category. At the same time, if your PS5 or even PS4 Pro was in good shape, the PS5 Pro didn’t offer enough to convince users to make the switch. It offered a “premium” experience for a premium audience without identifying whether that audience truly existed.

At a more affordable price, the PS5 Pro could have felt like more of a game-changer, but as of now, it appears to be more of a stopgap solution until it can make bigger upgrades with the PS6. What those changes could be, we still don’t know, but with the display specs and AI upscaling already guaranteed with the PS5 Pro, there is little room to do anything revolutionary with the console. Are we expecting too much from our technology? That may well be the case, but when new products are released as “the next big thing” it does help to examine if that is truly the case. 

Are there changes you’re hoping to see in the next PlayStation console? How do you feel about the PS5 Pro’s place in the market right now? Let us know. For more insights into the world of gaming, subscribe to Technowize.

tagged in PS5 Pro, PS5 Pro sales, PS5 Pro user review, PS5 Pro vs PS4 sales numbers, PS5 sales
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