Just like with the PlayStation 4, Sony has announced a new, suped-up PlayStation 5. It’s called the PS5 Pro and it’s coming in November 2024 for those who love their games looking as good as possible.
The PS5 Pro is Sony’s “most advanced and innovative console hardware to date,” according to the company, aiming to push the envelope of how PS5 games look and perform when it comes to visual fidelity and framerate.
The upgraded PS5 improves on the base model with an upgraded GPU, advanced ray tracing, and AI-driven upscaling to offer games the best visual quality possible while also offering 60 FPS at the same time instead of having to choose between the two.
Speaking of choosing between two options, gamers who are looking to play existing PS5 games on disc are likely wondering if the PS5 Pro comes with a disc drive. We’ve got all the info you need.
Can the PS5 Pro play games on discs?
Yes, the PS5 Pro can play disc-based games, but the $699 console does not have a disc drive included in the box, similar to how the base PS5 Slim model works. It does not come with a vertical stand, either.
To play disc-based games on the PS5 Pro, you’ll need to separately purchase the Disc Drive For PS5 Digital Edition Consoles, like this one seen on the PlayStation Direct website. If you don’t, you’ll only be able to play digital titles that have been downloaded from the PlayStation Network on the PS5 Pro.
Luckily for gamers, the PS5 Pro comes with a two terabyte SSD, which is double the storage of a regular, base model PS5, so you’ll be able to install many games on it without having to worry about running out of space. But if you’re a disc-based gamer who is a fan of physical media, then you’ll need to spend an extra $79 on top of the $699 price tag for the Pro console itself.
This has been a trend in all forms of media over the past several years. Fewer consumers are buying physical media and instead going for the near-instant gratification of downloading things like games, movies, music, and more.
In fact, when the PS5 launched in 2020, it had one model with a disc drive and a Digital Edition PS5 without a disc drive. The PS5 Pro, however, does not have two options. The only option is digital, and the disc drive is an extra add-on in addition to the original purchase price.
