Dev Kits Unleashed: PS5 Pro Specs Revealed Soon?

Recent reports indicate that the PlayStation 5 Pro has entered its final stages of development, internally code-named “Trinity.” It’s speculated to feature a System on a Chip (SoC) codenamed “Viola,” possibly manufactured using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) N4P process. Rumors suggest that Sony initiated the PlayStation 5 Pro project in early 2022, with the corresponding development kits expected to be distributed to various PlayStation studios by November this year.

Insiders in the industry have recently hinted that specific hardware specifications for the PlayStation 5 Pro might be unveiled this month. This anticipation stems from Sony’s plans to start distributing PlayStation 5 Pro development kits to third-party studios within the month, presenting a unique opportunity to gain early insights.

Since the official launch of the PlayStation 5, three years have elapsed, and the fourth year is often considered the midpoint in the lifecycle of a gaming console. Typically, console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft opt to update their product lines to bolster player engagement and boost hardware sales. The more powerful “Pro” versions represent mid-generation upgrades, aiming to significantly enhance graphical processing capabilities.

The rumored PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to retain the current Zen 2 architecture for its CPU, with an increased frequency of 4.4 GHz. The GPU will receive an upgrade, built on the RDNA 3 architecture while incorporating some advanced ray-tracing features from the RDNA 4 architecture. It’s equipped with 30 Workgroup Processors (WGP), equating to 60 Compute Units (CU), or 3840 stream processors, with a frequency of around 2 GHz. It also includes 18Gbps GDDR6 memory, offering a bandwidth of 576 GB/s. There are also claims that the new SoC might incorporate an NPU based on the XDNA2 architecture, enhancing AI performance.

By contrast, the current PlayStation 5’s CPU operates at a frequency of 3.5 GHz, with a GPU of 18 WGP/36 CU and 14Gbps GDDR6 memory. The PlayStation 5 Pro’s rasterization performance is expected to improve by 50% to 60%, and its ray-tracing capabilities could more than double.

The PlayStation 5 Pro is anticipated to be released in September 2024, with a market launch in November.