PlayStation 5 Pro price doubles in Czechia, yet it is still sold out

The PlayStation 5 Pro game console has become more than twice as expensive in Czechia since the start of the year, yet it is still sold out. According to the Zboží.cz service, the current lowest price is higher by 20,005 crowns, or about 105 percent.

Gamers now pay more than double for the same device. At its weekly peak the price reached 47,120 crowns, almost two and a half times the price at the start of the year. Choice in the shops is limited: some retailers have pulled the console from sale altogether, while elsewhere interested buyers find empty shelves.

Why the console is in short supply

The problem is not only Czech. According to an industry website, the shortage of the PlayStation 5 Pro is linked to limited supplies from Sony, more expensive memory and a lack of components. It is not just a rush of customers: how many consoles actually reach the market also plays a decisive role.

Demand is also fuelled by the expected game GTA VI: some players want a powerful console precisely for it, which adds pressure to scarce stocks. The shortage fits into broader problems in the memory chip market. The artificial intelligence boom is raising demand for memory and storage for data centers, and the same manufacturing capacity also serves consumer electronics, so the pressure from big technology companies is felt in computers and other devices for ordinary buyers.

When availability will improve and prices return to a more acceptable level is still unclear. Gamers face an unpleasant choice: pay a markedly higher price for the units that are available, or hold off on buying without knowing when the situation will calm down.

What the PlayStation 5 Pro can do

The Pro model is an evolution of Sony's earlier fifth-generation consoles, with noticeably higher performance. Graphics performance is supposed to be up to 45 percent higher, so modern games should run more smoothly and developers can add more detail to them.

The console also gets improved ray tracing, which is supposed to be up to three times faster than on its predecessor. Special chips calculate precise shadows, reflections and refractions of light according to the materials and the scene itself. Storage has grown from 1 to 2 terabytes. The design has changed only slightly and by and large stays true to the look of earlier models.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz