UPDATE: Oct. 11, 2024, 10:05 a.m. EDT—We’ve updated this story with the latest availability details.
The PlayStation 5 Pro is back on the market. If you didn’t start saving up yesterday, you might want to get on that now.
The price tag on this beefed-up console is $699.99, and as of 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 10, preorders are live across major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart. This marks the second preorder campaign for the PS5 Pro, following its initial release, which sold out in no time on PlayStation Direct two weeks ago. You can grab one again there if you have a PlayStation Network account. Be aware: most retailers are keeping a lid on orders to just one console, but Target is being a bit more generous, allowing two per customer.
The PS5 Pro is set to ship in four weeks’ time on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Earlier, Sony delighted fans with two limited-edition bundles celebrating the PlayStation’s 30th anniversary in tandem with the PS5 Pro, but unfortunately, those have become a rare find.
One of the bundles was a $999.99 PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Limited Edition, featuring that iconic ’90s gray vibe of the original PlayStation. It included matching DualSense and DualSense Edge controllers, a charging dock, a disc drive cover (you’d have to buy it separately), a vertical stand, and some neat collectibles. Only 12,300 units were crafted, each individually numbered, and according to IGN, they disappeared “in seconds” when Sony opened up preorders on Sept. 26. Now, they’re creeping up eBay listings for thousands of dollars, prey to scalpers.
The other bundle was a $499.99 PS5 Slim Digital Edition 30th Anniversary Limited Edition, which felt a bit lighter without the DualSense Edge and the charging station. After dropping on PS Direct in late September, it finally hit retailers on Oct. 10 but flew off the shelves rapidly both times. Much like its pricier sibling, it too is popping up on eBay with jaw-dropping markups.
Now let’s get technical: Sony officially pulled back the curtain on the PS5 Pro on Sept. 10 with a concise nine-minute “Technical Presentation” by PS5 Lead Architect Mark Cerny on the PlayStation YouTube channel. This reveal came after months of rumors and even a conspicuous leak.
The PS5 Pro, boasting a beefier GPU, enhanced ray tracing, and specialized hardware for AI-powered upscaling, is dubbed by Cerny as “the most powerful console we’ve ever built.” It steps it up with support for WiFi 7, 8K gaming, and a souped-up version of the PS5’s Game Boost feature that enhances the performance of more than 8,500 backward-compatible PS4 titles. With 2TB of storage, it offers twice the space of the original PS5, which is nearing its four-year mark.
However, there’s a catch. The PS5 Pro doesn’t come with a disc drive—you need to snag that separately for $79.99. IGN says they’ve been selling out fast across the board. If you want a matching vertical stand for the console, it’ll set you back another $29.99.
For those on the fence about the premium pricing of the PS5 Pro and its extras, think about snagging a used system for less. Certified refurbished PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition consoles are now available on PlayStation Direct for $399.99 and $349.99, which is a cool $100 off their new counterparts.
The PS5 Pro stands as the fifth in Sony’s lineup of their flagship console (not factoring in bundles), following a turbulent launch that was mired in pandemic-induced supply bottlenecks. Joining it are the standard PS5, the PS5 Digital Edition, the PS5 Slim, and the PS5 Slim Digital Edition.
