PS5 Pro design and Sony’s launch timeline for the console have leaked
The ‘Pro’ version of the PlayStation 5 has leaked. The PS5 Pro has been an open secret in the gaming industry for a while now, with Sony expected to announce the console before the end of the year. Previous reports and rumors had detailed what hardware upgrades the new console would likely feature over the PS5. Now, the design of the PS5 Pro, along with Sony’s plans for its reveal, have leaked.
‘PS5 Pro’ reportedly becoming console’s official name
The information comes from reliable leaker billbil-kun, who has a history of providing accurate information about unannounced games and console hardware. In a Dealabs report In a post published on Thursday, he shared information about the upcoming console’s likely official name, design details and release date.
According to billbil-kun, Sony’s upgraded PS5 will be called the “PS5 Pro” — no surprises there. The PlayStation parent followed a similar naming convention for the previous-generation console when it launched the PS4 Pro in September 2016, three years after the PS4 launched.
PS5 Pro design details
The leaker also shared a sketch of the alleged PS5 Pro, reportedly based on an image of the front of the new console’s final packaging box. The report claimed that the image could not be shared due to copyright reasons, but the illustration showed a console design similar to the PS5 Slim revealed last year. The PS5 Pro’s front bezels appear to have three horizontal black stripes, and the front of the console will come with two USB Type-C ports and the power button – the same as the PS5. The upcoming console will reportedly retain the PlayStation 5’s signature white color scheme. It also appears to be thicker than the PS5 Slim.
Curiously, the PS5 Pro sketch lacks a disc drive, and it’s possible that the illustration is based on the digital version of the console. The leaker was unable to confirm the existence of a disc drive version of the PS5 Pro, but did suggest that it would be possible to attach an external disc drive to the console, much like the PS5 Slim. The report claimed that releasing the PS5 Pro without a disc drive could be a “commercial choice” for Sony to sell the new console at a competitive price. The report also suggested that the PS5 Pro would come with the same DualSense controller that comes in the box with the PS5.
PS5 Pro illustration reportedly based on an image of the console’s packaging box
Photo credit: Dealabs
PS5 Pro launch timeline
Finally, the leaker shed some light on Sony’s plans for the console’s announcement. Earlier this week, rumors surfaced that Sony is preparing to hold a State of Play presentation in late September, with Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb suggesting that the company could unveil the PS5 Pro during the showcase. According to billbil-kun, the PlayStation 5 Pro will be announced “very soon” — as early as the first half of September 2024.
While some details about the PS5 Pro have surfaced over the past year, Sony has yet to confirm the console’s existence. PS5 sales have been slowing, and an improved update will likely give the console a boost in the second half of its lifecycle. In its recent earnings report for the March-June quarter, Sony sold 2.4 million PS5 units, well below the three million that analysts had expected.
