The PS5 Pro might finally kill off performance mode, and the PC player in me is ecstatic
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The PS5 Pro is now officially a thing, and the upcoming PlayStation 5 revamp might finally solve my console performance woes. Since the OG system arrived back in 2020, players have had to choose between resolution and frame rate in many games, but the new system on the block will hopefully send performance and fidelity mode packing.
Out of all the reasons to grab a PS5 Pro pre-order, not having to pick between boosting fps or playing at 4K is the biggest. Naturally, I’ll have to get my hands on the juiced-up model to see if it can pull off 4K 60fps across the board, but considering its AMD GPU boasts 67% more Compute Units and 13% faster RAM, I’d be surprised if it can’t rival mid-range graphics cards. That heavily appeals to my PC gaming side, especially since it opens the door to visual versatility.
Do I think everyone will benefit from owning a PS5 Pro? Absolutely not, as there are bound to be players who aren’t that fussed about higher frame rates at 4K or embracing better ray tracing in adventures like Horizon Forbidden West and The Last of Us Part 2. However, if you are pining for an experience that doesn’t make you choose between frame rates and resolution, or you’re just looking for a living room experience that can keep up with your rig, Sony potentially has you covered.
Bringing balance to the console force
Since the dawn of contemporary gaming, consoles have featured fewer graphics customization options than PCs. Arguably, that’s part of the appeal, as dialing in settings can be a chore if you’re simply looking to jump into your favorite outing without a hitch. Sadly, the PS5 set an arguably bad precedent by making use of different performance modes, and while that theoretically places more power in your hands in terms of visuals, it’s arguably just a reminder that you’ll have to sacrifice something.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m known for hanging around in PC game settings menus trying to strike that perfect performance balance. That said, it’s the last thing I want to be doing when I throw myself onto the sofa after a long day. It’s the reason why I was quite happy to play Final Fantasy 16 on the console rather than waiting for a Steam port, but Sony’s original system was still hellbent on having me make graphical decisions.
Yes, it’s just a toggle, and one that will provide you with a “which is better, one or two?” optometrist-style way of choosing between resolution and frame rate. The thing is, knowing I can either play at 4K or 60fps is a massive distraction that initially pulled me out of Square Enix’s Kaiju RPG romp, leaving me wishing the PS5 could just pull off an optimal experience.
During today’s technical presentation, Mark Cerny kicked things off by saying that removing the performance and fidelity mode decision is “one of the key targets of the PlayStation 5 Pro.” Admittedly, that sounds like less of a promise to take the setting to the gallows and more of a technical ambition, but I’m holding onto hope that’ll mean more games being able to pull off 4K and frame rates over 60fps.
Like it or not, AI upscaling is key
In a perfect world, the PS5 Pro would be able to pull off 4K 60fps without breaking a sweat. The main issue here is that more and more developers are now throwing fancy graphical features like ray tracing into the mix, which in turn, places a heavier burden on GPU performance. That might have you thinking you’ll need to wait for the PS6, but Sony has decided instead to follow in the footsteps of the PC scene and dive head-first into AI upscaling.
Dubbed PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, the PS5 Pro is kitted out with custom hardware that can use AI to upscale lower resolutions before they reach your gaming TV or monitor. If reviewing Nvidia and AMD graphics cards has taught me anything, it’s that upscaling can feel like performance magic if done correctly, and PSSR will be there to lend a helping hand when the Pro’s new GPU wants to pull off 4K60 with no settings compromise.
The key phrase above is that upscaling can feel like magic. In reality, dynamic upscaling is more of a slight hand trick, designed to use lower-resolution textures without you noticing. I’ve spent a lot of time with both DLSS and AMD FSR, and while I can never really tell when they’re switched on at a glance, artifacts can occasionally give the game away. Therefore, I’d expect a similar situation with PSSR, so don’t get your hopes up for a performance miracle.
It’s worth noting that PSSR might not be a performance silver bullet right now, as it’ll practically be in its infancy with the PS5 Pro. What will likely happen instead is we’ll see the tool expand its potential throughout the rest of this generation, with updates providing better results as time goes on. That could also mean that by the time the PS6 is ready to take to the stage, the feature will be widely adopted by developers and primed to help the console pull off 8K 60fps.
Fresh refresh rates could be on the menu
Bear with me as I’m about to play Devil’s Advocate with performance mode. Yes, I’d love to see the concept return to its home planet. However, I do think it could be valuable when it comes to reaching higher refresh rates, and I’m sure many Overwatch 2 players out there would happily still use 1440p if it meant reaching 144Hz. Plenty of new TVs are now kitted out with native support, like the Hisense U7N and the premium LG OLED G4, and it’d be a shame if the PS5 Pro neglected to take full advantage of those specs.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the PS5 Pro refresh rate situation, and I’m sure we’ll hear more about that side of things once the dust settles. For now, I’ll be happy if the choice between performance and fidelity mode creeps back into the dark. With any luck, it’ll hopefully also stay there thanks to PSSR, in turn protecting future me from having to make decisions when using the PS6.
I can barely decide what I want for dinner most nights, so I’ll be glad to see the back of performance mode.
Looking for side by side comparison? Check out PS5 Pro Vs PS5 specs for a full rundown. Alternatively, swing by the best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X if you need a new screen.
