PS5 Pro $700 MSRP Could Set A Horrific Precedent For Next-Gen Consoles

The PS5 Pro's $700 price tag might not seem like a big deal, but this move from PlayStation could mark the end of affordable console gaming.

[Obscure_Observer]

I´ll pay whatever if it´s worth it. I´m a console gamer first and foremost, but I´m not paying $700 or more for the next gen Xbox console in 2026 in case it don´t provide a significant generation leap in contrast with the Series X.

Since Sarah already confirmed that the next gen Xbox will see the biggest generational leap ever seen through all generations of Xbox consoles to date, I´m positive that it will be a powerful machine, while at the same time, I´ll remain skeptical regarding its price.

[darthv72]

Same, I certainly have no issues in paying for something if I think it is worth it. I thought the Pro and one X were worth it because they offered more for the exact same price as the initial launch models of the base units. And the differences were noticeable. Series X is a noticeable upgrade to the S... so i paid more for that.

The 5 Pro is something I will watch with a keen eye as I do like new hardware... but their presentation failed to really sell me on it because of all the already available games they showed with minimal differences. I understand you cant see frame rate improvements in still images... but ive already seen those games in their quality and performance modes.

They really needed to showcase something new.

[BQ32]

I mean if two games basically look almost exactly the same but one is running at twice the frame rate that is a HUGE win. People pay well over a $1000 for a graphics card that would show that level of improvement. As an example I used to play apex legends on a 3080 at about 240fps. But I paid 1500 for the 4090 and now play the game at 240fps but in 4k at high quality on my Alienware oled. It cost a lot but I don’t regret it for a second.

[Eonjay]

They do have something new. its basically DLSS. At this point, besides better graphics and performance, what would kind of feature would entice you? Personally, all I want is a console that delivers Graphics modes at 60 FPS and Performance modes that deliver 120 FPS. I am so glad we get another 4 years before PS6 because honestly I agree with you in saying that I don't know what else they could sell me on. Also, I know you are a collector so you are gonna have to pay full price because you probably wont trade. Am I correct there?

[darthv72]

^^correct, I have never traded in when buying new stuff. As far as the 'new features' goes... it is rather tough to come up with something new when we have pretty much seen all that we can see. Only refinements to what is already out. Their PSSR is not really 'new' when you figure they did checkerboard rendering (which was new at the time) and this is only refining it via a chip now vs software / hardware techniques previously.

[gold_drake]

whats that mean tho "big generation leap"

is it from the series s perspective or the x?

as usual, they all talk with no real meaning behind it.

[Obscure_Observer]

"whats that mean tho "big generation leap"

What we saw between the Xbox One X vs Xbox Series X for Xbox or PS4 Pro and PS5 for Playstation.

"is it from the series s perspective or the x?"

I´d mentioned the Series X in my OP

"as usual, they all talk with no real meaning behind it."

No. it´s just you that failed to understand a simple message.

[Eonjay]

' I´m a console gamer first and foremost' totally agree with this I'm doing the trade in so its more like $400 for me so its well worth the money to get a boost if I have to wait till 2028. If you are just gonna get the next Xbox in 2026, then it may make sense for you to hold off for 2 more years... however, if you want to play your PS5 games in the way possible, you might want to do like me and just trade up. And yes, be skeptical about the price. Perhaps you can trade up your Series X.

[P_Bomb]

They still need to sell software and would do well to remember that. A PS6 selling for the same $1000 CAD the Pro is selling for? I don’t see that growing their business. This is a canary in the coal mine moment.

[BeHunted]

For Sony. Everyone said the exact same thing about Xbox One. Sony is making the same mistakes. I think the next Xbox will be £500, while the PS6 without Disk Drive will probably be priced at £850.

[jznrpg]

Xbox one was less powerful than PS4 and more expensive.

[Knightofelemia]

We all know next gen machines go up in price. Question is how much will they charge for that next gen machine? You have to keep it affordable of it will scare people off or people won't be able to afford it. $1000 Canadian PS5 Pro I won't pay for. If I had that kind of scratch on me I would save it and put it towards a PS6 or a Switch 2. I am happy with my slim PS5 and I will wait for the PS6 instead of buying a mid cycle upgrade like a PS5 Pro. People want to buy it then go for it have fun. Another problem with next gen is you don't want to pull a dumb shit move like Microsoft and release a machine like the Series S. I can understand affordability but I also don't like wasting money on a machine where the games have to be nerfed down just to run on the machine. Sony had it right same specs same machine one has a disc drive the other doesn't. If I was into digital I would have bought a Series X digital console but again it's late to the party. Other thing you don't want to do is another dumb shit move Microsoft made and that's making a proprietary memory card to expand the memory. Sony was right again I paid way less for my Samsung 980 pro compared to what Microsoft is charging for a memory card. Hell my 128 gig micro SD card I bought for $5 on Boxing day I use it for my Switch is way cheaper then a Series X memory card. Like I said we all know prices go up when next gen comes out it has happened for a long time and it will continue to happen.

[Kakashi Hatake]

People are forgetting next gen is about 4 to 5 years from now. It'll happen when a jump from the Pro is at a 500 dollar price point. People are daft if they think an enthusiast product will dictate what happens with a mainstream product.

[darthv72]

Hmm... i am reminded how a $400 PS4 Pro (enthusiast product) lead to a $500 PS5 (mainstream product). And here we are today.

Like i said in another thread, I fully expect a PS6 to at least be $600. It won't be the same price the 5 was or anything less than that. It will be the same price as the fully featured PS3 was at launch.

[andy85]

It won't. It's that much because it's optional. They aren't gonna price next gen over the top because they want as many adopters as poss for software sales. The vast majority of PS5 Pro purchases will be moving from a PS5 so they aren't getting any more software sales. Next gen where they need people to buy it to sell games is different. I'll bet my left leg the PS6 isn't priced as high as the Pro.

[sagapo]

It would really surprise me if the PS6 would sell at a lower price than PS5 pro. I understand your angle tho, but never gonna happen, especially if pro will sell like sweetcakes.

[Vipre77]

I agree with a lot of the critics that say Sony hasn’t done a good enough job in highlighting the improvements. Standard PS5 just looks “good enough” considering the substantial price gap. If I didn’t already have a PS5, maybe I’d consider getting it, but I’d also maybe consider upgrades for my PC instead. Considering how often I game on my PS5 these days compared to my PC, it’s becoming an easier choice to invest in the computer instead of a console. Steam is bringing a console like experience to the computer now but without all the backward and forward compatibility concerns.

[meganick]

This is my primary concern with the PS5 Pro. If this is $700, PS6 will likely cost the same. I doubt it’ll be less. The main appeal of console gaming is affordability. If Playstation goes this route of no longer being affordable, I’ll just stick with Nintendo for console gaming. Nintendo does over-charge for some of their games, but at least their hardware is always priced reasonably.

[jznrpg]

It’s cheap because their hardware is outdated when it comes out. Switch was an Nvidia Shield chip that Nvidia had a ton of. You get what you pay for.

[meganick]

I’m aware of why Nintendo’s hardware is inexpensive. I’m fine with it as long as it’s affordable and still offers a reasonable amount of power for what I’m paying. If I cared about cutting-edge tech, I’d game on PC instead of consoles.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Wouldn't it make more sense to compare the mainstream product to the mainstream product? Your logic is like saying because a Lexus costs so much, the Toyota will cost the same...

[meganick]

Except I don’t view the PS5 Pro as a “Lexus”. I just see it as what the PS5 base model would have been had it released this year instead of 2020. That’s how I viewed PS4 Pro also, and that launched at the same price as the base model, which made sense at the time. PS5 Pro is indicating to me that PS6 will likely be $700 or very close, and I find that unacceptable for a console.

[jznrpg]

Horrific lol. So hyperbolic.

[TheNamelessOne]

Not if the sales match the reception.

[ocelot07]

Technology is only going up in price. Sooner people accept that and make a decision leave the hobby and find something else or accept it.

I think people are going to be in for a shock in a few years time. If Microsoft releases a handheld pc and is essentially just a ROG Ally but with a Xbox logo on it and maybe a Xbox inspired UI. It maybe cool and a way way into PC gaming. But it won't be cheap and it won't be as good as what we have now in the console space. If you think they have going to release it for £299 with 4TB storage you are in for a very rude awakening.

If you think the PS6 or the Dell Optiplex Xbox or the HP Omen Xbox is going to be £500 you are again going to be in for a shock. It the Dell Xbox is £500 expect a RTX 5050 inside or something lol.

[MrDead]

...this site doesn't seem to know what happens to price when items are mass produced or that initial higher costs are normally absorbed by the manufacture.

Click bait or a tech site that doesn't understand the basics, I'm guessing both.

[Berenger]

As much as I am looking forward to this, there's just no way I could see this price point being reasonable for the masses. This is definitely for the hardcore enthusiasts.

[Npugz7]

Anyone who thinks the PS6 will be under 700$ when it comes out is delusional.

[Workshyskiver]

a high price at start of generation is fine by me. I'd rather pay £700 for a great machine that doesn't need a pro version halfway through the generation than less for a compromised machine.

[Markdn]

Nothing horrid about the reality of a high powered console over the sad state of consoles trying to keep the prices low. You want a console cutting edge, you pay the price simple as that.

[gold_drake]

yea thats what i thought too, but i think the position of a new gen console is abit different then a mid gen upgrade. so who knows.

its gonna be weird if you have a mid circle upgrade console that is generally more expensive than the new one ha.

[CRASHBASHUK]

or not the market might be back to normalish i think it be £400-500 for ps6

[kayoss]

Gamers are an odd species. We want the best the most powerful, but we refuse to pay for it. We complain about a $700 console, saying, "its too expensive". But then we turn around and buy A $2000 - $3000 PC. But when a company release a console that is priced reasonably, we complain that its not powerful enough.

Very odd. .

[Chocoburger]

While I agree to an extent, the issue is that "walled-gardens" should employ the "razers and blades" method that's been around for decades now.

Consoles should be sold at a loss or break even point because its software is expensive (and keeps going up while quality is going down) , accessories expensive (and keeps going up), services required to play online (used to be free).

When you buy a console that's when the first party starts to milk you for all you're worth. The trade off should be that they take a hit on the initial purchase, but they've eliminated that now as well. And to make things worse, hardware prices are going up, not down like they used to. Yeah, they now want everything in their favor and nothing in ours.

I do feel given the current situation its fair to complain. That being said I'll be buying a PS5 Pro, begrudgingly.

[ninajacks2]

i think the main issue with this is the fact that is an upgrade. i would love if consoles would have an option to just purchase a new piece of the hardware rather similar to PC rather than buying a whole new console for possibly few more fps

[Runechaz]

But no one complain about the price of the new Iphone and buy one every year...

[Ra3030]

As long as it forces poor, entitled people out of gaming like yourself or whoever wrote this nonsense I'm good with paying more. Gaming needs to purge itself of the poor, entitled gamer they order nothing but nonstop complaining.
Paying more sounds like a great idea.

[arm71174]

Did I miss something? Are they not selling the base PS5 anymore? Oh that's right, they do. These articles are sounding increasingly more ignorant. When cell phones jumped from 300 to 1500 I'm sure these sites were saying the same. Making claims like this before it even hits the market is absurd and click bait. I've worked in software development since 1998 and I can tell you that one of the most important things I remember is from my first computer science course where the instructor said, the one constant thing in technology is change. With that change the cost of research, analysis, design, planning, manufacturing, development, testing etc... will also change as will the prices to do so.