The reveal of the PS5 Pro, but when it comes to the value offered by the peripheral, there's definitely some room for debate. The Disc Drive makes it possible to play physical games on certain discless PS5 editions, including the PS5 Pro that's set to serve as a mid-generation refresh for the console. It doesn't come cheap, however, and whether the investment is worthwhile can depend heavily on how someone plans to use it.

The PS5 was the first home console from Sony to launch with an all-digital option, and the split release model priced the version of the console with a disc drive higher than the version without. When the revised Slim version released, the disc drive became an external attachment rather than something built into the hardware design, making it possible to buy one separately or opt for a bundle. The PS5 Pro has removed the bundle option entirely, so buying the PS5 Disc Drive as an add-on will be the only way to play physical games on the system.

The PS5 Disc Drive Is A Substantial Investment

Getting To Play Physical Games Doesn't Come Cheap

There's no way around the fact that the PS5 Disc Drive doesn't come cheap, as a $79.99 asking price outdoes the $50 difference in price between the digital and disc drive editions of the PS5 Slim. Taken in the context of 4K Blu-ray players, it's not an unfair demand, and standalone players can cost significantly more than that. While digital and physical games generally provide identical experiences in play, 4K Blu-ray outdoes 4K streaming quality by a wide margin, so its utility for multimedia purposes is worth considering.

When it comes to the PS5 Pro, there's no bundle option on the table, which is frustrating for fans of physical games who would like to get something of a deal. The digital-only console costs a whopping $699.99, which goes up to almost $780 after adding on a Disc Drive. Anyone who already has a Slim model with a Disc Drive could always swap it on to the PS5 Pro, although that might knock down the resale value of the Slim by a bit.

As far as the PS5 Pro goes, the fact that it doesn't come with the PS5 Disc Drive should be taken into when evaluating the investment. Even for those who plan to go digital, $700 is a high asking price for a console without a disc drive, especially considering the inevitable appearance of a PS6 in a few more years. The lack of the disc drive indicates Sony's push toward digital, so the PS6 may also not come with a disc drive pre-installed, but it will at least have compatibility with the next generation of games.

The PS5 Disc Drive Is Worth It For Physical Fans

It's A Reasonable Long-Term Decision

Despite the cost, investing $79.99 into a Disc Drive can be worth it in some cases. It's possible to save money buying physical games that might recoup the investment. Physical sales are sometimes steeper than digital ones, especially considering second-hand offers, and buying physical copies also opens up the opportunity to resell games after playing them and making back a decent chunk of the purchase cost.

If the PS5 Disc Drive is out of stock at official retailers, it's better to wait for a restock than pay aftermarket prices.

There's also a question of longevity to consider, as physical games make a better bid for permanence than digital ones do. Although patches make an internet connection helpful for modern games, there's not much need to worry about a future where servers go down or licenses get revoked regarding the basic capacity to play digital games. The awkward caveat here is that the PS5 Disc Drive does require an internet activation to first set up, a frustrating requirement that didn't apply to the original PS5 model.

For those who plan to buy mostly digital games, however, getting a PS5 Disc Drive just for a few physical games here and there probably isn't worth it. That money could easily go toward another new AAA game or multiple cheaper titles instead. Anyone who's been using a discless version of the PS5 up until this point without complaints can comfortably ignore the surge in interest surrounding PS5 Disc Drives, as nothing has changed aside from the announcement of the PlayStation 5 Pro.