Is It Worth The Asking Price? A 1-Month Review Of Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro – A Console That Retails Starting From RM3,849.00

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Let us begin with this simple fact – RM3,849.00 is a lot of money. The concept of a console has always been to provide customers with an affordable entry point into video games, compared to the typically higher cost of a personal computer.

Nevertheless, on 7 November 2024, I spent a cool RM4,527.00 on a Sony PlayStation 5 Pro. This was because I also purchased the separately sold disc drive and wanted it to stand upright securely, so I added the RM149.00 vertical stand.

Over the past month, I’ve spent significant time with the PlayStation 5 Pro, playing a variety of titles, including:

1. NieR: Automata – A PlayStation 4 title with no enhancements on the PlayStation 5.

2. Mass Effect Legendary Edition – A collection of remastered PlayStation 3 titles for the PlayStation 4. Features Backward Compatible Plus enhancements when played on the PlayStation 5.

3. Fallout 4 – A PlayStation 4 title re-released for the PlayStation 5 natively but without any enhancements for the PlayStation 5 Pro.

4. Street Fighter 6 – A cross-generation PlayStation 5 title that isn’t enhanced for the PlayStation 5 Pro.

5. Final Fantasy XVI – A native (and initially exclusive) PlayStation 5 title with no PlayStation 5 Pro enhancements.

6. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – A native third-party PlayStation 5 title enhanced for the PlayStation 5 Pro.

7. The Last of Us Part I – A native first-party PlayStation 5 title enhanced for the PlayStation 5 Pro.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition and NieR: Automata – A Disappointment and a Surprise

Mass Effect Legendary Edition on the PlayStation 5 Pro is disappointing, suffering from the same performance issues found on the original PlayStation 5, including noticeable frame drops in Mass Effect 3. This is a fault of BioWare and EA, as the Xbox Series X version does not share these issues, offering a native version instead of a backward-compatible app.

In contrast, NieR: Automata benefits greatly from being played on the PlayStation 5, achieving a consistent 60FPS compared to the performance on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro. The PlayStation 5 Pro further enhances the presentation with its image quality enhancement for all PlayStation 4 titles. Though unconfirmed, many speculate this feature is an implementation of AMD’s Radeon Super Resolution.

This enhancement mode is available for all PlayStation 4 titles, improving visuals for games rendering below 4K. While some titles may have compatibility issues with this feature, such cases are rare.

Fallout 4, Street Fighter 6, and Final Fantasy XVI – Subtle Improvements

When playing Fallout 4, I noticed less hitching overall compared to the original PlayStation 5. Some minor hitches remain, particularly during autosaves – the classic “Bethesda experience.” Beyond that, it remains the same Fallout 4 on the PlayStation 5.

Street Fighter 6 runs smoothly at 60FPS in both the Battle Hub and Fighting Ground modes, with no noticeable hitching or stuttering on either the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro. This is expected, as Street Fighter 6 is well-optimised for the PlayStation 5 and is the official tournament setup.

Final Fantasy XVI feels smoother overall on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Frame rate and frame time analysis confirm similar targets to the original console: 30FPS during cutscenes and 60FPS during gameplay. However, dynamic resolution scaling seems less aggressive on the PlayStation 5 Pro.

During battles, frame rate dips to around 58FPS when triggering Eikon attacks like Titan’s Earthen Fury and Bahamut’s Giga Flare, while controlling Clive Rosfield directly maintains a flat 60FPS. Open-world areas still experience dips, going as low as 45FPS in my testing, but these instances are rare. Cutscene performance is similar to the original PlayStation 5, with minor dips in familiar spots but nothing too disruptive.

Quintessential PlayStation 5 Pro Enhancements – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and The Last of Us Part I

These two titles showcase the PlayStation 5 Pro’s enhancements to their fullest. Both games feature PlayStation 5 Pro-specific modes – Versatility Mode for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Pro Mode for The Last of Us Part I – utilising PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR).

PSSR, introduced with this mid-generation upgrade, is a game-changer. These two titles exemplify the “PlayStation 5 Pro Enhanced” standard, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth proving third-party studios can adopt new technology effectively from day one, which is often expected only of first-party studios.

I’ve been blown away by both games, particularly after starting them on the original PlayStation 5 and transitioning to the PlayStation 5 Pro.

Final Thoughts – Is the PlayStation 5 Pro Worth the Price?

Yes – if you want the best possible console gaming experience money can buy, the PlayStation 5 Pro is worth it. After a month of use, I’m convinced. Much of the criticism surrounding the PlayStation 5 Pro stems from its steep asking price.

This isn’t the first time an enhanced console has been released – we had the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X before. However, both Sony and Microsoft priced those consoles similarly to their original counterparts, rather than charging more.

The PlayStation 5 Pro, by contrast, has a different ethos. It is designed to deliver the best possible console gaming experience, short of launching an entirely new generation. Unlike its predecessor, it isn’t addressing challenges like the adoption of 4K displays or complaints about 30FPS games from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era.

When developers fully optimise for the PlayStation 5 Pro, the experience is outstanding. Some titles, such as Silent Hill 2 Remake and Alan Wake II, face challenges with rushed patches, but these issues are likely temporary.

The PlayStation 5 remains an excellent console – I still keep mine. However, if you have the means to purchase a new console, whether as an upgrade or as your first of the current generation, go for the PlayStation 5 Pro. It truly delivers the best console gaming experience available today.

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