Internet Reacts to PS5 Pro’s $700 Price with Shock; Analyst Highlights 40-50% Premium Over Slim PS5
Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro reveal, led by PS5 architect Mark Cerny, introduced several technical upgrades, including AI upscaling and higher frame rates in quality mode. However, the most discussed aspect was its $700 price tag, which sparked significant backlash online.
Many fans expressed dismay at the PS5 Pro’s pricing, especially since it lacks a disc drive and even the vertical stand is sold separately. Factoring in the cost of these add-ons, the PS5 Pro can exceed $800. One top comment on Reddit summed up the sentiment: "$700 for no disc drive is crazy... $700 for physical may have been acceptable, but digital only for that price is absurd."
Reactions on X/Twitter echoed similar frustrations, drawing comparisons to the infamous $600 launch price of the PlayStation 3 in the mid-2000s. A poll on IGN’s X/Twitter found that over 80% of respondents did not plan to purchase the new console.
The pricing shock extended beyond the U.S., with European and Japanese gamers highlighting the steep local costs — €800 in Europe (about $880) and around 125,000 yen in Japan. Comments like “I bought my kid a PS4 Pro as a birthday present… there’s no way I could get him a PS5 Pro,” captured the global sentiment.
Industry analysts also weighed in, with Piers Harding-Rolls noting that the PS5 Pro’s price reflects a 40-50% premium over the slim PS5 model. Mat Piscatella on Bluesky questioned what this might mean for future PlayStation models, speculating that a PS6 launch might exclude physical media drives entirely.
Fans also criticized the state of the current generation, pointing out that many PS5 Pro Enhanced games are still playable on PS4 and PS4 Pro. "It’s pretty sad... when like 90% of the games they showed are playable on last gen," one fan remarked.
Sony’s decision to set the PS5 Pro’s price so high aligns with broader price hikes across its products, including a recent increase in the price of DualSense controllers. Analyst Daniel Ahmad explained in an IGN interview that ongoing supply chain issues, rising production costs, and the need to maintain profit margins have kept console prices elevated. He noted that early losses on digital models like the PS5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S have forced manufacturers to prioritize profitability, especially for disc-drive models.
Sony is banking on the PS5 Pro’s performance upgrades to justify the price, with claims of 67% more Compute Units and 28% faster memory than the PS5, offering a 45% boost in rendering speed. Despite these improvements, some fans remain unconvinced, struggling to see a significant leap in graphics quality.
One Resetera user summarized the skepticism, noting that launching a $700 disc-less console this late in the generation is a risky move. They added that removing the built-in disc drive and making it an optional peripheral could alienate many PS5 owners who prefer physical media.