Sony’s PlayStation 5 is finally here and the reviews are in.

Sony’s revamp of the PlayStation 5 is drawing moderate applause from the tech world as reviewers delve into its features. Early impressions from The Verge, IGN, Tom’s Hardware and others suggest that the PS5 Pro has reached the next level and is now the ultimate way to experience gaming on the console. That said, the biggest highlight so far is PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) – Sony’s new AI-powered upscaling tool.

The PS5 Pro is not only a performance beast, but also an example of thoughtful redesign. It’s smaller, lighter and runs quieter than its predecessor, addressing some of the most common criticisms of the original PS5.

In The Verge’s review, Senior Editor Sean Hollister summed it up well: “In every title I tried – while sitting no more than eight feet away from a 65-inch TV – the PS5 Pro was clearly the sweet spot to play.”

However, just because the graphics are more visually appealing doesn’t mean it’s an easy recommendation. Here’s the bad:

1. The PS5 Pro is too expensive

It’s no surprise that the price tag has become a sticking point in reviews. At $700, the PS5 Pro isn’t an easy sell for the more casual gamer who might be satisfied with the already impressive performance of the base PS5. For most players, the jump in visual fidelity may not feel entirely worth the extra money, especially when the base model continues to offer a great experience at a much more accessible price point.

As Tom’s Hardware’s Rory Mellon put it, “It’s an extravagant purchase that doesn’t offer the same value for money as the base PS5, which remains an extremely capable console.” Many agree with this sentiment. While the PS5 Pro brings improvements, it doesn’t change the gaming experience fundamentally enough to warrant a premium for those outside the enthusiast group.

2. There is no disk drive

In addition to the high barrier to entry, the PS5 Pro does not come with a disc drive. “Given the price, you’ll be disappointed to find that the PS5 Pro doesn’t come with all the possible bells and whistles,” said Michael Higam in his IGN review.

However, Sony has introduced marginally good news. If you’re in the physical media camp, you can add a disc drive to the PS5 Pro. But brace yourself: that’ll cost you an extra $80. The vertical stand is also a separate purchase. It’s a curious move by Sony, considering that if there were a Venn diagram of hardcore console fans willing to drop $700 on the Pro, and those who still value physical copies of games, this would probably be one would be a big circle.

For a company that relies on its most dedicated players, charging extra for essentials feels like a tone-deaf strategy.

3. Lack of games

Not to add to the annoying ‘but PS5 has no games’ discourse, one of the Pro’s minor complaints is that there are no games to sell when you buy the console.

Sony’s flagship and third-party titles have received quality patches to take advantage of the PS5 Pro’s enhanced capabilities, but they are just that: patches.

As Polygon’s reviewer Cameron Faulkner notes in his review, the graphical improvements among the 50 Sony games that have received patches are a “mixed bag.”

The consensus among reviewers is that games will be able to take full advantage of the console’s graphics and performance improvements in 2025 and beyond for the next few years of the PS5’s life cycle. If they can do that, maybe the Pro won’t be such a hard sell given its price tag.