The PlayStation 5 has barely just been released, and yet rumors about a PS5 Pro are already circling the web. Fueled by internet speculation and the ineffable influence of streamers, fans are already asking about PS5 Pro specifications and release date. But is there any truth to these rumors? Is Sony making a PS5 Pro?
PS5 Pro rumors | Specifications, price, release date
There is currently no evidence that Sony is working on a PS5 Pro. It’s true that the company has released Pro versions of PlayStation consoles in the past, but that usually happens later into the hardware life cycle. Still, certain rumors and at least one patent make it seem like a PS5 Pro could release in a few years.
Again, at the time of writing, there’s nothing to suggest that Sony is developing a PS5 Pro. The PlayStation 5 released less than a month ago, which would make it absurd for the company to turn around and launch an even more powerful version of their most powerful console ever. Sure, it might take the Xbox crew by surprise, but that would be a lot of runaround just to stick it to the competition.
However, that’s not to say that a PS5 Pro won’t release eventually. We’re talking years in the future, at minimum. But thanks to a recently filed patent, we may have some ideas about what the PS5 Pro could be capable of.
PS5 Pro could have two GPUs
Back in July of 2020, Sony filed a US patent application for a “scalable game console” designed for both home console and cloud gaming usage. The full patent is full of technical jargon, but the takeaway is that Sony is considering a design based around multiple graphics processing units, or GPUs.
GPUs are nothing new; they’ve been the norm for game console hardware for decades. But using two dedicated GPUs in tandem has typically only been seen in the PC space. Of course, the upshot of this design is obvious: With twice (or more) the graphics processing power, games can be rendered with more detailed textures and at much higher resolutions, including up to 8K or beyond. Or perhaps the extra visual grunt could be used in the next generation of PSVR, dubbed PSVR2. You may recall that Sony filed patents for new VR technology late last year.
Sony may release two new models
The latest patent (as offered on Free Patents Online) provides a summary with a few more interesting points. Sony describes the technology being used for both a “light” version of the console as well as a “high-end” version. The “light” version could be the current PS5, while the “high-end” version may be the supposed PS5 Pro.
However, the patent also notes that “the ‘high-end’ system can also contain more memory […] and other features and may also be used for a cloud-optimized version using the same game console chip with more performance.” This language indicates that the technology could be used in an entirely different console, such as a revised PS5 Digital Edition.
There’s no release date or price yet
All these specifics aside, Sony hasn’t mentioned working on a new PlayStation 5. Even if the patent spells out what could become of a PS5 Pro, the company hasn’t said that it’s working on a new console iteration. As such, we have no idea what the system’s true specifications could be. And we certainly don’t have a release date or price estimate.
Chances are that won’t change any time soon, either. After all, there was around a three-year gap between the release of the PlayStation 4 and the PS4 Pro. Even then, the PS4 Pro was mainly released to address the needs of users with a 4K-compatible display. The PS5 is already capable of rendering 4K visuals at 120Hz, which is well above the capabilities of most consumer-level televisions on the market today.
If Sony does release a PS5 Pro, it won’t be any time soon. We’d give it a few years at least. By then, it’s possible that more players would have an 8K display that could make the most out of two GPUs. That, or a PS5 Pro release date could align with the next generation of PlayStation VR, or even the announcement of a new cloud gaming service.
Whether the next hardware revision focuses on cloud gaming or 8K or virtual reality is anyone’s guess at this point. Until Sony comes out and announces the PS5 Pro, we’ll just have to use our imaginations. Thankfully, that gives us plenty of time to appreciate the current-generation PlayStation 5.
