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RUMOUR that Sony is secretly working on building a PS5 Pro behind-the-scenes have been lurking for years - but a recent leak suggests it's true.
Sony has been tight-lipped as to whether a PS5 Pro is actually in the making, so we've wrapped up some of the top PlayStation 5 Pro rumours - including an idea of its release date.
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What is the PS5 Pro?
The PS5 Pro is a new PlayStation console rumoured to be in development since 2022.
hasn't officially confirmed the console's existence, but it's looking increasingly likely that one will eventually launch.
The rumour wasn't completely plucked out of the air - Sony has already pulled this trick with the PS4.
When the PlayStation 4 came out in February 2013, it was followed up by the PS4 Pro in September 2016.
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The later model had significantly more powerful processing capabilities, and finally allowed PlayStation games to be played at 4K resolution.
And a recent leak from Insider Gaming suggests the PS5 Pro will boast a whopping 45 per cent performance uplift.
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PS5 Pro release date – when is the PS5 Pro out?
Insider Gaming sources have effectively confirmed that the PS5 Pro is aiming for a holiday 2024 release - just as expected.
The leaked detail falls in line with what analysts had already been forecasting.
“There seems to be a broad consensus in the game industry that Sony is indeed preparing a launch of a PS5 Pro in the second half of 2024," Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, told CNBC in late February.
"And Sony will want to make sure to have a great piece of hardware ready when GTA VI hits in 2025, a launch that will be a shot in the arm for the entire gaming industry.”
We can take a guess on the exact month Sony will release the Pro edition based on its previous history.
There was a 3.5-year gap between the PS4 and the PS4 Pro.
By comparison, the PS5 came out on November 12, 2020.
So we'd expect a PS5 Pro to launch in November 2024.
This would let it capture holiday buyers who want to snap up a console for the festive season.
PS5 Pro news and rumours – specs and features
Without an official Sony announcement, we only have rumours, leaks and speculation to go by.
We know that Sony has produced a "Pro" console before – as has its rival, Xbox.
So it seems likely that it will happen again for the PS5.
Part of the problem is that Sony's PS5 is already very powerful.
It can handle 4K gaming with stunning graphics – including ray-tracing for shadows and light.
The console supports high 120Hz refresh rates too.
So where does Sony go from there?
One claimed feature of the PS5 is that it could support 8K games, although that hasn't transpired yet.
In a few years, 8K TVs might be more common – and a PS5 Pro could find use there.
Insider Gaming also reported that PS5 Pro to have a 45 per cent faster rendering rate, a four times more powerful ray-tracing and a GPU with 33.5 teraflops.
The console is also expected to debut an AI accelerator for an even bigger boost to graphics processing, renders and visual effects, than what's on offer with the standard PS5.
More storage space is a very easy upgrade for the PS5 Pro – perhaps 1TB or even 2TB.
That would allow gamers to squeeze more titles onto their consoles.
Ultimately, games will become more demanding in years to come – and the PS5 Pro would help players keep up with those changes.
So a PS5 Pro may be a great option for players looking to better "future-proof" their gaming, just as PC owners upgrade their PCs.
PS5 Pro price – how much will PS5 Pro cost?
When the PS4 Pro launched, it cost $399 / £349.
That matched the original launch price of the PS4.
So Sony could pull a similar trick this time, dropping the cost of the PS5 and using the old launch price for the PS5 Pro.
By that measure, gamers would be paying $499 / £449 for a PS5 Pro.
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However, the global chip shortage could mean Sony is forced to charge even more for a PS5 Pro console.
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