Do We Actually Need PS5 Pro/ 'Xbox Series Next' Enhanced Consoles This Generation?

Rumours have started to emerge that PlayStation 5 Pro and a new Xbox Series console are in development - but do we actually need more powerful consoles in the 2023/2024 time-frame? Can Sony and Microsoft actually deliver Pro hardware in that time-frame? And more to the point, with Series S and especially Nintendo Switch selling so well, does the mainstream gamer even need more power? Rich discusses.

[KarlRock]

I hope they focus on games for this current gen which I feel hasn’t even begun because most can’t even get a console. After 5 years, Switch is the only console that needs a Pro model.

[MitchWebb]

Slim is probably the more likely route than Pro. I feel like we haven't properly started yet

[CasualGamers]

No need, this time around AMD is not in a terrible place with incredibly outdated tech compared to the competition. We don't have a Jaguar CPU nor GCN GPU which can barely do 30fps. The focus now needs to shift to the games, AAAs have been disappointment after disappointment.

[seeranos]

For this generation of consoles, a slim model really is the more attractive option

[frozenninja]

I would be pretty disappointed to see a Pro version of current gen consoles. As the man said, we haven't really even seen what the current version can do. Plus it was hard enough to find the Series X and PS5. I can't imagine trying to dig up a PS5 Pro.

[TecraX]

I think that this generation will last longer than the previous one. Even at launch, both the PS4 and XBONE felt a bit underpowered.

[agentspencer]

Excellent points and perfectly explained! Hope they don't bring in any new revisions this time round and follow the traditional approach. It's high time game engines start optimization rather than aiming for 3080-esque hardware requirement.

[AndyGilleand]

What we are currently seeing as cross gen always existed for the first couple years. The only difference with previous generations is those games required porting to new architecture, so it wasn't as worth it to keep supporting the old console as often, but the persistence of last gen graphics for the first 2 years was still common regardless.

Current gen however uses the same architecture, so no porting necessary, which means no performance downgrade for last gen level graphics, and no difficulty in continuing support for last gen.

The first 2 years has always been the point where the majority of development time was spent on last gen tools, and ported over later in development. After 2 years, that's when you start seeing games where the majority of development time was spent on current gen tools, so that is specifically when you start seeing major graphical upgrades, and when previous generations stop being supported.

It's always been year 3 when you see those "last gen" looking games start to go away. The only reason there's more support for cross gen this time is because they don't need to port to another architecture. Everything else about the development cycle in terms of new consoles is exactly the same.

[fffan]

First, people who want to purchase current models should be able to do it and we need actual next/current gen games and not just cross generation games. Then we can start talking about whether we need enhanced consoles or not.

[TheAlienGangster]

Inflation, supply shortages, and the plateauing of performance to cost ratios would mean they’d have to be like $700 consoles, which would be even worse since you bet they’d be scalped.

[Good_Horsey]

A mobile phone business model of upselling consumers every couple of years within the same console generation has always been a terrible idea to me. Just makes life harder on the developers to craft games that either have to baseline their games' peak performance to whatever the older model can do, or more commonly, favor the newer tech and let the first customers get screwed with slower running games.

Also seems to me using that model dilutes the excitement of a new generation console release by seeing the advancement in visuals at a slow drip pace, this last generation of consoles only got to squeeze some of that excitement in because of SSDs.

[DogCheese]

The new generation already feels like a “Pro”- Pro version of last gen. They basically feel like the exact same consoles just more powerful rather than the dramatic leap of the 6th to 7th gen.

[GregLopesArt]

Instead of more powerful consoles, it would be really interesting to have new games (both AAA and Indie) that make good use of technologies like the brand new UE5 (especially stuff that we only had partially before, like fully destructive environments). The impression I have is there`s a lack of titles for all consoles this generation, but especially truly impressive ones.

[thegrim-srxo]

Last generation, 4k TVs became affordable to the masses barely halfway into the cycle, while also offering meaningful benefits over 1080p displays. So it made sense to do a 4k-capable hardware revamp.

Different situation with 8k. No tangible benefits over 4k unless you have an insanely large screen, and I don't expect 8k TVs to suddenly become super affordable either.

[AwesomeTatum]

Great video. I think the biggest point covered here was that the emergence of 4k becoming mass market really drove the last gen mid console refreshes. Right now because of supply issues and low interest in anything 8k there's not really a viable market.

[WaCrex]

If they release a PS5 Pro within the next few years then I'll probably quit purchasing consoles from Sony completely. What we need right now is NOT yet an another console but more time for the developers to familiarize themselves with the hardware that is currently available, it takes time for developers to get familiar with the hardware and learn how to efficiently tap into the performance what is available as well as coding shortcuts. Currently they have not yet started to tap into it. Give them a few years and we will start to see a huge change in visuals & performance.

Edit: The current PS5 hardware is vastly better than the previous generations, so much so that it can't even be compared. You can't just compare TFlops.. it simply does NOT work that way, nor can you compare RAM or VRAM. The old generations needed to have the game assets loaded WAY before the game actually need them (which requires lot's of RAM & VRAM, leaving VERY little room for better graphics and larger maps), the PS5 can stream the game assets from the SSD directly WHEN it needs it.. this means that it doesn't need to have it stored in the RAM & VRAM, which means that the game developers can go crazy with visuals, map sizes and so on.

[colinhawkins]

I’m glad you guys did a video on this, all the rumors around a upgrade soon were ridiculous

[dadlife]

The idea of a refresh at this point is completely absurd! They are still making most games cross generation.

[martinliddle]

Great stuff!!! Also this gen of consoles doesn't have a weak point, like the pre-gen consoles cpu's and physical storage, time caught up with that part of the architecture fairly quick..

[rzarectz]

I think one thing that has maybe been ignored is that many people, as is also seen in the PC space, are willing to spend alot more money than previously thought on new hardware. In 2006 a 6-700$ console was an outrage. Now I think tens of millions of gamers would gladly shell it out for a 4k 120 hz 25 t flop no compromise console.