PlayStation 5 Prois the talk of the town right now and for good reason. Whether it’s the discourse over the$699 price tagor conversations around whether amore powerful consoleis needed, the PS5 Pro is directly in the industry’s spotlight. One core facet of the PlayStation 5 Pro is the new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology. This AI-powered feature could become a major selling point of the new hardware if positioned wisely.
On paper, PSSRsounds like another tech buzzwordused to entice consumers to pick up theshiny new consoleoff store shelves. However, in reality, PSSR does have some real potential within the console space. Those familiar with NVIDIA’s DLSSR tech will know just how integral machine-based upscaling can be oncontemporary gamesas well as classics in the backlog. SeeingPlayStationadopt similar technologies gives me hope that the console space can benefit from upscaled visuals without impacting framerates or putting considerable pressure on developers. The PSSR tech is something I’m eager to see in action myself.
PlayStation 5 Pro
Sony’s PS5 Pro announcement was shockingly tone deaf
It seems like now is just about the worst time to announce a new, very expensive PS5 Pro.
What is PSSR and what does it mean for PS5 Pro?
PSSR is claimed to bring “super sharp image clarity” to games played on the new hardware
Upon the reveal of PlayStation 5 Pro, lead architect for the consoleMark Cerny discussedthree key features that are integral to the new hardware. Alongside a brand-new GPU and advanced ray tracing capabilities, thePlayStation 5 Proleverages the PSSR technology. Cerny states that PSSR “analyzes the game images pixel by pixel.” The machine-based learning technology then goes in automatically and adds “an extraordinary amount” of detail to the on-screen image. It’s possible that while playing a game at 1080p with 60fps support, PSSR can upscale the images closer to 1440p without noticeable degradation to the framerate. At launch, however, PlayStation will be focusing on 4K and 60fps upgrades with upgrades ranging up to 8K and 120fps support.
Since it’s still early days after the announcement of PlayStation 5 Pro, there are still a lot of questions as to how PSSR is being implemented across new and current games on the system. PlayStation has announced that they’ll be “PS5 Pro Enhanced” labels on games utilizing the new features, including PSSR. InCNET’s hands-on preview, PlayStation was able to confirm that PSSR “works across the whole game library.” However, a patch will be required to support the feature.
For the November launch, PSSR will be available acrossAlan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest, The First Descendant, The Last of Us Part II Remastered,and other titles.
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How does PS5 Pro’s PSSR and NVIDIA’s DLSS compare?
At its core, PSSR shares a lot of similarities to DLSSR but uses different methodologies
We know that PSSR and DLSS (and AMD’s FSR) use machine-based learning technologies to leverage AI upscaling within games. Machine learning can also impact frame rates. NVIDIA’s DLSS largely set the bar as far as AI upscaling on PCs. The company is continuously improving on it, allowing players with an RTX graphics card to tap into its power. Unfortunately, NVIDIA’s upscaling technology is proprietary and exclusive to its hardware. So, other companies like AMD and now PlayStation have stepped in with their take on the tech.
DLSS is able to runHorizon Zero Dawnat 4K Ultra graphic settings and achieve a stable 80fps. There’s no guarantee that PSSR can do those sorts of wonders
We’ve seen automatic super sampling being used in the console space by Xbox thanks to the Series X’s use of its AMD chipset. However, PlayStation’s approach is more unprecedented. By using its machine learning technology, PlayStation 5 Pro can aim to achieve something close to the DLSS 3 framework from NVIDIA. Contextually, DLSS is able to runHorizon Zero Dawnat 4K Ultra graphic settings and achieve a stable 80fps. There’s no guarantee that PSSR can do those sorts of wonders but DLSS does give us plenty of benchmarks to work with as a high bar.
Did Sony’s PS5 Pro announcement just help Nintendo win the console war?
Today’s PS5 Pro announcement went over like a lead balloon on social media, with many criticizing gaming giant Sony for putting out a console that costs $700, but only features incremental performance upgrades, and perhaps worst of all, doesn’t even come with a disc drive. Users on X were so upset that Nintendo Switch 2 immediately started trending as users declared the upcoming (and still unannounced) console the winner of the console wars, thanks to its rumored $399 price point. You can read more about Sony’s announcement at the link, and when you’re done, tell us: Do you think Sony’s newest console will sell when it releases Nov. 7? Or is this pricey console destined to stay on the shelf? And what do you think will happen with Nintendo in the coming weeks as they gear up to actually, officially unveil the Switch 2? Give us your predictions below!
PlayStation VR2 will support PSSR in the future
While PlayStation is distancing itself from VR, PSSR will soon improve PS VR2 titles
One of the most overlooked facts from the PS5 Pro reveal is how PSSR will improve the PlayStation VR2 experience. The niche VR headset may not have wide adoption within the ecosystem but PlayStation is committing to using its AI-upscaling tech for PlayStation VR2. Unfortunately, it’s being reported that PSSR support on PS VR2 won’t be available at launch. Instead, a future firmware update will be released, enabling PSSR to “work with all VR games.”
I myself am still an active PlayStation VR2 user. While the headset isn’t getting day-to-day use within my home, I have been using it more and more thanks to the recent PC adapter. Also, with games likeMetro Awakeningyet to be released, PlayStation VR2 owners can look forward to the ways that PSSR can improve these immersive experiences. I’m eager to see how many VR development studios jump in to support PSSR. I’d love to see something likeBeat Sabertake advantage of PSSR for a more fluid and vivid experience. Firesprite, which wasunfortunately downsized, could also tap the potential of PSSR forHorizon Call of the Mountain.
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