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PlayStation’s Chief Architect revealed the PS5 Pro in a recent technology presentation. Thanks to the enhanced performance, games can run at better graphics quality at 60fps. In a nine-minute presentation, Mark Cerny said that the PlayStation 5 Pro can run games at the graphical quality of Quality mode but at the higher frame rate offered by Performance mode on the PS5.
Not All Games Will Run at 60fps
However, this doesn’t mean all games enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro have to run at 60 fps. While Sony wants developers to create a new graphics mode exclusively for the PS5 Pro that combines higher resolution (4K upscaling) at 60fps with ray tracing effects, there are other scenarios. If developers update with improved resolution and graphics quality, that will be enough for Sony to give such a game the “Enhanced for PS5 Pro” designation.
Certification Process and Requirements
The Verge’s Tom Warren provided more details about the certification process. He recalls his information from April this year and has gradually learned details about the PS5 Pro from his sources. The game will receive the Enhanced sticker even if it only has a higher resolution or if ray tracing is turned on. For example, a game running at a dynamic resolution between 1080p and 1440p at 30fps on the PS5 but upscaled to 1280p to 2160p at 30fps on the PS5 Pro would still get certified.
Resolution vs. Frame Rate
Sony also certifies games that now run at 4K (native 2160p) from the native 1440p resolution. However, if a game on the PS5 Pro only runs at a more stable frame rate, that’s not enough to be labeled Enhanced. A game without a better maximum resolution won’t qualify either. For example, a title with a variable resolution of 1440p to 2160p on the PS5, while on the PS5 Pro, it would be 1800p to 2160p.
Ultra-Boost Mode for Higher Performance
Games that aren’t updated will still benefit from higher performance thanks to Ultra-boost mode. This mode helps VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) modes run at a higher frame rate, and games with variable resolutions can render at a higher resolution. Frame rates may also be more stable in some games, but fixed resolution and frame rate titles won’t see improvements.
Launch Date and Pricing
The PlayStation 5 Pro will be launched on November 7 this year for 800 euros. It will come with a 2TB SSD but without a Blu-ray drive, which will be available separately. The PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro drives are already starting to sell out in foreign stores, and they are currently out of stock at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. Scalpers have presumably taken advantage of the situation, selling the drives at inflated prices, similar to what happened with the original PS5 launch.
