Sony is making a bold play for the enthusiast market with the PlayStation 5 Pro, a machine that seems designed to settle the long-standing debate between graphical fidelity and raw performance. For years, console players have had to choose: do you want a game to look stunning at 30 frames per second, or feel responsive at 60? With the arrival of the Pro, and a growing catalogue of titles pushing the 120fps envelope, that compromise is starting to feel like a relic of the past. It isn’t just a minor hardware refresh; it’s a significant leap that brings high-end PC features into the living room.

The Magic of PSSR and Enhanced Raytracing

At the heart of this shift is Sony’s proprietary AI-driven upscaling technology, known as PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). This bit of kit allows the console to take a lower-resolution image and intelligently upscale it to 4K, maintaining pin-sharp detail while freeing up resources to keep frame rates stable. Developers behind heavy hitters like The Last of Us Part II Remastered and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are already reporting a noticeable difference, with games holding a steady 60 FPS even in demanding rendering modes.

The visual finesse doesn’t stop at resolution. Raytracing—the holy grail of realistic lighting—has been given a massive boost. In titles like Gran Turismo 7, the reflections on the cars’ bodywork are now more authentic than ever, reflecting not just the track but the other vehicles in the race. It’s a level of technical sophistication that was previously the sole domain of expensive gaming rigs.

Chasing the 120fps Dream

While 60 FPS is the new baseline, the real excitement lies in the 120fps frontier. Frames-per-second is essentially the heartbeat of a game; the higher it goes, the smoother and more responsive the experience feels. On a standard PS5, achieving 120fps often meant a significant hit to visual quality, but the Pro is changing that narrative, offering better stability and sharper graphics even at these blistering speeds.

However, there is a catch that prospective buyers need to keep in mind. To actually see these frames, your television needs to be up to the task. You’ll need a panel that supports a 120Hz refresh rate and, crucially, features HDMI 2.1 ports capable of a 48Gbps data bandwidth. Without that specific hardware, the extra power of the console remains largely untapped. It’s worth checking your TV’s manual before diving in, as not all 4K screens are built to handle the sheer volume of data required for 4K HDR at 120fps.

A Massive Library Ready for Higher Performance

The list of games supporting 120fps is expanding rapidly, covering everything from competitive shooters to indie gems. Whether you are playing on a standard PS5 or the new Pro, the following titles offer a high-frame-rate mode:

• 3on3 FreeStyle

• Agent Intercept

• Apex Legends

• Asphalt Legends Unite

• Atomic Heart

• Borderlands 3

• Bright Memory: Infinite

• Call of Duty (Black Ops 6, Modern Warfare 2 & 3, Vanguard, Warzone)

• Destiny 2

• Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition

• DIRT 5

• DOOM Eternal

• EA Sports F1 series (23, 24, 25)

• Fortnite

• Ghostrunner 1 & 2

• God of War Ragnarok

• Gran Turismo 7

• Hogwarts Legacy

• Monster Hunter Rise

• Overwatch 2

• Rainbow Six Siege

• Resident Evil Village

• The Last of Us Part I

• Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

In some instances, the 120fps toggle is exclusive to the Pro version of the game, or performs significantly better on the newer hardware. For example, Stellar Blade features a high-framerate mode that can push up to 80 FPS, making the action feel incredibly fluid on 120Hz displays.

More Than Just Raw Speed

Beyond the headline-grabbing frame rates, the PS5 Pro addresses several “quality of life” issues for the modern gamer. The internal storage has been bumped up to a 2TB SSD, providing much-needed breathing room for those massive 100GB+ blockbusters. There’s also the inclusion of Wi-Fi 7, which should mean lower latency for online matches and more reliable download speeds.

Sony has also been careful not to alienate its existing fanbase. The Pro remains fully compatible with over 8,500 PS4 games and works seamlessly with all existing PS5 accessories, including the DualSense controller and various headsets. This means you can upgrade your console without having to replace your entire setup.

The Sound of Next-Gen

Audio hasn’t been forgotten in this pursuit of performance. The “Tempest 3D AudioTech” continues to evolve, creating a soundscape where players can pinpoint the exact direction of a footstep or the subtle clink of a spent shell casing. When paired with the visual clarity of the Pro, the result is an incredibly immersive environment. For the power-user who refuses to compromise on either looks or feel, this console represents the most compelling package currently on the market, effectively ushering in a new era for the PlayStation ecosystem.