PS5 Pro Review: Performance, PSSR & 2TB Storage

Advanced ray tracing enhancements and VRR support produce more immersive lighting effects and smoother performance in demanding scenes

Hardware by Katmin on Jul 22, 2025

After six months and hundreds of hours of gaming on PS5 Pro, it's clear that this console represents a substantial investment. With enhanced hardware, storage, and image‑quality options, it promises benefits over standard PS5—but are those benefits worth it?

We explored how the console compares, what PS5 Pro-enhanced games deliver, and how to maximize its features.

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PS5 Pro Features

At launch, PS5 Pro highlighted several key upgrades: 2TB of internal storage instead of 1TB, a custom GPU with 67% more power, advanced ray tracing, and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). On paper, these sound impressive, but the real-world impact depends entirely on the games that support Pro enhancements.

Only titles marked with PS5 Pro icon take advantage of the extra GPU power, storage, and PSSR. Yet, the store doesn't specify exactly what each game gains—you must either check developer announcements or experience the difference yourself.

PSSR remains the standout, delivering improved image quality at higher frame rates; seeing games hit 4K at up to 120fps with HDR and VRR is genuinely impressive.

Who It's For

At $700, PS5 Pro is $270 more expensive than the PS5 Digital Edition. It's aimed squarely at enthusiasts who chase the highest frame rates, sharpest resolutions, and finest graphical fidelity.

If you tweak your TV settings for optimal picture quality, own a 4K or 120Hz display, and want every possible visual upgrade, the PS5 Pro will reward you.

Casual players or those without compatible screens will see less return on investment, and the standard PS5 remains the best value for the vast majority of gamers.

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PS5 Pro Games

At launch, more than 50 titles were Pro‑optimized, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Astro Bot Rescue Mission 2, and Horizon Forbidden West. Since then, major releases such as Assassin's Creed Shadows, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Indiana Jones have adopted PS5 Pro icon.

None of these are exclusives—every Pro‑enhanced title still runs on a base PS5—but developers can now offer a dedicated "Pro mode" alongside performance and fidelity settings.

Some games deliver noticeable resolution or performance boosts, while others add picture-mode options, and a few remain unchanged. Titles with well‑implemented PSSR and ray tracing updates truly shine, offering what we've long expected from next‑gen hardware.

Gaming on PS5 Pro

Assassin's Creed Shadows looks stunning with PSSR, detailed shadows, and ray‑traced reflections all running at a solid 60fps on PS5 Pro. GT7 gained PSSR, ray tracing, and 8K resolution support shortly after launch; while the difference from base PS5 isn't night and day, the improvements are tangible.

For sheer visual fidelity, Stellar Blade currently ranks among the best PS5 Pro showcase titles—its cutscenes and in‑game reflections are jaw‑dropping. Horizon Forbidden West also benefits from sharper textures, denser foliage, and enhanced reflections when paired with a suitable display.

Xbox Games Look Better on PS5 Pro

Surprisingly, cross-platform titles can outperform their Xbox Series X counterparts on PS5 Pro. Forza Horizon 5 in quality mode gains ray-tracing boosts, while Performance Mode Plus PSSR matches that visual quality at higher frame rates.

Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle both run more consistently at 60fps and 4 K on PS5 Pro than on a base PS5, and side‑by‑side comparisons for Gears of War Reloaded highlight PS5 Pro's advantage.

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Upcoming PS5 Pro Title

After the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the benefits of the PS5 Pro will continue to expand as new games are released. Ghost of Yōtei, Mafia: The Old Country, and 007 First Light are set to support Pro mode with guaranteed 60fps in quality settings.

With GTA 6 on the horizon in 2026, PS5 Pro will likely be the premier way to experience its launch‑day visuals—console sales may well spike around that release.

Storage

PS5 Pro's 2TB internal SSD, compared to the base PS5's 825GB (and the PS5 Slim's 1TB), helps justify the price gap.

That extra terabyte means fewer juggling downloads and better readiness for large modern titles, especially valuable if you accumulate more games than time to play them.

Console Covers

PS5 Pro's taller design and side vents give it a more aggressive, premium look, and it retains the interchangeable cover panels.

Official Pro covers remain unavailable, though third‑party options exist; however, official plates with the PlayStation logo are still pending release.

Disc Drive

Unlike base PS5, which offers both digital‑only and disc‑drive SKUs, PS5 Pro comes only as a digital‑edition console.

If you want to use physical games, you must purchase an external drive for an additional $80. While the drive delivers full compatibility, it's disappointing that a "Pro" model lacks built‑in support for physical media.

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Desired PS5 Pro Improvements

We'd like more precise in‑store details about each Pro‑enhanced title's specific upgrades, so players know exactly what to expect before launching a game.

Additional Pro‑exclusive UI themes, wallpapers, or icons would also help distinguish the experience from a standard PS5. Finally, the official Pro cover plates are expected to arrive soon, completing the package.

Is PS5 Pro Worth Buying?

For roughly 90% of players, the standard PS5 remains the best value, as it plays the same games with nearly identical experiences. However, if you own or plan to buy a 4K/120Hz display and crave optimized performance and visuals, PS5 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade.

As more titles gain Pro enhancements—including blockbuster releases like 007 First Light and GTA 6—the gap will only widen, making PS5 Pro the definitive choice for future‑proofed console gaming.

Whether you've already invested or are considering the decision now, PS5 Pro delivers the extra polish that enthusiasts demand. What has your Pro experience been like so far, and which titles have impressed you most?

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