The PS5 Pro was announced this week and, oh boy, it’s a pricey beast. To slide this chunk of console meat under your TV, you’ll need to slap down $700. When faced with that price tag, all I could think was how I’d need about 700 sofas to find that much spare change, and I just don’t know how to source furniture in those quantities. But as I was scrounging for pennies between the cushions of the two sofas I already own, it dawned on me that I’ve gladly spent considerably more to feed my PC gaming habit.
“Just get a gaming PC” is the refrain echoing all across the internet in response to the console’s unveiling, and while I am contractually obliged to repeat this sentiment, it is also just broadly good advice. PC gaming has never been in such a good state: the walls between consoles and PC have been torn down, and now we get all the games. Well, all the games that aren’t published by Nintendo. And while we still get some dodgy ports, it’s impossible to ignore the performance gains a powerful rig nets you, or the increased level of fidelity that’s possible. Between ludicrous Steam sales and a slew of Epic freebies, there’s also the value proposition to consider: you simply get more bang for your buck.
(Image credit: Future)
But before you get any of that, there’s that upfront cost, which is substantial unless you’re opting for a Steam Deck instead, swapping power for portability. Otherwise, the GPU alone can easily set you back the price of a PS5 Pro. Hell, my 4090 set me back more than twice the price. Obviously this behemoth GPU is considerably more powerful than anything you’ll see in a console in this generation and maybe even the next, but that’s just one component. PC gaming is a serious investment.
And I’m not just talking about the PC itself. One of the benefits of gaming on a console is that you’ve probably already got the setup ready. If you’ve got a TV and a chair, you’re good to go. Just buy the console and you’re ready to game. PC gaming has more specific requirements. At the very least you need a monitor, a desk, an office chair, a mouse and keyboard, and these days a gamepad is an absolute necessity too. Depending on your living situation, that might be a challenge to fit into your existing space, even if you can afford the cost. It’s an inconvenience beyond the financial hit.
Our recommended budget PC will set you back over $700 and is designed to get you gaming at 1080p. That’s before you add all the peripherals and accoutrements. If you shop around and get used components, you could build something comparable to the PS5 Pro for the same price, but if you don’t already have all the other bits and bobs, you’re still going to be spending more. And there’s the labour involved. You’ll need to put this thing together yourself, and while plenty of folks will be eager to tell you how easy that is, I’ve got to disagree. It’s time consuming, and all it takes is for one thing to go wrong to set you back hours as you test and fiddle. I’ve built a couple of PCs, and hated the experience so much that nowadays I shell out for pre-built rigs. I’ll happily replace individual components, but if it’s an entirely new PC, I’m paying someone else to do it.
When people tell you to “just get a gaming PC” instead, they aren’t thinking about what it means to start from scratch. For a lot of people, it’s just not a realistic alternative. Then there’s the argument that the PS5 just doesn’t have the games to justify the cost, and while my knee jerk reaction is to agree, that’s only because I already have a top of the line PC, so I already have access to all the games. I don’t use my PS5 that much because my PC has me covered, but for someone without a PC, a PS5 Pro is gonna offer a whole lotta gaming. It’s not the best it’s ever been, but the first-party lineup is still very strong. If you don’t have a basic PS5, it’s going to keep you busy for years. And through PS Plus, you’re immediately getting access to a gargantuan library of games from across PlayStation history.
Yes, Sony’s first-party games are now making their way over to PC, and these are the definitive versions, but we’re still not at the point where they’re getting simultaneous releases. And it’s not just the first-party games. GTA 6 is coming, it’s going to dominate lives and suck all the oxygen out of the room, and PC gamers are gonna be stuck waiting. We have it really, really good, but console gaming is not without its advantages.
(Image credit: Rockstar)
Given the name of this here website, most of you lot probably have a gaming PC, and unless you’re flush with cash then, yeah, you can probably stick with that rather than shelling out $700 on a PS5 Pro. But for those not already initiated in the mysteries of our beloved platform, and who don’t have the time or money to invest in it, a PS5 Pro seems like a decent proposition. Honestly, though, I’d still recommend a regular PS5—it’s cheaper, it’s out now and you’ll get access to exactly the same games. Regardless, as much as consoles have basically just become PCs, they still very much have their place, offering convenience at a price point which, even with the PS5 Pro, will have less of a devastating impact on your bank balance than a PC gaming setup.
Really, though, it’s just great to have so many options. You can spend the day lounging around in bed with a phone, Switch or Steam Deck (or another portable PC); explore vast console libraries thanks to Game Pass and PS Plus; get your nostalgia hit with resurrected retro consoles; or live it up with an eye-wateringly expensive, future proof gaming rig. There’s something for every budget and lifestyle, and the PS5 Pro slots comfortably into this varied ecosystem, offering plenty of bells and whistles, a welcome performance boost over its predecessor, and it’s still cheaper than the last phone I got. In this context, what Sony is offering feels a lot more reasonable.
