Do we need a PS5 Pro and Xbox refresh?
We recently received some exciting news about a potential PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X refresh. TV maker TCL gave a press conference in Poland, which contained a slide discussing “Gen 9.5” consoles. According to TCL, the “PS5 Pro” and the “New Xbox Series S/X” would arrive in 2023/2024, and would offer higher resolutions, better frame rates and a more powerful GPU than the consoles we have today. today.
Now that a few days have passed, it seems that TCL was just theorizing that Sony and Microsoft could repeat their strategies from the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X days. The PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X refresh is unconfirmed, as far as we know. But that got the Tom’s Guide team wondering: if Sony and Microsoft are working on console updates, do we even want them?
FYI: someone created an unofficial PS5 Slim that looks pretty goodalbeit with heavy caveats.
We polled a handful of game writers and editors at TG, to see whether or not they think more powerful PS5 and Xbox Series X variants are worth the money, especially since no one can find the models. basic right now. The results were decidedly negative – but we thought of a few potential benefits that a mid-gen refresh could deliver.
Before you dive in, Tom’s Guide may be able to help you if you’re still looking for a PS5 Restock or one Xbox Series X Restock.
Marshall Honorof, editor
I should probably put my cards on the table from the start: I don’t think the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X have been particularly good. Aside from how well they sold (which is unclear) and how much fans loved them (hard to assess), they undermined the game console’s most traditional selling point. PC gamers like frequent, piecemeal upgrades; console gamers like to buy an indivisible system that lasts a long time. Having to buy two expensive consoles in a single generation rather than just one also hurts the “consoles are a lot cheaper than PCs” argument.
It probably won’t come as a shock, then, that I don’t see a terrific use case for a PS5 Pro or an Xbox Series X refresh. TCL has suggested that those systems might be able to achieve true 4K resolution at frame rates of 60 to 120 frames per second, which would certainly be impressive. (Current systems can somehow do this, depending on the game, but tend to vary resolution, or frame rate, or both.) These hypothetical systems could also run games smoothly in 8K, for the handful of people who already own 8K TVs.
The problem is that, to my knowledge, gamers aren’t really asking for better graphics, smoother frame rates, or faster load times. They want next-gen games rather than last generation games optimized — and they actually want to find a PS5 or Xbox Series X in a store, rather than having to fight for one like a hot concert ticket.
I have no doubt that Sony and Microsoft could do slightly more powerful console updates and they would work as advertised. I just don’t see how they would bring any significant, tangible benefits over the two excellent consoles we already have – or would have, if we could find them anywhere.
Rory Mellon, Deals Editor
My resistance to a PS5 Pro mostly comes from the fact that Sony is still struggling to keep up with demand for the standard PS5. Of course, Sony recently promised investors that it speed up material production to levels “never reached before”. But at present, acquiring one still requires diligent monitoring. PS5 Restocksand that seems unlikely to change in the short term.
Assuming the PS5 Pro launches in 2023 or 2024, as the current TCL rumor suggests, by then we’ll likely reach the point where PS5 supply has caught up with demand. But then Sony would instantly reset the card as gamers rushed to upgrade to a PS5 Pro. This would essentially make hunting for resupplies the focus of this generation of gear. Let’s not forget that Sony is planning to release the PSVR 2 at some point in the (rather) near future, which is almost certainly another gaming product that will suffer from supply issues.
Potential headaches aside, the PS5 isn’t a console that needs a mid-gen refresh. It’s a powerful machine that currently stands up to even some of the best PC hardware on the market. I was able to play amazing games including Return, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Horizon: West forbidden at rock-solid 60 fps without my PS5 even sweating. What would a PS5 Pro really add to my gaming experience? 8K? Better ray tracing? These are graphic innovations that can await the inevitable successor to the PS5.
About halfway through its life cycle, the PS4 was starting to creak a bit. In fact, my launch model felt like a jet engine ready to take off whenever I played something particularly demanding. Also, almost all games were locked at 30 fps. Due to these limitations, a PS4 Pro was an attractive enough proposition, but history didn’t repeat itself with the PS5. However, even if I’m not clamoring for a Pro model, a redesigned PS5 Slim would tempt me. After all, the PS5 is a big, ugly box that stands out in just about any entertainment center. I would like a unit with a slightly smaller profile.
Roland Moore-Colyer, Editor, News
The PS5 hasn’t been released for two years and is still not easy to find. For this reason, I don’t think we need a PS5 Pro. Considering Sony’s latest game console came out in the midst of a pandemic that caused global disruption, I’d say the developers have had far fewer opportunities to really dig into the capabilities of the machine. And even in the best-case scenario, actually extracting power from a game console can take a while. The most graphically impressive games on Xbox One and PS4 have come to the end of their respective generations, showing that time and mastery of development toolkits yield great results.
I think there’s a lot more to take from the PS5 before a “pro” version is thrown into the mix.
Also, aside from increased storage and possibly better refresh rates at 4K, I’m not sure what the benefits of a PS5 Pro will be at this time. The PS4 Pro arrived at a time when 4K TVs were starting to become more affordable, which meant there was room for games better than 1080p.
After 4K comes 8K, but the prices for these TVs are beyond the reach of many consumers. I’m also not sure we’re at a point where the graphical benefits of such a high resolution will be significant. The same is probably true for high frame rate gaming, as you need a 120Hz refresh rate TV to really benefit from frame rates beyond 60fps, and those these are not incredibly common.
I’m sure a mid-gen PS5 refresh is on a Sony PlayStation roadmap, possibly by the end of 2024. But for now, I want Sony to focus on building the library of PS5 games.
Tony Polanco, IT Writer
I have already written an editorial explaining why releasing a PS5 Pro would be a bad idea. My position hasn’t changed, even in light of the TCL presentation. Mid-gen refresh systems during this generation of consoles make little sense.
Nearly two years after their November 2020 launches, it’s still hard to get hold of a current-gen console. Although the Xbox Series S is a bit easier to find, PS5 Restocks end almost as soon as they go live. What’s the point of releasing a PS5 Pro if the standard PS5 is next to impossible to find? PlayStation’s Jim Ryan promises PS5 restocks could finally get better by 2024. That’s great, but it doesn’t help people who can’t find the system right now. I doubt a PS5 Pro will help the situation.
And what can the PS5 Pro offer compared to the PS5? 8K graphics? The PS5 has almost no games running in true native 4K and 60fps. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart fluctuates between 1800p and 2160p, but it’s still not unqualified 4K. Plus, how many people will even own 8K TVs next year?
And as I said in another post, I’ve been playing the PS5 for a year – and it doesn’t feel like a next-gen console. This is mainly due to the abundance of cross-gen games available on PS4 and PS5. However Gotham Knights on PS4 and Xbox One has just been canceled, I don’t see the industry completely abandoning cross-gen games anytime soon. This means that few titles will take advantage of the power of the PS5 Pro.
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