It’s been (just over) six months since the release of Sony’s most expensive ever console, the PS5 Pro.

Before the system was released in November of last year, many questioned its existence. There’s no doubt that this has been a weird console generation, initially impacted by the covid pandemic and taking a lot of time to really feel like it’s offering something new and exciting. Some would argue that it’s still lacking that spark, almost five years into the cycle.

The PS5 Pro, then, was aimed squarely at the most hardcore of PlayStation fans — and boy did its price tag back that theory up.

Just three weeks after its launch, we gathered the Push Square editorial team together for a Talking Point article much like this one. Back then, we had rather mixed opinions of the premium machine — but have those opinions changed over the months that followed?

And so here we are, ready to reevaluate the PS5 Pro. Read on for our own thoughts, before hopping into the comments to share yours.

“I’m Just About Satisfied”

Roughly 180 days later, I think I’m just about satisfied with the PS5 Pro. There hasn’t been a moment I can point to that single-handedly justifies the console, but a buildup of small but meaningful enhancements has made me appreciate the upgraded system.

y main reason for owning the machine, though, is still the future.When you see how incredible GTA 6 looks in footage captured from a base PS5 in Trailer 2, and how the recent round of previews for Death Stranding 2 were all conducted on Sony’s five-year-old box, it’s exciting to think of what the PS5 Pro could do to make them look and run even better.

I don’t expect GTA 6 to run at 60 frames-per-second on PS5 Pro, but how about a 40fps mode? That’s still a step up that’ll go a long way for the sort of game that will likely define the next 10 years of gaming. You’ll only find those kinds of improvements on PS5 Pro in the console space.

Like I said at the start, I don’t think we’ll ever see a single upgrade we can all point to that justifies swapping the base PS5 for a PS5 Pro. Instead, it’s going to be a lengthy list of neat advances that, by the end of the generation, we’ll look back on and appreciate having.

– Liam Croft, assistant editor

“I Still Find It Difficult to Recommend”

Truth be told, I’m still a bit torn on the PS5 Pro. For me personally, I’m glad I own one because I play a lot of games, both in and out of this job. But I still find it difficult to recommend the system to anyone who asks — especially if they already own a base PS5.

That’s pretty much the point, though, isn’t it? If you look at the Pro as a premium product first and foremost — a system that’s inherently designed for a small percentage of players — then you can start to argue that it’s a decent deal. Yes, it is expensive, but six months in, and there are plenty of big games that run noticeably better on the enhanced hardware.

Having said that, I think the Pro is still lacking a killer app — a title that shows even the most casual of onlookers why people would pay for the upgrade. Perhaps that’ll arrive in time — it could be just around the corner with something like Ghost of Yotei — but until then, you’ve got to be satisfied with relative improvements in games like Monster Hunter Wilds or Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

So, in summary, I like the PS5 Pro — and not just because it seems to take up way less space under my TV stand. But part of me did think that it’d feel more… essential than it does right now. Again, that could very well change in time, but for anyone who isn’t really arsed about extra frames and pixels, you’re not missing out on much.

– Robert Ramsey, assistant editor

Now that we’ve aired our thoughts, we want to know what you think of the PS5 Pro, six months removed from its release. Has it lived up to your expectations, or do you want more from Sony’s most expensive system? Vote in our polls, and then explain yourself in the comments section below.