Xbox Series X Vs. PS5 Pro: What Are We Missing Out On?

There's going to be a new undisputed winner in the "most powerful console" category when the PS5 Pro releases this November, as Microsoft seems perfectly content to stick with the Xbox Series X as its flagship console this generation.

We've already talked about how we think that's absolutely fine, but what are we going to be missing out on compared to the "Pro" console? Well, there are three key features that Sony is pushing with the PS5 Pro, along with a few smaller additions that make for interesting reading from an Xbox perspective as well.

Let's look at those three big features first - here's how Sony describes them:

  • Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
  • Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
  • AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

The idea behind all of these features is to achieve "higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60FPS". A selection of games will be getting patches to achieve this, meaning they'll almost certainly play best on PS5 Pro.

That said, the list isn't very big at all right now, and a lot of the titles are actually first-party games - some notable exceptions include Alan Wake 2, Hogwarts Legacy and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Sony has yet to provide specific details about how these games will run on the PS5 Pro, but clearly the target is 60FPS with high quality visuals.

Beyond this, there's an interesting new feature called PS5 Pro Game Boost that apparently "may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games" on the console. It's said that this can apply to more than 8,500 backward compatible PS4 games, so it'll be interesting to see how that affects some Xbox One-era titles.

At first glance though, PS5 Pro Game Boost definitely sounds an awful lot like FPS Boost on Xbox Series X and S.

"Other enhancements include PS5 Pro Game Boost, which can apply to more than 8,500 backward compatible PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro. This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games."

There are a few other things as well such as the potential for 8K gaming, although again it remains to be seen how many titles will actually take advantage of this - Gran Turismo 7 supposedly might be one of them. Wi-Fi 7 is included in the PS5 Pro as standard too, with the Xbox Series X still only supporting the old Wi-Fi 5 technology. There's even 2TB of internal storage, which Microsoft is only offering with the new Galaxy Black Series X.

It's still early days for the PS5 Pro and we don't really know how it'll stack up with the Xbox Series X until people get hands on with it, but for now, we don't think it sounds like that much of an advantage over what Microsoft and Sony already have on the market, especially considering it's launching at an eye-watering price of $699.99.

In any case, it'll be interesting to see the Series X comparisons when the PS5 Pro releases this November!

Do you think we're missing out on a lot from an Xbox perspective? Tell us in the comments.