Everyone expected the long-rumored PlayStation 5 Pro to be expensive , but its $700 price tag still came as a bit of a shock. Could a mid-generation refresh aimed mostly at boosting graphical detail really be worth almost double the cost of a used PS5?
In a new interview with IGN as part of an initial round of hands-on previews with press, PlayStation Senior Principal Product Manager Toshi Aoki made the case for Sony’s third-most expensive console ever. The console can cost as much as $800 if players want to get the optional disc drive and vertical stand, both of which are sold separately. Meanwhile, a refurbished all-digital PS5 slim sold directly from Sony is just $350. Aoki rattled off the PS5 Pro’s improvements over the existing model to make its case.
“Well, the technologies that I just mentioned that we are putting in to deliver new experiences for game players, and also not just the technological differences, but the SSD, the Wi-Fi 7, and the new technologies that surround the gameplay as well,” he said. “So it’s more of a full package that will give that exceptional value to the players...the most engaged players that we’re targeting.”