- Sony Corp. (NYSE:SONY) stock climbed higher Tuesday after unveiling a new upgrade and more streamlined game console – the PlayStation 5 Pro
- The PS5 Pro offers several improvements over the standard PS5, such as a larger GPU, 8K resolution and can handle 4K gaming at 60 frames per second and comes with more than double the storage capacity of the original PS5
- The PS5 Pro’s US$700 price tag has still generated a fair bit of criticism and will launch on Nov. 7, 2024
- Sony Corp. closed at US$92.98 per share
Sony Corp. (NYSE:SONY) stock climbed higher Tuesday after unveiling a new upgrade and more streamlined game console – the PlayStation 5 Pro.
As Sony’s current PS5 console reaches the middle of its lifespan, the company revealed a more advanced (and more expensive) iteration of the now-4-year-old system to the public via a technical presentation hosted by the PS5’s lead architect, Mark Cerny.
What is new under the hood?
While the upgrades are essentially incremental, the PS5 Pro offers several improvements over the standard PS5:
- Graphics and performance: The PS5 Pro features a larger GPU, providing a 45 per cent boost in rendering power. This means better graphics, more fluid gameplay, and enhanced ray tracing capabilities for more realistic lighting and reflections.
- Resolution and frame rates: The PS5 Pro supports 8K resolution and can handle 4K gaming at 60 frames per second more consistently. It also includes AI-driven upscaling to improve the visual quality of older games.
- Storage: The PS5 Pro comes with a 2 terabyte (TB) solid-state drive (SSD), which is more than double the storage capacity of the original PS5’s 825GB. This allows for more games and content to be stored directly on the console.
- Design and cooling: Despite its increased power, the PS5 Pro is similar in size to the original PS5 and features improved cooling with wider grills to manage the additional heat generated by the more powerful hardware.
- WiFi and connectivity: The PS5 Pro includes WiFi 7, an upgrade from the PS5’s WiFi 6, offering faster and more stable internet connections.
The PS5 Pro won’t have a disc drive when it is available, but Sony pointed to the current PS5 disc drive add-on in its official blog post, which means will be the only option for anyone who wants a system that will be able to read discs. Some of its hard drive will be taken up with a pre-installed copy of 2020’s “Astro’s Playroom” (not to be confused with the latest “Astro Bot” game that came out Friday).
Play has no limits? More like price has no limits
The PS5 Pro manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) will set you back US$699.99 (That’s more than C$950), £699.99, €799.99 and ¥119,980.
While many expected the PS5 Pro would be an expensive home entertainment console, the price tag has still generated a fair bit of criticism. Analysts, content generators and even fans online were underwhelmed by its technical specifications when compared with how much it costs, especially considering what was left out, and it only comes with a 4-year-old game.
The replies to the official PS5 Pro Tweet / X unveiling post were as chipper as you’d expect.
(Source: Twitter / X)
YouTubers were also critical of the system, given its price tag. RGT85 said “I’m not feeling this […] If I didn’t run a video game channel, I’d have negative interest in this,” while PlayerEssence called it a “scam” and Spawn Wave pointed out the price point has almost gone up nearly 100 per cent in just eight years from the PS4 Pro debuted at US$400.
While it doesn’t come with a disc drive or stand, it does come with a DualSense wireless controller.
According to the company, those controllers are now worth US$5 more as they recently raised the price just before the PS5 Pro was unveiled.
Sony Interactive Entertainment is a subsidiary of Sony Corp., one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services.
The PS5 Pro will launch on Nov. 7, 2024, and pre-orders will begin on Sept. 26, 2024.
How did Sony do in the market?
The entertainment conglomerate’s stock closed around US$8 away from its 52-week high of US$100.88 it reached in January and managed to recoup some losses sustained in Friday’s drop.
(Sony Corp. stock chart – Sept 3 – 10, 2024.)
Sony Corp. (NYSE:SONY) closed 2.12 per cent higher at US$92.98 per share. Sony stock has lost nearly 2 per cent since the year began, though it is up more than 9 per cent over the past three months.
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(Top photo of PlayStation 5 Pro: PlayStation Blog)