PlayStation 4 Pro vs. PlayStation 4: Specs, Features, and Details Compared; Is It Worth the Upgrade?
See Everything That Changed with the New PlayStation 4 Pro
The gaming console market is slowly getting crowded with new devices being launched here and there. For Sony to compete, the PlayStation 4 gets a much needed update and refresh as the company unveiled the PlayStation 4 Pro. With everything that changed in the console, should you upgrade?
Design and Accessories
The new PlayStation 4 Pro is bigger than its older sibling. At 11.1 x 12.87 x 2.17 inches, it clocks in at 7.28 pounds heavier than its predecessor. There is no radical change when it comes to actual appearance and design language. For accessories, the same ones would still be compatible. The PlayStation VR, which will be released on October 13, would be supported by both machines.
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Power and Features
While Sony did not release the specific details of the new PlayStation Pro, it is projected to exceed the performance of the original PlayStation 4. The new AMD Polaris architecture of the GPU would be more than twice the speed and performance of the older model. The chipset also restructured to increase the computing units, resulting in a faster overall clock speed.
With the new and increased power of the PlayStation 4 Pro, 4K output would be possible. Being one of its main selling points, the new device would allow users to stream Ultra HD video on TV sets that support 4K output. Games will also be upscaled to 4K resolution with improved frame rates. However, it does not feature a 4K Blu-ray disc player, a component which other competitors have.
Also, with the enhanced power of the PlayStation 4 Pro, virtual reality games using the PlayStation VR would perform smoothly. As the original PlayStation 4 does not have the proper technologies yet when it arrived, lag and dropped frame rates would be an issue. The graphics on the new console version would ensure that the required minimum of 60fps would be met.
Software and Development
Better hardware means better software. This is true with the new PlayStation iteration. However, Sony has previously advised developers that all games must work with both the older and newer models. This prevents the PlayStation 4 Pro users from having exclusive content due to hardware advantage.
What the developers could do, however, is take advantage of the improvements in the new model. They could then integrate higher textures, better resolutions, and better frame rates. This is keeping in mind that everything should still work on the older model. This means that scaling down all of the content should be possible, which could potentially hinder the potential of the PlayStation 4 Pro.
Price and Availability
The PlayStation 4 Pro would cost $399 when it lands in the US on September 15. The original PlayStation 4 also cost the same amount when it was launched in 2013, but has since gone down to as low as $349 in some retailers.
