So I took the plunge and bought a Pro
... just wanted to share my thoughts, maybe they help some of you who are on the fence, like other posts in this thread helped me. Don't expect any groundbreaking revelations though
For context:
- I'm a middle-aged dude and have been gaming with varying intensity thoughout my life, a bit more in the last five years since my kids now play as well
- I've owned every PlayStation since PS2. I work in IT and am generally into technology
- I care about visual quality in games enough that I regularly watch DF videos, even though I only understand 60% of the content
- I have a high-end 75" QLED TV and sit maybe 4-5 m (13 - 16 ft) away from it
- I got into GT7 when I bought the PSVR2, and I am exclusively driving in VR, maybe 3-4 times a week on average. I wouldn't be playing GT7 (or any racing game for that matter) without VR, and I would have returned the head set if it wasn't for GT7
I bought the Pro primarily for the VR improvements, but of course I was also interested in the other benefits. First thing I did was load up Horizon Forbidden West, which is considered to have one of the best Pro patches and which I had just played on my base PS5. To make it short: while I can definitely tell that its 60 FPS "pro" mode is visually superior to the performance mode on the base model, it makes zero difference to me in minute-to-minute gameplay from my viewing distance. I'm mentioning this here in case the non-GT7-PSVR performance plays into your consideration whether the Pro is "worth it". In my subjective view, with my setup, that's a clear "no" from me, as impressive as the improvements may be.
Luckily, GT7 VR (with active reprojection mode) is a different story. The improvements to image clarity and fluidity are immediately noticeable to me, even though the results vary depending on the event. First thing I tried was the current Grand Valley TT in the S2000 (I do a lot of time-trialing). With no other cars on the track and a relatively barren landscape I was like "yeah, that's cool, I like what I'm seeing". This turned into a genuine "wow" moment when I did a weekly challenge at Eiger Nordwand. The mountain backdrop is just breath-taking here with the increased sharpness, and navigating through a crowded field of cars not only looks a lot better than before, but is also far more comfortable because my brain doesn't have to constantly try to undo the ghosting effects. Yes, there are certainly artefacts around HUD elements and elsewhere, but there's not a question for me that reprojection mode is the superior way to play.
I am also 100% sure it's one of these things where you quickly accept it as the new normal within a couple of sessions, and it's only when you go back to the base PS5 that you notice how big the gap really is. Which is exactly what Jordan said in his review. So to wrap up, my not too surprising "it's your decision" verdict:
If you have the money to spend, play primarily in VR and are on the fence, go for it, you probably won't regret it.
If you don't, no need for FOMO. The base model will get you at least 80 to 90% of what the Pro can do, and is still an amazing way to play the game.
