PS5 Pro Delivers 30% More Performance with Minimal Power Increase

In a recent test by Digital Foundry, the power consumption of the PlayStation 5 Pro revealed some unexpected findings. The YouTube discussion, featuring experts Richard Leadbetter, John Linneman, and Oliver Mackenzie, highlighted that despite the PS5 Pro’s significant GPU upgrade, its power consumption is nearly identical to the standard PS5.

Digital Foundry put the systems to the test using games like Elden Ring, Spider-Man 2, and F1 24. They compared the original PS5, the PS5 Slim, and the PS5 Pro, with the Pro running enhanced versions of these games that are exclusive to its model, showcasing its advanced graphical capabilities.

In Elden Ring, the PS5 Pro’s power draw was nearly the same as the PS5 Slim, clocking in at 214.1 watts compared to the Slim’s 216.2 watts. The original PS5 model drew 201.3 watts. Though the frame rates on the Pro were notably higher at 52 FPS—compared to 40 FPS on the Slim and 37 FPS on the original model—the Slim and launch models performed similarly regarding power usage due to similar silicon performance. Essentially, the Pro operated at a similar power level to the Slim, yielding a 30% increase in frame rate.

When it came to Spider-Man 2, all consoles hit a 60 FPS lock, but power consumption differences emerged. The PS5 Pro used the most power at 232 watts, with the Slim at 218.2 watts, and the original PS5 at 208.1 watts. Here, the Pro consumed 6% more power than the Slim and 11% more than the launch version. As for F1 24, although specific power comparisons weren’t made, the PS5 Pro’s usage hovered around 235 watts, consistently maintaining 60 FPS.

It’s important to remember that power consumption can vary based on the silicon quality of each unit, which may explain why the Slim sometimes uses more energy than the launch model. Differences in silicon can affect how efficiently consoles run at their intended CPU speeds, potentially requiring less or more voltage.

Overall, Digital Foundry’s analysis confirms that the PS5 Pro operates similarly in terms of power consumption to its predecessors, despite its substantial GPU enhancements. This finding was surprising, as there were expectations that the Pro might reach consumption levels exceeding 300 watts.

Equipped with a powerful 8-core Zen 2 CPU and a 16.7 TFLOP RDNA-based GPU, capable of 576 GB/s memory bandwidth, the PS5 Pro boasts a notable performance boost. In contrast, the original PS5 models retain the same CPU but offer a less formidable 10.28 TFLOP GPU with a 448 GB/s memory bandwidth, showcasing the Pro’s significant leap in graphical performance capabilities.