Undeniable performance advantages - but image quality problems can’t be ignored.
Booting the game, PS5 Pro owners are greeted to a more fleshed out graphics menu.
However, the key difference is in each mode’s internal resolution target.
All are reconstructing to a 4K target using PSSR.
Returning to the menu, there are individual toggles for motion blur and the frame rate target.
Rounding out, there is, once again, a ray tracing toggle in the menus, enabling RTGI.
I decided to keep all modes set to the out-of-the-box standards for today’s testing.
Image break-up on PS5 Pro impacts the game in two ways.
Even on the 1440p graphics mode, you’ll spot break-up on grass, for example.
The other downside is PSSR’s effect on the game’s ray tracing.
All of these issues are exaggerated on the performance mode.
Outside of these major differences in image quality, visual controls are broadly unchanged on PS5 Pro.
The RE Engine’s screen-space reflection method is kept in place on PS5 Pro’s large water bodies.
That said, there is a minor difference in ambient occlusion, and also shadow rendering.
It’s a curious change, and not always for the better.
The one, indisputable upside to the PS5 Pro patch though is in its frame-rate lead.
It’s more illuminating, and lays bare the actual differential beyond the 60fps cap.
At least mostly - there are occasional drops to 55fps during the intro title sequence.
Still, in playing on PS5 Pro, this mode actually lives up to its name.
It’s rare enough though that 60fps is still attainable.
Plus, to achieve this range, we sacrifice ray tracing as well.
It drops under the 48-60Hz range too frequently.
The balanced mode, however, offers a useful middle ground in this sense.
It runs at 1080p and with RTGI enabled.
Unfortunately there is no legacy mode for those wishing to return to base PS5’s resolutions and upscaling method.
