PS 4 Slim and Pro - differences between the 2 versions: which is better to choose?

Differences in technical characteristics of PS4, PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.

Differences between PS4 and PS4 Slim?

Do you know how much FPS different consoles give out, more details here?

PlayStation 4 Slim , released in September 2016, replaces the base PS4 and has many of the same specifications as the original 2013 model. This means you won't see much improvement in graphics or performance, but there are a few small differences. The most noticeable thing is that the PS4 Slim is significantly smaller. 28 x 25.5 x 3.8 cm case is smaller in size compared to the 30 x 28 x 5 cm of the original. It is also 700 grams lighter, weighing only 2.1 kg.

Unlike the original PS4, the Slim version gets rid of the semi-gloss body and goes completely matte. The Slim version also has rounded corners in contrast to the sharp corners of the Fat version.

Also, the new PS4 Slim now supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi, which is significantly faster than the 2.4 GHz on the original console. PS4 Slim supports Bluetooth 4.0, which is more energy efficient and provides better performance when listening to sounds (such as on a joystick). Another new addition is USB 3.1 support, which is twice as fast as the original 3.0 ports.

PS4 Slim also began to consume much less electricity. While the original PS4 is rated at 250 watts, the Slim is rated at 165 watts. Slim also lacked an SPDIF port.

Choice of console: ps4 pro or ps4 slim. Personal experience

Like all young people, from time to time I enjoy spending an hour or two playing games. I try not to get too carried away with this - there are still more important and useful activities. Nevertheless, about once a week I spend an evening playing a good game, which I carefully select from everything that the gaming industry offers. The most important rule: no online games, only high-quality single-player games with a good story and setting.

For a long time I played only on a PC, but I realized that it was much more convenient to do this on a game console: you can sit comfortably in a chair or on a sofa and enjoy the game on the big screen. Buying a console was a matter of time. Choosing between Xbox One and PlayStation 4 was the easiest part of selecting a contender for the place under the TV. Of course, the choice fell on PS4. And the reason for this was that many more exclusives were released on this console than on the competing one, and even these exclusives were of the highest quality. This is the entire Uncharted series, which, despite the fact that it was released on PlayStation 3, can also be played on PS4 - the developers have released an edition for the new console. This is BloodBorne, and Ni Oh, and Shadow of The Colossus, and Horizon Zero Dawn and, of course, God of War - all these and other platform exclusives did not leave the slightest chance for a competitor.

It was not so easy to choose further. The thing is that Sony released in one generation not one console, as it was before, but two. There is both a regular PS4 on sale, albeit in a thinner case and with the suffix “slim” in the name, and a more charged version called PlayStation 4 pro. On paper, everything looked in favor of the ps4 pro: the console is twice as powerful, and that says it all. But the question arose: “If it is twice as powerful, then how can the same games run on both ps4 slim and ps4 pro?” It was logical to assume that games look twice as bad on PS4 slim. As it turned out later, everything is far from so simple.

After watching dozens of reviews and comparisons, I decided to see for myself. To do this, I ordered both consoles for rental. After connecting the consoles to my TV, by the way, I have it with a 4K resolution and HDR10 support, I started looking at the textures. I’ve never done anything like this, but whatever you do to make the right choice. What conclusion did I ultimately come to? Yes, there is a difference in graphics quality between ps4 slim and ps4 pro. But when you sit two to two and a half meters away from the TV, the difference is almost unnoticeable. And in some games it doesn't exist at all. So why pay extra for a clever marketing ploy? As a result, I bought a PS4 slim, and with the money I saved I got three cool exclusives, which I spent dozens of wonderful gaming evenings with.

Personal experience of Alexander Tarasenko ( [email protected] )

Differences between PS4 and PS4 Pro?

While the PS4 Slim is simply a dimensional leap from the base model released in 2020, the PS4 Pro is an upgrade that significantly improves gaming performance. Sony developed it to break into the growing 4K TV market.

Because 4K is four times the resolution of 1080p and much more GPU-intensive, the PS4 Pro comes with technical improvements. It is equipped with a 4.2 teraflop GPU clocked at 911 MHz based on the AMD Polaris microarchitecture. This is 2.2 times more than PS4 / PS4 Slim. While it still features AMD's 8-core Jaguar processor, it runs at a higher frequency of 2.1 GHz, which is 500 MHz higher than the PS4/PS4 Slim.

The PS4 Pro's RAM still uses 8GB of GDDR5 memory, but also adds 1GB of regular DDR3 memory to support 4K video streaming applications.

The PS4 Pro also uses a SATA III-based storage interface, as opposed to the SATA II-based solution of the original model. This means that if you install an SSD in your PS4 Pro, it can significantly improve the data read speed.

Two consoles - two prices

The key intrigue of the evening of September 7 - whether the Japanese will show updated hardware - ended in victory for those who a few months ago firmly believed in conspiracy theories.
Let us remember that they predicted the division of brand users into two categories: those who will remain with the classic PS4 (or its Slim version), and those who will pursue technological novelty and take the NEO version of the system. The PlayStation Meeting 2020 conference dotted all the i’s. Firstly, Sony is really preparing for the official launch of the significantly thinner PlayStation 4. It is scheduled for September 15 and will give gamers the opportunity to see firsthand how right those video bloggers were who had already purchased the “gray” version of the new product. In short: yes, the console no longer has touch buttons, it's cheaper ($299 MSRP), and it doesn't have an optical audio output.

The situation with the PlayStation 4 Pro is much more interesting - the same NEO version, rumors about which have not left the front pages of the world's media for several months in a row. According to Mark Cerny (the famous developer and main ideologist of the PS4 - Life's note), Sony is in no way going to destroy the console everyone is used to, but wants to provide tech geeks with the opportunity to get acquainted with their favorite video games in maximum resolution.

However, not everything is so simple. The Pro version of PS4 only supports Ultra HD output. The decision to use it still remains with the developers. If they want, the project will feature 4K and HDR lighting. If not, then all that remains for gamers is to be content with the standard 1080p/60fps combination.

A case in point is the approach of the authors of Rise of the Tomb Raider, whose PS4 version, like games on a computer, will receive three possible quality settings:

• launch in 4K, but with optimal fps and graphics quality for this resolution;
• classic 1080p with floating FPS in the range from 45 to 60 frames per second;
• the highest possible picture quality combined with 30 frames per second and 1080p resolution.

The example of Lara Croft clearly shows that Sony invited developers to implement performance settings in their products. Ten years ago, this was considered an unprecedented audacity by console standards.

Further more. With existing games the situation is even more unclear. It is already known that some exclusives will be patched in order to meet the “high” quality standards set by the Pro console. At the time of writing, at least one super hit appeared on this list - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Among the games that have not yet been released, support for all the “goodies” of the system is announced in Mass Effect: Andromeda, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, as well as in the zombie epic Days Gone.

As a number of sources note, this situation became possible for two reasons. Firstly, Sony has significantly refused to create games exclusive to PS4 Pro. Secondly, due to the lack of a technological leap as such. PS4 Pro differs from the regular version of the console exclusively in a more powerful graphics processor and an accelerated central one. Otherwise, the average user is unlikely to find any significant difference between the two devices. Unless, of course, you count a strange move on Sony's part: unlike the PS4 Slim, the Pro console has an optical audio output, but cannot play 4K movies on Blu-Ray media. Why? Because Sony no longer believes in physical media and is relying on streaming. At least the price is pleasing: $399. Exactly the same amount as they asked for PS4 at launch. In Russia, however, they will ask for a considerable 34,999 rubles for the console.

An interesting detail: despite the fact that at PS Meeting 2016 they talked primarily about the Slim and Pro versions, not so long ago it became known that the regular PS4 will not be left without HDR support . The corresponding technology will be added with new firmware, which, according to preliminary data, should appear next week

Which PS4 should you get?

If you don't already have a PS4 and have a 1080p TV and just want an affordable option for gaming, the PS4 , the PS4 Slim is a smart choice. We don't think it's wise to upgrade to the PS4 Slim if you already have a PS4, given that you won't get a performance boost. If you have a 4K TV, or are interested in buying one in the near future and have some extra cash to spend, the PS4 Pro is a great buy, with excellent hardware.

Comparison of graphics in games.

Let's say right away that not only the presence of a 4K TV should be the reason for choosing ps4 pro. At FullHD resolution, the console also shows more details and a higher frame rate, but still at UHD the difference is more visible. We also note that if you play on a 4K screen on a PS4 slim, the picture will not be as terrible as you might think. And not all games make a difference.

I even recorded a separate video on this topic:

As you can see, using Uncharted 4 as an example, there is almost no difference in FullHD resolution. And if you move a couple of meters away from the screen, the difference will not be noticeable at all. True, this is not the case in all games:

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt the situation is the same:

As you can see, there is a difference in graphics, especially when zoomed in and in 4K resolution. But for many gamers, this difference will not be enough to pay $100 (RUB 6,400) more. And they will be right in their own way. This suggests a conclusion.