With the arrival of the PS5 Pro, Sony has chosen WiFi 7. We tested this new technology in real conditions, mainly hoping to save time on long downloads and other updates. Be careful of disillusionment though.
A real breakthrough?
WiFi 7 represents a major breakthrough in the world of wireless communications. This new standard promises theoretical speeds of up to 46 Gb/s, almost five times faster than WiFi 6. The PS5 Pro integrates this cutting-edge technology, unlike its little sister which is content with WiFi 6. But does this technical difference alone justify the move to the new console? Our survey reveals more nuanced results than expected.
Our tests carried out with the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S router show a glaring difference between the two PS5 models. The Pro version reaches speeds close to 1000 Mb/s thanks to the 6 GHz band of WiFi 7, while the classic PS5 caps at 500 Mb/s. This progression is concretely reflected in daily use: Spider-Man 2 only requires 12 minutes to download on PS5 Pro, compared to 20 minutes on the base model.
However, these figures hide a more complex reality. WiFi 7 can reach much higher speeds, as we found in our testing with the Asus ROG Phone 9 which peaks at 2500 Mbps. The PS5 Pro therefore seems restricted, only exploiting a fraction of the potential offered by this new standard. Could Sony have done better? The question deserves to be asked, especially given the price of the console.
Compatibility that poses a problem
Even more worrying, our tests reveal Major PS5 Pro compatibility issues with some WiFi 7 routers. If the Nighthawk RS700S allows you to reach the promised speeds, the Pro is incompatible with other high-end equipment. Our Orbi 970 system, also WiFi 7 compatible, only offers a starving speed of 78 Mb/s with the PS5 Pro, while this one works perfectly with other devices. This situation is not isolated, many players report similar experiences on Reddit.
Sony would perhaps have benefited from waiting for better control of WiFi 7 before integrating it into its console. These teething problems recall the difficult beginnings of WiFi 6, which also experienced compatibility issues at its launch. We hope for a possible update of the console which would resolve the problem here.
Beyond the numbers, what is the reality for the players?
It’s hard to see if the connection stability has been improved here. The classic PS5 already offers a very satisfactory experience on this point. The real interest of WiFi 7 on PS5 Pro therefore lies mainly in the speed of downloading games and updates.
At a time when AAA titles regularly exceed 120 GB, saving several minutes during each installation represents a significant convenience. However, this benefit only applies to players equipped with a compatible and correctly configured router.
Sony’s implementation of WiFi 7 is rather courageous. This technology notably prevents the marketing of the PS5 Pro in India, a market that is nevertheless crucial for the video game industry.
This implementation currently leaves a taste of unfinished business. If the improved performance compared to the basic PS5 is there, the compatibility problems and the limited exploitation of the potential of this technology temper the initial enthusiasm.
Players equipped with a compatible router will certainly benefit from a notable improvement in download times, but this advantage alone struggles to justify the investment in a new console.
For now, WiFi 7 on PS5 Pro looks more like a marketing argument than a real technological revolution. Its real interest will largely depend on the evolution of the WiFi 7 ecosystem and future updates that could optimize its operation. In the meantime, players satisfied with their classic PS5 can remain calm: they are not missing out on a radically different experience.
