If you've been keeping up with the console wars then you know Microsoft is set to reveal a low-cost alternative to the Xbox Series X called the Xbox Series S. We haven't heard much from the Sony camp, but a newly-published patent (via Notebookcheck) suggests the company could go in the opposite direction by introducing a higher-end PS5 Pro.
The patent, called "Scalable Game Console CPU/GPU Design For Home Console and Cloud Gaming," describes a console with multiple APUs, or AMD's accelerated processing units that contain a CPU and integrated GPU. This scalable console is creating some buzz and leading to speculation that Sony will unveil a PS5 Pro in the near future.
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"A single SoC may be provided for a 'light' version of the console while plural SoCs may be used to provide a 'high-end' version of the console with greater processing and storage capability than the 'light' version," the patent reads.
It's not clear if the light version refers to the standard PS5 (which has a single SoC) or if Sony is working on an even cheaper model. What's also interesting is that the "high-end" version with more RAM and a faster SoC is being touted as the cloud-optimized console.
As it stands, the PS5 has 10.28 teraflops of power, 16GB of RAM and a custom 825GB NVMe SSD capable of record-breaking speeds. We don't think Sony will announce an even more powerful version of the PS5 anytime soon to avoid cannibalizing its flagship product.
Then again, a mid-generation update is almost a given, the question now is whether Sony goes for a budget-friendly option or a more powerful version as it did with the PS4 Pro. Of course, this is only a patent so it should all be taken with some skepticism. For now, Sony will focus on the PS5 and do everything it can to outsell the Xbox Series X when these consoles arrive later this year.
