The PS5 Pro is better than the PS5.
There. Saved you some time.
The real question is whether it’s $900 better, especially if you already have a perfectly good PS5 sitting in your house.
I own the original disc PS5, not the Pro, so I’m not going to pretend this is a hands-on comparison.
Instead, I wanted to look at exactly what that extra money gets you in 2026.
And there are really two questions here:
“If you already own a PS5, should you upgrade?”
And:
“If you own neither, should you spend more and start with the Pro?”
My answer isn’t actually the same for both.
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TL;DR
The PS5 Pro is unquestionably the better console. It has:
- A much more powerful GPU
- Better ray tracing
- PSSR image reconstruction
- 2TB of storage
- & can give supported games better graphics without sacrificing as much performance.
But if you already own a PS5? I’d keep it.
Spending $899.99 to improve an already great console is a tough sell for most people.
If you’re buying your first PS5, though, you’re comparing $649.99 for the standard disc PS5 against $899.99 for the Pro. That extra $250 is much easier to consider, especially if you have a great 4K display and plan to keep the console for years.
PS5 vs. PS5 Pro Specs
Here’s what you’re actually paying for.
| PS5 | PS5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $649.99 | $899.99 |
| Storage | 1TB | 2TB |
| GPU Compute Units | 36 | 60 |
| GPU Performance | ~10.3 TFLOPS | ~16.7 TFLOPS |
| Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/s | 576 GB/s |
| Ray Tracing | Yes | Improved |
| PSSR | No | Yes |
| Disc Drive | Included | Sold separately |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
There are plenty of numbers we could obsess over here, but the important difference is pretty simple:
The Pro has substantially more graphics power.
Sony increased the GPU’s Compute Units by 67%, increased memory speed and gave the Pro significantly more rendering performance.
But that extra power isn’t really about turning a 60 FPS game into a 150 FPS game.
It’s about something I think console players will appreciate more.
The Pro Makes You Choose Less
You know this screen:
- Fidelity Mode: Game looks prettier.
- Performance Mode: Game runs smoother.
Pick one.
The PS5 Pro doesn’t completely eliminate that choice, but its extra power gives developers more room to combine the two.
- Better resolution at 60 FPS.
- Better ray tracing without destroying performance.
- Sharper Performance Modes.
- Higher frame rates without dropping image quality as aggressively.
That’s the upgrade.
The regular PS5 already produces some incredible-looking games. The Pro is about getting those games to look better without sacrificing as much to make them run smoothly.
And PSSR is a big part of how it does that.
PSSR Might Be the Most Important Upgrade
PS5 Pro introduced PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR.
Basically, the console can render a game at a lower internal resolution and use machine learning to reconstruct a sharper image.
That frees up performance for things like higher frame rates, better graphics and ray tracing.
And this part is important in 2026:
PSSR has gotten better since the PS5 Pro launched.
Sony rolled out an upgraded version this year that improves image stability, fine detail and clarity during movement. More games are also being built or updated specifically around the Pro.
So we’re not evaluating the exact same PS5 Pro that launched in 2024.
The hardware hasn’t changed.
Developers are getting better at using it.
Games Still Matter
Not every PS5 game suddenly becomes dramatically better because you bought the Pro.
Some games have dedicated PS5 Pro Enhanced support. Those developers can use the extra hardware for better resolution, ray tracing, frame rates or some combination of all three.
Others can benefit from Game Boost or PSSR.
And some games aren’t going to give you a difference worth staring at your screen trying to find.
That’s why I’d check the games you actually play before upgrading.
If most of your library has meaningful Pro enhancements, the upgrade becomes more interesting.
If it doesn’t?
Who cares how powerful the GPU is?
You’re buying a console to play games, not stare at its spec sheet.
The 2TB SSD Is Actually Nice
This isn’t exciting, but it’s useful.
The standard PS5 has 1TB of storage.
The PS5 Pro gives you 2TB.
With the size of modern games, I’ll take every gigabyte I can get.
You can obviously add an M.2 SSD to the regular PS5, so storage alone isn’t a reason to buy a Pro.
But when comparing two new consoles, the additional terabyte does help justify some of that $250 difference.
Get it here: Check 2TB SSD price on Amazon
Your Monitor or TV Matters A LOT
This is where I think people could spend their money backward.
If you’ve got a regular PS5 connected to an old 1080p display, I would upgrade the display before buying a PS5 Pro.
The whole point of the Pro is better image quality, ray tracing and performance.
You need a screen capable of showing you that.
A good 4K display? Great.
4K/120Hz with VRR? Even better.
OLED or good Mini-LED? Now you’re actually giving the Pro room to show off.
I use my regular PS5 with a Sony INZONE M9, and it already looks freaking incredible.
That’s part of why I personally have a hard time justifying an upgrade.
If you’re shopping for the display first, I just broke down the Best Gaming Monitors for PS5 in 2026
The PS5 Pro Is $900…If You Can Find One
The official MSRP of the PS5 Pro is $899.99, compared with $649.99 for the standard PS5.
So technically, we’re talking about a $250 upgrade.
Except good luck finding one for $900 right now.
The PS5 Pro has been extremely difficult to find at major retailers recently, and reseller prices have climbed well over $1,000. I’ve seen listings around $1,300–$1,500, which is actually why I originally thought the thing cost $1,500.
At $900, I can at least have the conversation.
At $1,500?
Absolutely not.
Wait for a restock.
If You Already Own a PS5: Don’t Upgrade
If you already have a regular PS5, I’d keep it.
The Pro is better.
Not kinda better. It is legitimately more powerful hardware.
But your current PS5 still:
- Plays the same games
- Has an incredibly fast SSD
- Supports 4K, 120Hz and VRR
- & Looks great.
You’re spending $900 to make an already good experience better.
For enthusiasts with an expensive display who care a lot about graphics and performance?
I get it.
For everyone else?
Keep your PS5.
Get it here: Check the current PS5 price on Amazon
If You’re Buying Your First PS5: Now It’s Interesting
This is where my answer changes.
If both consoles are available at retail price, you’re not choosing between:
$0 = Keep the PS5 you own
and
$900 = Buy a Pro
You’re choosing between:
$650 = PS5
and
$900 = PS5 Pro
Now we’re talking about a $250 upgrade.
You’re getting twice the storage, significantly more graphics power, better ray tracing, PSSR and the best version of the PS5.
If you’re going to use the thing multiple times a week for the next five-plus years, I can see spending the extra $250, especially if you already have a really good 4K display.
But that only applies if you can actually find the Pro around MSRP.
Right now, availability is rough, and reseller prices can push the PS5 Pro well over $1,000. At that point, this becomes a completely different conversation.
Would I consider spending $900 instead of $650 on a console I’m going to use for years?
Yeah.
Would I spend $1,300–$1,500 because I don’t want to wait for a restock?
Absolutely not.
Buy the regular PS5 or wait.
While you’re waiting, check out the Best Gaming Headsets Under $100 in 2026: 8 Worth Buying
Who Should Actually Buy the PS5 Pro?
I think the target buyer is pretty specific.
Buy the Pro if:
- You don’t already own a PS5
- You have a great 4K display
- Graphics/performance matter a lot to you
- You want 2TB of storage
- & You’re comfortable spending $900 on a console you’re going to use for years
If you already own a PS5, I’d only upgrade if you’re the kind of person who:
- Notices resolution differences
- Hates sacrificing graphics for 60 FPS
- & wants the absolute best console version of your games
That’s not most people…
And that’s okay.
Still debating which console is right for you? Check out PS5 vs. XBox Series X in 2026: Which Should You Buy?
Final Verdict: Better Doesn’t Automatically Mean Worth It
The PS5 Pro is objectively better.
That’s not really up for debate.
- The GPU is more powerful.
- Ray tracing is better.
- PSSR gives developers another tool for improving graphics without sacrificing as much performance.
- You get 2TB of storage.
It’s the best PS5.
But if you already own a regular PS5?
I’d keep your money.
Mine already looks incredible on my INZONE M10, plays every PS5 game I want and gets used regularly by my family. Spending $900 to make that experience somewhat better just doesn’t make sense for me.
If I were buying my first PS5 today, though?
I’d have to think about it.
An extra $250 for the better console that I’m potentially going to use multiple times a week for the next five or six years doesn’t sound nearly as ridiculous.
And I think that’s the PS5 Pro conversation that’s actually worth having.