PlayStation Still Isn't Giving Me The PS5 Console I Want

There's no denying that the PlayStation 5Prorepresents a significant technological leap over the original PS5, but it's not the new iteration that I'd actually like to see. Revealed in a technical presentation by Sony, the PS5 Pro promises better performance, resolution, and upscaling technology. With a price tag that starts at $700 for the discless version, it's an upgrade that I can't personally justify, and early reactions to the reveal show that I'm definitely not alone in wanting to hold off.

The whole concept of major mid-generation upgrades is a relatively recent one, with the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X having shaken up the standard cycle in 2016 and 2017 respectively. I also didn't opt for either of those, instead taking the opportunity to pick up a PS4 Slim once it dropped to $200 on sale after the release of the Pro. The Slim definitely showed its limits with some games, but with my PC as an alternate option, there weren't too many times that I felt I had to settle for a subpar experience.

Any doubts that I might have had about the value of a PS4 Pro have only been magnified with the PS5 Pro, but that doesn't mean I would rather see Sony refrain from developing any mid-generation hardware. Instead of focusing on pushing graphics forward, I'd like to see a solid PS5 experience packed into a handheld form factor. While a PS5 Pro might offer a better experience for PS5 owners, it doesn't offer a radically different one, and that's something that a handheld system could manage.

The long-rumored PS5 Pro has been revealed for release later this year. Here’s everything to know about when it comes out, its price, and specs.

Despite enjoying success in the handheld market with the PSP, Sony pulled out of that competition after the relative failure of the PS Vita, but that shouldn't be the permanent death knell of PlayStation handhelds. The Vita was an elegant PSP successor in some regards, but poor decisions hamstrung its legitimate chance at finding a wide audience.