PS5 Pro Users Slam Sony For “Ridiculous” Downgrade

PS5 Pro users have slammed Sony over a “ridiculous” downgrade from the standard PS5. The PS5 Pro released last year, and did so alongside a $700 price point. This is $300 more than the standard PS5, which can also be found on sale sometimes, unlike the PS5 Pro that seldomly gets discounted. This is a huge premium that suggests a substantial upgrade from the base PS5. However, the differences beyond the price point between the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro are not substantial. More than this, in one specific case the PS5 Pro is actually a downgrade from the standard PS5.

Over on the PS5 Reddit page, one of the top posts this week — and the only post to receive Reddit Gold — is a post calling out this downgrade as “grade-A bull****.” More specifically, the post calls out the lack of vertical stand.

The post reveals the user recently received a raise at their job, and to celebrate they upgraded their gaming setup. This included upgrading from the base PS5 to the PS5 Pro. However, when they opened the box and found out the PS5 Pro does not come with a vertical stand, unlike the standard PS5, they were “dismayed.”

“I’m not hating on Sony, but it my space is very limited, so horizontal is a headache to set up,” reads the post in question. “I wish I’d known ahead of time, but the OG did come with one so I didn’t even think it was a possibility. And honestly, paying separately for a stand also seems a bit ridiculous. For the price of the Pro I’d expect at least a vertical stand like the OG came with… What a weird thing to leave out. PS5 Pro not including a vertical stand is grade-A BS.”

As noted, the popularity of the post confirms this is not a lonely, isolated sentiment, but a common sentiment. However, there are a good number of comments that dismiss the user claiming that a vertical stand is not necessary because it stands fine without it. And this is mostly true, though it lacks some of the stability that it otherwise would have with a proper stand.

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Of course, to pay a $300 premium and not even get everything you get with a standard PS5 purchase is no doubt a contentious decision from Sony, though one it clearly made with profit margins in mind. After all that is one less thing it has to produce and consequently it makes the box lighter, which makes shipping cheaper.

Unfortunately, PlayStation is unlikely to reverse this call. If the PS5 Pro launched with a vertical stand it would be easy to imagine a future where Sony cuts costs and removes it from the packaging. However, it’s very difficult to imagine this working in reverse.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Is this a big issue for the PS5 Pro like the post suggests or not very relevant like some of the comments suggest?