Will PS5 Pro be as powerful as next-gen Xbox?

According to recent rumors, the next-gen Xbox will launch by 2026 to compete against the PS5 Pro and, ultimately, the PS6. This is not to be confused with the mid-cycle refresh to the Xbox Series X, which was previously leaked to launch later in 2024. The rumored new console will be Microsoft's 10th generation gaming option, launched to take on the next Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation 6.

Going by previous PlayStation launch trends, we aren't expecting a new console before 2028. This would give the Xbox a significant headstart in the market. Per the latest rumors, it will have to compete with the PS5 Pro, the mid-cycle refresh to the 2020 gaming console, for quite some time.

This raises the question — will the PlayStation be able to compete with Microsoft's offering in the coming years? Although it is still too early, and we know little about both consoles, let's explore the possibilities.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

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The rumored PS5 Pro will face steep competition from the next-gen Xbox

The next-gen Xbox reports come from leaked FTC court documents, which state Microsoft is prepping the console with a Zen 5 CPU. Previous rumors and speculations predicted a Zen 6-powered console; however, the sixth iteration of the AMD CPU architecture won't be ready by 2026.

Given performance jumps with each CPU generation, we can expect a significant one with the rumored upcoming Xbox. A similar performance jump can also be seen in the graphics processor department, which will likely be an RDNA 4 chip. However, nothing is known for sure yet.

Moreover, it is worth noting that should the rumors be true, it wouldn't be the first time Microsoft launched its console ahead of Sony. Back in the seventh-generation lineup, the Xbox 360 arrived nearly two-and-a-half years before the PS3, and it worked out successfully for the American company. While the 360 went on to sell over 47 million units in North America, the PS3 could only clock 29.8 million.

The numbers are far worse in this generation. The PS5 nearly outsold the Xbox Series X by 300% this year. Thus, Microsoft is working hard to revive its gaming console.

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A 10th-gen Xbox means trouble for the PS5 Pro

Although the rumored PS5 Pro is expected to be a serious upgrade over the current console, with over twice the rendering performance, it might not be as powerful as a next-gen Xbox that will likely be designed to last into the 2030s. This could be particularly problematic for the PlayStation since the Xbox will be able to play games with much better fidelity and framerates.

However, we are not expecting the difference to be as big as it was in the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 days. Back then, the Xbox was in a completely different dimension thanks to support for remarkably higher resolutions and advanced 3D capabilities.

The gaming hardware market hasn't particularly advanced since the introduction of the original PS5 and Xbox Series X, and we haven't had any Picasso moments yet. This might change in the next few years, however, which would only mean more issues for the PlayStation.

Despite the optimism around the next Xbox, we need to acknowledge that the console is still pretty far away. The latest information on both the next-gen Xbox and the PS5 Pro, although enticing, is based on leaks and should be taken with a grain of salt. For now, we have to wait for clearer information regarding what the console hardware makers are planning for their next launches.