PlayStation 5 Pro Review: Worth the upgrade or just a pricey refresh?

I’ve been using the PS5 Pro for a bit now, coming from a regular PS5 that I’ve had since launch. I’m not some esports pro or tech reviewer with a lab, just someone who plays a lot of single‑player games, a bit of Warzone/Fortnite, and has a 4K TV that actually shows differences when a console is pushed harder. So I was genuinely curious if this thing was going to feel like a real step up, or just a way for Sony to squeeze more cash out of people.

First reaction after setting it up: it doesn’t blow your mind, but you do notice it. Load times are already fast on the base PS5, so that’s not the big thing. What hits more is how many games run at higher or more stable frame rates, and how clean the image looks on a 4K screen. It’s the kind of upgrade you notice more after going back to the old console than in the first 10 minutes.

I also have a pretty big PS4 library, so backwards compatibility and the whole "Game Boost" part mattered to me. I wasn’t going to rebuy everything. The good news is, old games run fine and often better; the bad news is, not every title really shows a massive leap, so don’t expect your entire library to magically look next‑gen just because the box says "Pro".

Overall, my feeling is this: it’s a solid upgrade for people with a good 4K TV and who care about frame rates and image quality. But the price and the lack of a built‑in disc drive are hard to ignore. It’s definitely not the console I’d recommend to everyone by default, especially if you’re more of a casual player or still happy with a standard PS5.

This is where the PS5 Pro stings a bit. At around £700 new, it’s expensive for what is basically a mid‑generation upgrade, not a whole new platform. If you don’t already own a PS5 and you have a really good 4K (or 8K) TV, you can argue that this is the best version to buy, since you get the extra power and 2TB storage from the start. But if you already have a standard PS5, especially the slim, the jump is harder to justify unless you’re really into performance and visuals.

In practice, the console delivers: better frame rates, sharper image, improved ray tracing, more storage, better wireless, and decent thermals. The problem is that a lot of people won’t fully use all that. Many games still run very well on the normal PS5, and not every title is optimized for the Pro. If you’re a casual player who picks up a few big releases a year and doesn’t care about 120Hz or ray tracing, the extra money isn’t giving you a totally different experience. It’s more like fine‑tuning what you already have.

Compared to alternatives, it’s a mixed bag. Versus the Xbox Series X, the PS5 Pro does pull ahead in certain visuals and Sony exclusives tend to be well optimized, but the price gap is real. Versus just keeping your standard PS5, the main benefit is slightly smoother, cleaner graphics and more storage. There’s also the disc drive issue: having to buy it separately makes the total cost even higher if you still use physical games or movies.

So, value-wise, I’d say it’s good for enthusiasts, just okay for everyone else. If you’re the type who notices and cares about every visual setting and you want the best console experience on a big TV, you’ll probably feel it’s worth it. If you grabbed a used or discounted standard PS5, you’re not missing out on enough to justify spending this much more, unless money really isn’t a concern for you.

The PS5 Pro keeps the same basic design language as the slim PS5, just with some tweaks. It still looks like a sci‑fi router, but a bit more compact than the original fat PS5. On the TV unit it doesn’t look bad, but it’s not exactly discreet either. If you already hated the PS5 look, this won’t change your mind. If you were okay with it, this is more of the same, slightly more refined and less bulky.

Noise-wise, it’s quieter than my launch PS5 most of the time. The fan is generally less noticeable, even during long sessions on heavier games. That said, it’s not totally silent. Some users are right: you can still get that "whoosh" sound when it’s under load, and in a quiet room you will hear it. It’s not PS4 jet‑engine levels, but if you were hoping for total silence, that’s not it. Heat is handled better though; the console gets warm but not worrying, and it doesn’t feel like it’s cooking itself after a couple of hours.

The part that really bothers me in terms of design is the missing disc drive by default. You have to buy the drive separately if you want to play physical games or Blu‑rays. That’s a pretty big downside if you already own a bunch of discs or like buying used games. It makes the console feel incomplete out of the box, and at this price, that’s hard to swallow. The add‑on drive is at least easy to attach, but it’s still extra money and extra plastic.

Overall, the design is okay: it fits in a living room, it feels sturdy enough, and it runs reasonably quiet. But between the still noticeable fan noise and the missing built‑in disc drive, it doesn’t feel like a premium, no‑compromise machine. It’s more like a slightly tidied‑up version of a design that was already divisive.

The packaging is pretty standard for a modern console. The box is compact, everything is well wedged inside, and the console arrived without any damage. No fancy presentation, just functional cardboard and basic protection. Inside you get the PS5 Pro, a controller, power cable, HDMI cable, and the usual papers. It’s basically the same experience as the regular PS5, which is fine, but at this price point it feels a bit bare. Nothing extra, no headset, no game voucher, no added value beyond the standard kit.

Setup is straightforward if you’ve ever used a PS5. Plug it in, connect HDMI, pair the controller, sign into your account, and you’re off. Transferring data from an old PS5 works, but it takes time, especially if you’re moving a lot of games. I ended up re‑downloading some titles instead of transferring everything, just because my internet is decent and I didn’t want to sit through a long system‑to‑system copy. Still, the process is clear and not overly complicated. It feels like Sony has refined the software side a bit since launch days.

One thing that stands out is the missing disc drive in the box. The console packaging doesn’t hide it: this is a digital‑only machine unless you buy the separate drive. If you’re not paying attention when ordering, you might be annoyed when you realize your old PS4/PS5 discs are useless until you buy an extra accessory. I get that everything is moving towards digital, but for a "Pro" model at this price, that choice feels off. It makes the packaging feel like you’re buying half a product if you rely on physical media.

All in all, the packaging and setup do the job: it’s clean, safe, and quick to get started. But there’s nothing special or generous here. For a console this expensive, it feels a bit too minimal, like they cut everything that wasn’t strictly necessary to save a few pounds, and left it to you to buy any extras you might want.

Physically, the PS5 Pro feels like a solid piece of hardware. The plastic isn’t premium or anything, but it doesn’t feel cheap either. The weight (around 4.5 kg) gives it a sturdy feel, and once it’s in place, it doesn’t wobble or feel fragile. The stand and general assembly are straightforward, so you’re not wrestling with it every time you move it. It’s the kind of console you set up once and forget about, which is what you want.

In terms of long‑term use, I obviously can’t say how it will age over several years yet, but there are some clues. Heat seems better managed than on the launch PS5: after a few hours of heavier games, the case is warm but not burning, and the console doesn’t smell like hot plastic or anything weird. That gives some confidence that the components aren’t constantly cooking at max temps. Sony also usually does okay in terms of console longevity, at least compared to the PS4 launch era where the fan and dust were a bigger issue.

What does worry me a bit is the fan noise on some units. Mine is fine most of the time, but you can still hear it spin up, and some people report that "PS4 turbo" feeling coming back. Noise in itself isn’t a huge durability problem, but it often goes hand in hand with dust buildup and fans working harder than they should. If you keep the console in a closed TV cabinet with bad ventilation, I can see it aging poorly and getting louder over time.

Overall, I’d say durability looks decent so far: solid build, no obvious weak points, and better thermals than the original PS5. But if you buy it, I’d suggest giving it space to breathe, cleaning around it now and then, and not cramming it into a tiny shelf. At this price, I definitely expect it to last several years without major issues, and on that front it seems on the right track, even if the fan behavior isn’t perfect.

The main thing with the PS5 Pro is raw performance. Compared to my launch PS5, games that already had a performance mode feel more stable and less "wobbly" in busy scenes. In fast shooters and action games, the higher and more consistent frame rates are noticeable. On a 120Hz TV, some PS5 and PS4 titles feel smoother and more responsive. It’s not like going from PS4 to PS5, but it’s a clear step, especially if you’re sensitive to frame drops and screen tearing.

Where it gets interesting is the ray tracing and the new upscaling stuff (PSSR). In supported games, reflections, shadows, and lighting do look better. You notice it in things like wet roads, glass, and darker interiors. The console also seems better at keeping good image clarity while still pushing performance. On my 4K TV, games look sharper without the usual soft blur you sometimes get when a game is struggling to hit resolution and frame rate at the same time.

That said, it really depends on the game. Some titles are clearly optimized for the Pro and benefit a lot: smoother frame rate, higher resolution, ray tracing on without the game turning into a slideshow. Others don’t feel much different from the standard PS5, at least right now. If you mostly play older or non‑optimized games, don’t expect miracles. The advertised support for 8K and 4K 120Hz is nice on paper, but in practice, you’ll mostly see 4K with better stability or a sharper performance mode, not magic 8K gaming across the board.

In short, performance is pretty solid and clearly better than the base PS5, but it’s not a uniform upgrade on every single game. If you’re the type who notices small frame dips and cares about ray tracing, you’ll probably be happy. If you just casually play FIFA and a couple of story games a year, the difference is there but probably not worth the big price jump.

One of the genuinely nice upgrades is the 2TB SSD. On my base PS5 with 825GB, I was constantly juggling installs, especially with big games taking 80–120GB each. With 2TB, I can keep a good chunk of my library installed: a few big AAA games, some live‑service titles, and a pile of smaller indies, without having to delete something every week. If you hate storage management, this alone makes daily use less annoying.

Backwards compatibility is also solid. The PS5 Pro can run over 8,500 PS4 games, and the "Game Boost" effect is nice on some of them. Old titles with unlocked frame rates or dynamic resolution benefit the most: fewer drops, slightly cleaner image, and overall smoother feel. But again, it depends on the game. Some older titles are basically the same as on a regular PS5, so don’t expect every PS4 game to magically look like a remaster.

There are also smaller extras that are handy but not game‑changing. Wi‑Fi 7 support is nice if you have a router that can use it; downloads and patches come in faster, and online feels a bit more stable over wireless. It’s not going to fix a bad internet connection, but if your home network is good, the console keeps up. The new upscaling tech (PSSR) is also a plus: it lets some games output very sharp images on a 4K TV without killing performance. It’s not something you tweak yourself much; it just quietly does its job when games support it.

So, in terms of features, it’s practical and well equipped, but nothing here alone justifies the price jump from a standard PS5. It’s more a collection of small quality‑of‑life improvements: more storage, slightly better handling of older games, faster wireless, and smarter upscaling. Nice to have, but not essential for everyone.