I have the $100 credit back for Sony on my Amex card and I’m ready to upgrade to a PS5. BUT I’m not really in a rush, I’ve just got the opportunity to put my birthday money towards one.
I’m after the disk edition with no extra controllers or games. I’ve got Sony to price match Costco at $779 and when I get the Amex credit too, it’ll bring it down to $679.
Is that the best price I’m going to get or should I wait? If wait, how long does everyone think and why?
Ta!
There's also rumours of a revised PS5 design model this year and a Pro for end of next year.
There's a redesigned PS5 model coming later this year that supposedly won't ship with a disc drive — that'll be an optional accessory that has to be purchased separately. This streamlines things and eliminates having the two separate Digital and Disc-drive PS5 models. But a PS5 Pro is extremely unlikely, Sony are more likely to simply just move straight to the PS6 instead.
PS5 Pro is coming. Tom has decent reliable sources. He leaked the 8th March v7.00 Discord update back in August 2022 and was correct to the day.
He's also the one that originally leaked the rumoured revised detachable disc PS5 coming this year.
https://insider-gaming.com/ps5-pro-in-development/
This would be 4 years in so half-way through the PS5 cycle based on expected 2027/2028 PS6 release which makes sense.
We don't know what features it would have beyond more horsepower but expecting 8K unlock, 14-bit contrast mapping, real depth enhancer, higher framerates across the board (so many games already struggle to maintain 4K60), significantly improved AI (UE5 is heavy CPU demand), better Ray-Tracing with more cores, greater HDR, FidelityFX improvements for upscaling tech (needs hardware), a spec boost for VR2 and couple added gimmicks too. Plus whatever else they're cooking.
Think Christmas 2024's market, not March 2023 situation today.
Thanks both. I think you've answered my question for me…
@Vertigo6: I really doubt the PS5 Pro rumours.
The PS5 is still "overpowered" by console standards.
The more obvious solution is that Sony will cancel the current models, and introduce a "Slim" model probably in Q4 2024. For those willing to pay more for Disc Edition, they will have the option to buy a clunky external drive. It's a strategy for Sony to push more people into subscription model and to transition to Digital-Only purchases. It greatly increases their profit margin, doing so.
The PS5 is still "overpowered" by console standards.
It's not though. It has a 2019-spec GPU equiv. It's already struggling with current 4K60 titles (albeit half the issue is software optimisation too), the very few 120 titles struggle with drastic resolution drops and it's missing lots of hardware features like RT and AI cores as mentioned above. PS VR2 could also really use the performance boost.
It won't cut it in 2025, so a Pro makes sense to me especially with AMD's evolution of upcoming RDNA4 this year. Makes it prime to integrate a year later. We'll see I suppose.
@Hybroid: Nope, hard disagree.
Just look at the historical evidence! Start comparing the performance of the console to a gaming laptop.
The Gaming Laptop is going to be anywhere x2-x8 the console price, but that's a good thing. We want to know, when money-is-no-object, what the maximum performance is going to be, in a similar thermal-constrained package.
Will the gaming laptops be 1% faster, or 10% faster, 100% faster, or 1000% faster… and how does it fluctuate with the times.
So the contention is a 2023 Gaming Laptop vs the PS5. So make the comparison, which would be i9-13980hx with RTX-4080m. The game to make the comparison between the two is Elden Ring, because it is visually the best title released in that year which happens to support both hardware systems.
Whilst a 2020 PS5 to a 2020 Gaming Laptop would be along the lines of i7-10750h with RTX 2080Q. The comparator game is Black Ops Cold War.
Now do the same thing for the previous models:
(2016) PS4 Pro vs i7-6700hq, GTX-1080
Game: Deus Ex Mankind Divided
(2014) PS4 vs i7-4710mq, GTX-980m
Game: GTA V
(2006) PS3 vs C2D T2600, GeForce 7900
Game: Elder Scrolls v4 Oblivion
(2000) PS2 vs P3-750, ATi M1
Game: Max Payne
(1995) PS1 vs P1-120, Cyber 9320
Game: Descent 3D
@Kangal: Not a clue what on earth are you talking about. The PS5's GPU is on par with an RTX 2060 S, and just less powerful than an RTX 2070 or 5700XT, both of which it can keep up with on some games.
Trades blows in spec breakdown e.g. higher core speed but fewer RT cores etc. This is largely because it's based on RDNA2 architecture which is the first generation of many added technologies.
@Hybroid: Sounds like you're taking this discussion in bad faith. If you know, that a PS5's GPU prowess is equivalent to an RTX 2060-S, that means you have a higher level of understanding than the layman. Hence, the rest of what I wrote should be trivial to understand.
We need to compare Home Consoles, not against Desktop PCs, but against Laptop PCs.
I gave you a list of dates, the consoles, and a Gaming Laptops from those years which had those specifications. And to make it even easier, I even listed you games you can make DIRECT comparisons between them.
I basically spoofed you all the critical data. Go back, re-read it, and see what conclusions you can make. I don't want to contaminate your thinking with the conclusions that I've drawn. Those conclusions were made after gathering the info that I've listed above.
We need to compare Home Consoles, not against Desktop PCs, but against Laptop PCs.
Fundamentally no. It’s a GPU spec comparison across equivalent architectures. The rest isn’t relevant.
@Hybroid: If you think thermally constraining the processor has Zero Effect on performance… I don't know what to tell you. If that were the case, we would be using x86 on our phones.
The reality is, that consoles CAN have modern components but they won't function like their Desktop PC counterparts. They are limited in terms (Watts) pulled, heat generated, and cooling system… all affected due to hardware decisions made due to sticking within a lower budget. The same laws of physics that affects Home Consoles applies to Gaming Laptops, with similar their management of power and heat.
Again, we're not interested in price here. Just the performance output. Between what we observe from the console, and what we can observe from the Laptop. The Laptop gives us a benchmark, of what's practically achievable, ie Maximum. The console then hits a subset of that performance.
Hypothetical Example; Gaming Laptop is 100% vs 66% score of PS1. Then PS2 scored 50% vs 100%. Whilst the next round sees 100% vs 34% of PS3 score. We can thus draw comparisons, and even see a trend (Laptops have outpaced consoles).
Now, I've done the difficult job of finding the correct, ideal, and accurate information for the Year, Console, Game Title, and Gaming Laptop's Specifications. You can see the comparisons and make the judgement for yourself. Historical data.
Ultimately this is to answer the question: how little/much was the PS5 overpowered?
@Kangal: You’ve managed to convince yourself on something that is fundamentally incorrect.
The PS5 can pull 350W. No laptop can do that.
RTX 2070 pulls 175W up to peak 215W depending on variant. No laptop can do that.
Comparing to mobile chipsets is incorrect as are your statements on limitation constraints worse than laptops.
You would certainly like to think a flagship 4080 Laptop released in 2023 can match a 2019 spec GPU. Nothing special there.
@Hybroid: Ditto that.
The PS5 is certified to 340W operation (at maximum). Typical usage is much lower between 150-200W. It's even lower when playing PS4 games or Netflixing.
Gaming Laptops report wrong figures from the likes of Intel and Nvidia (AMD also bad) when it comes to "TDP". If you think your Gaming Laptop only uses 60W you're mistaken, it's closer to 100W when unplugged. That's why their battery life is horrid. But when plugged in, they Turbo and the power usage is around 300W which notably exceeds the PS5 power consumption. The benchmark results and Gaming results you find on the internet is with the unit PLUGGED IN. See Hardware Unboxed for instance. Otherwise they explicitly state it's unplugged, or provide two different readings. In that demographic, most users "game" when plugged in, they don't actually use the laptop on their lap or without a cord. On top of this, the Gaming Laptops are even more efficient hardware than a console, so they push even more performance through the door than you expect.
If you ask seasoned techies, is a Home Console closer in performance to Gaming Laptops or Desktop PCs… what response do you really think they're going to give you?
I'm being genuine, as that's what I know. If you wanted I can make the same comparison above with Desktop PC/part instead, but you'd have to acknowledge the difference in thermal restrictions.
Thank you for the added info, it's certainly intriguing. A PS5 Pro would make PS VR2 significantly better (widespread 90fps and even 120fps would be awesome), and more games being able to run at a proper 4K/60fps would be very welcome as well.
Wait for some games worth playing?
Unless you want to play the rebadged remake of a remaster that Sony is scalping you for
Get it now. If you have "birthday money" then you're still young and PlayStations are best enjoyed while you're still young.
Wait for what?
The price to plummet now that the supply of PS5s are good and the Slim is on its way at the end of the year. I guess I'm wondering whether the slim will mean run outs of the current model, but if it's likely to be digital only with a separate, optional drive… maybe not…
When have consoles really plummeted in price, might as well get it and start enjoying it instead of waiting for a possibility of a discount in two years time..
If you wait you might save what? maybe $50-$100 if youre lucky. May as well just buy it now for $679 and enjoy it while you can
If you've got the cash, just buy it.
Here's a thought experiment … at what price would you be prepared to rent the PS5? Would you pay $2 per week? Would you pay $4 per week? At what price would you prefer to buy the PS5?
Buying the PS5 for $679 now is equivalent to renting it for $2 a week for a year and then buying it at $579 in a year's time. At $4 per week, it's equivalent to renting for a year and then buying for $479.
Thanks everyone. Good advice. I’m pulling the trigger!
I can hold your hand while pulling the trigger for $100 :)
Bahahaha
Yeah, you'll be waiting long time for prices to "plummet" since the system is selling really well
No one has a crystal ball to be able to tell you really. You either want it now or you can wait.
You might also want to see what EBGames will give you if you have a PS4. Launch deal was about 40% off a PS5 if you traded in a PS4 Pro at the time.
There's also rumours of a revised PS5 design model this year and a Pro for end of next year. Both unconfirmed although the source is pretty reliable.