Digital Foundry First Hands-On: PlayStation 5 Pro Deep Dive

Overview of PS5 Pro First Hands-On

This episode features an in-depth conversation following an exclusive, hands-on press event for the PlayStation 5 Pro. Oliver McKenzie discusses his experience testing 11 different titles on retail units and dev kits, providing key insights into how the new hardware leverages PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) and increased GPU power.

Performance and Visual Enhancements

Racing Titles: F1 24 and Gran Turismo 7

• F1 24: Impressed with a 4K60 quality mode that incorporates multiple ray-traced effects, including RTAO and RT Transparency, significantly enhancing lighting realism.
• Gran Turismo 7: Demonstrated a dedicated ray tracing mode that brings superior, perspective-correct reflections, alongside an 8K mode using PSSR for high-resolution output.

Open World and Action Highlights

• Horizon Forbidden West: Showcased a new, highly stable reconstruction method. Guerrilla Games' focus on maintaining 60 FPS while boosting lighting and volumetric quality resulted in a massive improvement over the base console.
• Hogwarts Legacy: Leveraged the Pro’s extra power for enhanced ray-traced shadows and reflections that were previously unavailable or compromised on the base model.
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart & Spider-Man 2: Both titles emphasize 60 FPS performance, with developers removing sharpening passes as PSSR matures, resulting in sharper, more stable imagery.
• The Last of Us Part II: Provides a peak look at PSSR capabilities, offering high-detail, 4K-like reconstruction, though it occasionally reveals potential pitfalls in image stability.

The Future of PSSR and Hardware Impact

"The addition of PSSR in particular, I think it gives you a lot more to play with potentially on the PS5 Pro and gives you a more significant upgrade than you would expect from the raw specs alone."

The discussion highlights that while the PSSR model is still evolving, early results are very promising, often rivaling second-generation DLSS in its ability to resolve detail and particle effects. The consensus is that the Pro is a significant upgrade for enthusiasts who prioritize performance and visual clarity at 60 FPS.