PS5 Pro: A fresh report confirms the launch timeline for the console
There are countless rumors emerging about a possible PS5 Pro. That probably may hurt the feelings of some players that have just acquired the PS5. The console had a rough start, being launched amidst the pandemic and the semiconductor shortage, it was not easy to grab one of these consoles in 2021-2022. Things improved now, but it seems that Sony is already preparing the ground for a mid-term upgrade. The rumors have been floating for a while, and now, Tom Henderson from Insider Gaming comes with fresh news about the launch of the PS5 Pro.
The tipster stated multiple times that Sony is preparing a new upgrade for the PS5. However, the new model that will be launched this year, is the “PS5 Gen 2” with detachable disc driver. While some rumors state that it could end up being the PS5 Slim, it can also be just a regular console with a detachable disc driver. This new model will replace the existing PS5 Digital and Disc versions. The detachable disk driver will probably be able for separate purchase, but won’t be compatible with older digital models. This model seems to be coming soon, while the PS5 Pro is still a little bit far, but not too far as you might expect.
PS5 with disc driver coming soon, PS5 Pro coming in late 2024
As per the tipster, the PS5 with modular disc drive will launch later this year. It serves to cut down the production and shipping costs, as well as improve the availability of the console. It’s not the PS5 Pro, but that does not mean that there isn’t a Pro model coming soon. According to the journalist, this is “just the beginning of new hardware coming to PlayStation users this generation”. Interestingly, this seems to fall in line with Jeff Grubb’s claim. According to him, the rumored PlayStation Showcase will serve to show us the second phase of the PS5. We expect games to appear there, but now we are also expecting the announcement of the new PS5 model, and perhaps, the reveal of the Q Lite handheld.
A recently published patent from Mark Cerny seems to suggest that Sony is looking for ways to improve ray-tracing on video games. Right now, this could work for a future PS6, but could also be part of the new PS5 Pro hardware.
The second phase of the PS5 is about to start
According to Tom Henderson, we should not expect the PS5 Pro for this year. Instead, the console might be launched in the holidays of 2024. Sony will probably do an announcement a few months before the actual availability. While there is no significant hardware change between the PS5 and the upcoming modular model, the PS5 Pro should bring some upgrades. It may get a newer Zen4 CPU from AMD and also an upgrade to the RDNA3 GPU. Of course, this is just speculation right now, as is Henderson’s claim.
Worth noting, that the tipster has a very good track record when it comes to the gaming industry. Sony is yet to confirm any of these facts, but for now, we can speculate about the PS5 Pro. By the end of 2024, the PS5 will be completing four years of availability. The PS4 Pro arrived just two years after the launch of the PS4, so it’s not too strange to expect a PS5 Pro at this point.
Until the launch of the PS5 Pro, we expect details to keep leaking in the wild. For now, the focus will be on this “second phase” of the console. Besides new hardware, Sony will likely take this event to give more details about its next games.