How to pre-order the PS5 Pro: Release date and is it worth buying?
By Saqib Shah and Andrew Williams,
24 days ago
Sony ’s souped-up PS5 Pro consoles are now officially out of stock, after eager buyers snapped up both the standard and limited edition models.
The gaming giant opened pre-orders on its PlayStation Direct store on Thursday morning at 10am, initially introducing a queue system to manage the surge in traffic.
Earlier today, would-be buyers experienced wait times of over two hours, but the queues began clearing by midday.
If you didn’t manage to grab a PS5 Pro today, don’t fret too much as you’ll get a second chance to snag it in October.
Here’s what you need to know about pre-ordering a PS5 Pro.
Is the PS5 Pro still available to pre-order?
As of now, you can no longer order a PS5 Pro (priced at £699.99) directly from PlayStation as the consoles have all sold out.
Sony was only offering one console per customer due to high demand, but the fact that stock remained available until hours after launch may have raised some eyebrows. Could the steep price tag have turned some gamers off?
When does the second round of PS5 Pro pre-orders start?
Missed out on the first batch of pre-orders? You don’t have long to wait until the PS5 Pro goes on sale again.
As part of the console’s staggered launch, Sony says participating retailers will begin pre-orders on October 10.
This is when it will be offered through the likes of Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Game, and other stores.
We’re also expecting more preorders for some of the 30th anniversary range on this date including the £69.99 DualSense, and the £449.99 PS5 Digital Slim bundle on October 10.
So, mark your calendars, set your reminders, and get your wallets ready.
When is the PS5 Pro release date?
The PS5 Pro will then be available in physical stores and in more places online on November 7.
Is the PS5 Pro 30th anniversary bundle still available?
Alas, the PS5 Pro 30th anniversary console bundle was swiftly snapped up by shoppers, reflecting its high demand and limited availability.
Only 12,300 units of the special edition PS5 Pro were released, paying homage to the iconic grey design of the original PS1. The bundle included vintage-style DualSense and DualSense Edge controllers, along with a variety of other exclusive extras.
Sony was charging an eye-watering £959.99 for the lot, around £260 more than the already pricey PS5 Pro. Despite the high cost, some scalpers are already flipping the bundle on eBay for up to £10,000, taking advantage of its scarcity.
Most of the other PlayStation 30th anniversary collection products have also sold out, barring the £209.99 PlayStation Portal handheld.
What is the PS5 Pro?
So, what’s all the hype about anyway? The PS5 Pro packs a beefed-up GPU, with 45 per cent greater graphics performance, which will seriously boost visuals — lighting effects in particular — in games.
Demanding titles should run more smoothly, potentially reaching 60 fps or even 120 fps more consistently, and hitting that golden 4K resolution more often.
This extra power will also be used to deliver improved ray tracing, which is a fancy technical term for the recreation of lighting and reflections in games. It will also benefit virtual reality games on PS VR 2 in much the same way, and enhance the quality of thousands of older PS4 games using AI .
For hardcore gamers who are sticklers for visuals, the extra grunt work will eliminate the need to choose between performance and fidelity modes (or higher graphics versus higher frame rates) in games.
Notably, the Pro can only play digital games out of the box, but a disc drive can be bought and attached separately, similar to the PS5 Slim.
Its YouTube video lets you check these out first-hand.
The upgrades vary by game, and how much you’ll notice them depends on how far you sit from your TV, and how well-schooled your eyes are on game graphics.
F1 24 brings one of the most interesting upgrades. Its graphics aren’t just a bit sharper or more detailed. The way the lighting is modelled makes the cars sit more realistically in the environment. While you may not be able to put your finger on exactly why, it makes the game appear that bit more like a video replay of an actual race.
When did PS5 pre-orders start?
PS5 Pro pre-orders kicked off on Thursday, September 26 around the world, and at 10am in the UK via the PlayStation Direct online store.
How to secure a PS5 Pro pre-order
Seeing as Brits only have one way to pre-order the PS5 Pro initially, they may be at a disadvantage versus regions where multiple retailers will stock the console (like in Australia).
Still, there are ways you can improve your chances of nabbing one. Firstly, make sure to create a PlayStation Network account in advance if you don’t already have one. You’ll need this to check out on PlayStation Direct.
It also won’t hurt to sign into the store beforehand, and enter your payment and shipping info. The goal is to save time on pre-order day and get the edge over those other ruthless buyers, scalpers and bots.
Maybe, even keep an extra device handy in case the website cripples under high traffic. If you’re buying on a phone, keep a tablet or laptop close by and vice versa. And, if at first you don’t succeed, keep spamming that refresh button, especially if the site freezes up.
While you’re here, you may also want to consider buying the PS5 Disc Drive for an extra £100 if you want to play physical games on the console. There’s no rush as the console won’t be delivered until on or after its release date – and you can also get the add-on in plenty of other stores.
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