The PlayStation 5 Pro Focus on Image Quality Improvement in Performance Mode Is One of the Reasons the CPU Wasn’t Upgraded Over Base Model

Sep 16, 2024 at 07:41am EDT
PlayStation 5 Pro

The PlayStation 5 Pro CPU hasn't been upgraded over the base model, and there are a few reasons why, including the system's main focus.

The tech experts at Digital Foundry recently commented on the lack of a CPU upgrade for the upcoming console by Sony, saying that price, compatibility, and size are among the reasons. Size, in particular, has been a concern for the Japanese company, even for the base model, as the part of the FPU was cut to reduce size and manufacturing costs.

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The reception of the PlayStation 4 Pro may also have played some part in the decision not to upgrade the PlayStation 5 Pro CPU. The previous generation's refresh system had a considerable CPU upgrade over the base model, but the main talking point of the system was checkerboard rendering, which brought 4K resolution into the console gaming space for the first time. With the upcoming system, however, the focus is to improve the image quality of Performance mode in several games, and, as such, a CPU upgrade wouldn't have served much purpose other than increasing the price of the system a lot. A more powerful CPU could have allowed for framerates higher than 60 FPS, but it's clear that delivering a high refresh rate experience is not the focus of the PlayStation 5 Pro.

The PlayStation 5 Pro launches worldwide on November 7th for the price of $699.99, €799.99. Despite the high price, analysts expect it to sell as much as the PlayStation 4 Pro did.

About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.

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