There’s a good chance you’re contemplating buying a PS5 Pro after the reveal, and as someone who appreciates the perks high-end gaming can offer, such as native 4K play and smooth frame rates, I can’t say I blame you. You’re probably the type of person who already has a top-tier OLED TV, a surround sound setup, and most importantly, a comfy couch to lay back on after a hard day at work. I know you, and that’s why I’m here to tell you to spend your money on a TV PC instead.
And no, I’m not talking about hooking up your existing PC to your television with a super-long HDMI cable. I’m talking about building a real-deal, full-blown PC to go alongside your consoles. Using a dedicated computer that boots directly into Steam Big Picture mode on startup, you can put together one of the best gaming PCs that combines the strengths of PC gaming with all the benefits PS5 Pro has to offer.
The PS5 Pro’s big advantage over a TV PC is its exclusive games catalog. However, Sony’s PC strategy has seen it bring system sellers such as The Last of Us, Spider-Man, and Uncharted over to the PC, and there are no signs of this gravy train slowing down. With heavy hitters such as God of War: Ragnarok and Until Dawn (well, they can’t all be outstanding) set to launch later this year, it’s probably only a matter of time before we see games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Astro Bot come to PC.
Sure, you may have to wait upwards of a year or two before these games drop, but that gives you plenty of time to get through your backlog. Speaking of which, it won’t take long before your PC backlog dwarfs your library of PlayStation games. My copy of Half-Life 2 that I bought back in 2006 on Steam still works and, in theory, should continue to work for decades to come. Good luck trying to run the PlayStation 2 version of Half-Life 2 on your new PS5 Pro – you’ve got to let me know how that one works out.
And it’s not just ‘remastered’ games that you’re inevitably going to have to buy again, it’s your peripherals too. As a teen, I bought a premium fight stick for Street Fighter 4 on Xbox 360, the expensive kind that should last forever as it’s designed to be easily repaired.
Just four years later, Sony and Microsoft made ‘old’ peripherals incompatible with the latest hardware. I shouldn’t have to purchase another arcade stick, and I shouldn’t have to buy a second DualSense controller when I already own four DualShock 4s. Generally speaking, if I can connect my peripherals to my TV PC, they can be used wired and wirelessly in any game.
You could make the argument that the PS5 Pro fits nicely alongside your TV setup, but that would be a lie, wouldn’t it? Unless you happen to have an all-white living room, then yeah, I’m sure those massive white panels won’t stand out at all. In the PC space, mini gaming PC designs have been increasing in popularity among case makers. You don’t have to connect a great big PC tower to your TV, nowadays you can opt for sleek, minimalist options, such as the Cooler Master NR200P.
I will concede that the PS5 is simple to use, whereas TV PCs can be finicky at times. The PS5 is fairly restrictive in what you’re able to do with it, making the process of playing games as accessible and intuitive as possible.
Setting up a TV PC requires a bit of computer knowledge, especially once you start getting into the weeds with game-specific launchers, such as the Microsoft Store, Epic Game Store, and Ubisoft Connect. If you want a TV PC that’s capable of running any game, it’s certainly possible if you’re willing to put in the time. That said, you can stick to Steam and live a mostly comfortable life… apart from the odd driver update every month or so.
When you boot into a PS5 game for the first time, your graphics options are usually limited to either performance or fidelity. Mark Cerny, lead architect of the PS5, said during the PS5 Pro reveal stream that the performance option is picked about “three quarters of the time.”
Anyone who has used one of the best gaming monitors with a high refresh rate knows the importance of smooth gameplay, and you can take this further on a TV PC. It seems silly to mention 120fps when the PS5 Pro only targets 60fps, but 120fps gaming isn’t as farfetched as it sounds. Depending on the game you’re playing, these days this frame rate can be easily achieved, especially if you use technology like Nvidia DLSS.
Sony has confirmed that devs will need to release game updates to utilize the PS5 Pro hardware, so now you need to hope your favorite games receive the coveted ‘PS5 Pro Enhanced’ label. When the PS4 Pro was launched back in 2016, I was certain my most played games, such as Street Fighter 5 and Bloodborne, were going to receive patches to improve their performance, yet that day never arrived.
These aren’t indie titles, they’re AAA console-exclusive games that were entirely ignored. I don’t need to wait for Capcom to release a Street Fighter 6 PS5 Pro Enhanced update, my PC copy already runs maxed out at 4K, and it even supports 8K!
Though there are some rare exceptions, you can tinker with most PC games to give you the experience you want instead of having to pick between 30fps or 60fps. By having access to the graphics settings that have a large impact on your frame rate like ray tracing options, you have the final say when it comes to picking a desired frame rate. PC gaming lets you get the most out of your setup, ensuring all the money you spent on your living room equipment is utilized to its full potential.
As I mentioned earlier, Valve has made several game-changing improvements to Steam that you might not be aware of. Big Picture mode has received numerous upgrades to ensure you spend less time dealing with prompts on your desktop to give you that console-like experience.
If you already have a gaming PC, Steam has the option to seamlessly move your game data from your devices using local file sharing. You don’t have to redownload your library of games, instead Steam will transfer the files from your gaming PC to your device. Another essential feature is Steam Cloud, which keeps your save data stored online, making it easy to switch between each of your devices.
Notice how I said devices, that’s right, we’re living in the future. Your PC game library isn’t bound to your desk these days due to the rise of handheld gaming PCs. As long as you keep your game saves stored on the cloud, you can take your games with you from your desktop, to the couch, and outside with your handheld PC.
Yeah, Sony has the PlayStation Portal, but you can have a similar experience using your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. Moonlight Game Streaming allows you to stream at any resolution and frame rate locally and over the internet, so you never have to have a stripped-back experience.
And don’t even get me started on online gaming on PS5 Pro. Sony actually charges you to play online, whereas that will never be a problem on PC. With most titles supporting cross-platform gaming these days, you don’t have to go back to the dark ages where you’re locked in with a tiny PC audience. This used to be a pain, particularly for sports games, but things have definitely changed for the better.
For an eye watering $700, you’d be a fool not to at least consider the benefits of a TV PC. Of course, you’re going to have a hard time building a computer that directly matches the PS5 Pro for just $700. However, since you’re after a top of the line gaming experience, why limit yourself to just $700? That’s the beauty of PC gaming, systems are entirely customizable, and you can upgrade bits and pieces when you see fit. Alternatively, you could just buy a really long HDMI and USB hub like I suggested earlier… it’s not as elegant, but it gets the job done.
Sony is targeting people who want the very best gaming experience, but if you really think about it, you’re only ever going to get that with a powerful TV PC. I’m not going to lie, I’m going to buy a PS5 Pro because I deserve the very best, but then again, I already have a TV PC. If you want to have a go at putting together your own living room rig, check out our full guide on how to build a gaming PC, where we take you through the whole process step by step.