Latest leak gives PS5 Pro a codename and a release date

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, among many others.

Sony has reportedly been working on the PS5 Pro for a while, sending out development kits as early as last year with major studios expected to receive their copies later this year. The updated import records reveal a consistent stream of shipments throughout the year.

Technical specifications for the upgraded console remain elusive, a result of either strategic withholding on Sony's. But, the few details that have found their way online are leaving fans excited. The PS5 Pro is reported to boast an impressive 18,000 MT/s memory and 30 WGP (workgroup processor), indicating a significant upgrade in performance from the standard PS5.

It's presumed that the goal of the PS5 isn't a significant upgrade in resolution, but rather an enhanced FPS performance at both 1080p and 4K resolution, along with better FPS stability. However, we can't discount the possibility that Sony might use an 8K mode as a selling point if only for marketing purposes. Either way, the improved hardware of a potential PS5 Pro is a thrilling prospect. Don't forget that the PS5, three years into its lifecycle, has been pushed hard by today's games, with reports of overheating in the middle of intense gaming sessions. Even though developers can always optimize their games better, there's only so much studios can do if there just isn't any performance more left for them to squeeze.

TLDR; don't expect more realistic and immersive gaming environments with the PS5 Pro but do look forward to more stable gameplay experiences when it comes out.

Of course, as exciting as it is to get our hands on an upgraded mid-cycle console, it's hard not to wonder if gamers need it at all. Is there even a target market for a pricier console model that can only promise improved ray-tracing and performance that isn't that much more noticeable anyway?

Sony's historical strategy of releasing hardware that synergizes with their other tech, such as the DVD-compatible PS2 or the PS3's Blu-ray capabilities or the 4K/HDR capabilities of the PS4 Pro, leaves questions about the motivation behind the PS5 Pro.

However, it's hard to deny the potential for a significant GPU upgrade for the PS5 Pro either. The console could potentially make a generational shift in terms of hardware, potentially unlocking a more performance-oriented mode for certain titles, especially exclusives.

While the current generation of consoles has yet to reach its limits, the rumblings about Sony's PS5 Pro remind us that the manufacturers always have their eyes on the horizon. It may seem early, but history tells us that even as the consoles are released, their successors are already in development, adapting to customer and developer feedback.

Don't forget, the PlayStation 6 is already in development and Microsoft knows when it's coming out.

For now, though, we're better off keeping our eyes peeled for something that's supposedly coming out next month - the PlayStation 5 Slim.