Sony PlayStation 4 PRO is a new generation gaming console, a more powerful version of the PlayStation 4. Its key features include support for 4K UHD and HDR, which makes the graphics brighter, more contrast, and more realistic. The new set-top box has slightly changed its design and dimensions, and new ports and connectors have appeared. In addition, the hardware has been significantly improved, which has increased the performance and speed of launching games.
Comparison of PlayStation 4 PRO and Xbox One X
The main competitor of the PS4 PRO is the Xbox One X, which was released a year later than the Sony console and also supports 4K resolution with HDR. In the hope of surpassing its main rival, Microsoft has thoroughly worked on the hardware, and therefore “X” has a higher processor frequency, a better video card with a performance of 6 teraflops (Sony has 4.2), increased RAM (12 GB versus 8 GB) and consumes less electricity (245 versus 310 watts).
But the PRO version will not lose face either. The console has several advantages over its main competitor, thanks to which gamers choose it. Main advantages:
- lighter weight: 3.3 versus 3.8 kilograms;
- availability of PS VR virtual reality technology;
- nice tiled design;
- exclusive games that are not available to Xbox users;
- lower cost of a game console.
What are the differences between the characteristics of PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro?
If you still haven’t decided which PlayStation is better, then here is a short visual comparison of the characteristics of the PS4/Slim with the Pro version in the form of a table:
| PS4, PS4 Slim | PS4 Pro | |
| CPU: | 8 cores; 1.6 GHz | 8 cores; 2.1 GHz |
| Graphic arts: | 1.84 TFLOPS | 4.2 TFLOPS |
| Main memory: | 8 GB; 176.0 GB/s | 8 GB; 217.6 GB/s |
| Additional memory: | 256 MB | 1 GB |
| HDD: | 500 GB or 1 TB | 1 TB |
| Max. game resolution: | Full HD | 4K |
Appearance, dimensions
Let's start our review of the new PlayStation 4 PRO console with its appearance. It is made in a tiled design - the same inclined design and sharp edges. True, the new version has a third tier, which is why the dimensions have changed: now it is 2 centimeters thicker and 0.5 kilograms heavier than its predecessor. The surface of the console is matte, made in classic black or white colors, although there are also exclusive color solutions.
The dimensions of PS 4 Pro are as follows:
- length - 29.5 cm;
- width - 32.7 cm;
- height - 5.5 cm;
- weight - 3.3 kg.
An additional USB port has appeared on the rear panel of the new model - now there are 3 of them. The third connector will be appreciated by those who plan to use PlayStation VR. We also note the presence of HDMI and Ethernet connectors.
Slim
Being, in fact, an upgrade of the previous version, PS4 Slim differs from PS4 in less thickness and weight (by thirty and sixteen percent, respectively). The designers gave it rounded edges, but in return they took away the gloss from the body. And now it is matte.
Game console PlayStation 4 Slim
In addition, Slim is less susceptible to heating than PS4 (about seven degrees), is ten decibels less noisy and consumes almost a third less electricity.
In addition to improving the cooling system, the touch control keys were replaced with the good old mechanical version.
Although the processor, memory and performance remain identical to the base version, the new version has two USB 3.1 ports (instead of one 3.0) and more advanced Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (a/b/g/n/ac and 4.0 instead of b/g /n and 2.1).
The price difference between PS4 and Slim is especially pleasant for the buyer.
The original that originally appeared dropped in price from four hundred US dollars to three hundred and fifty, and the newly released modernization starts from three hundred.
Pros and cons of 4K for console
The main advantage of 4K resolution is improved graphics, because with the same screen diagonal, players get a higher pixel density. Games look more drawn, detailed and of higher quality, but the difference is not that great.
The downside is that not every game supports 4K resolution by default. It's not always possible to just insert a disc and enjoy the gameplay - sometimes you have to spend extra time searching and installing patches. However, this disadvantage is offset by the fact that the range of games with 4K support is constantly growing, and publishers are seeking support for the highest resolution.
⇡#What's inside?
Those who like to build powerful computers every year and a half are unlikely to be impressed by the technical characteristics of the console. However, it should be noted here that the PlayStation 4, like any other game console, is a product for the widest audience, so it simply cannot cost several thousand dollars. And for a device that costs 500 conventional units (compare with similar system units), everything here is even very interesting:
| CPU | 8-core x86-64 AMD Jaguar (base clock frequency - 1.6 GHz; potential overclocking - up to 2.75 GHz) |
| GPU | AMD Radeon with 18 computing units and a peak video chip power of 1.84 teraflops (approximate analogue - Radeon HD 7850/7870) |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR5 (5.5 GHz) with 176 GB/s bandwidth |
| HDD | 500 GB |
| Optical media | Blu-Ray/DVD |
Sony abandoned the unique processor architecture: the unusual Cell in the PlayStation 3 can hardly be called a successful experience in all respects - there were too many problems with porting games and development using non-standard means. PS4 is based on an AMD hybrid processor with x86-64 architecture, which, in addition to the computing cores, has a memory controller and a graphics core built into it.
Yes, in terms of architecture, the new console is not much different from a regular computer - and numerous developers, judging by the loud statements in the news, are only too happy about this. There is also a negative aspect: on the PlayStation 4 it is impossible to implement backward compatibility of games with the PS3 in hardware, but Sony plans to solve this problem in the (im)foreseeable future with the help of cloud services. It’s not for nothing that the Japanese bought Gaikai at one time.
Food for thought for those readers who are still skeptical about the technical data of the set-top box. The predecessor had only 512 MB of RAM, which even by the standards of 2006 seemed a rather modest figure. At the same time, the PS3 had Uncharted, God of War 3, Beyond: Two Souls, The Last of Us and other incredibly beautiful exclusives that simply would not run on a computer with similar characteristics. Therefore, yes - it’s all about optimizing games for specific hardware, and you shouldn’t even try to compare the contents of the console with the contents of your system unit.
Features of the HDR function
Another difference between the PlayStation 4 PRO and previous series is its support for the High Dynamic Range function. It is designed to improve the quality of graphics, providing an expanded dynamic range and color gamut. For the average user, this means that the picture in your favorite video game will look more colorful and more realistic. The color palette is expanding due to deeper shades of blue, green, red, as well as their various combinations.
The PS 4 PRO supports HDR 10, but does not compete with the Dolby Vision format. To enjoy more realistic graphics in video games, you need to connect the console to a 4K TV, without receivers or adapters. However, there are a few important points to remember:
- Only 4K TVs support High Dynamic Range, but not all of them are compatible with HDR 10;
- Enabling HDR on PS4 PRO is easy, but setting it up on your TV can be challenging;
- 4K resolution as such will not allow you to enjoy improved color reproduction; this is only possible on TVs that support HDR 10.
PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro: the difference in games
The most interesting thing is how the differences in hardware affected the difference we see in games. PS4 Pro was the first among PlayStation consoles to somehow learn to operate games in 4K resolution, but gamers with regular Full HD screens were also not forgotten. One of the first advantages of Pro was recently revealed by Sony's high-profile exclusive, Horizon Zero Dawn:
For previously released games, their developers have prepared special patches for PS4 Pro. Some of the authors chose to double the frame rate in those projects where it did not exceed 30 FPS or exceeded it, but was unstable.
Others have improved detail and visuals. This is how one of Sony's main hits of recent times is changing - The Last of Us on PS3, PS4 and PS4 Pro.
By the way, some individual developers managed to increase both FPS and effects using new capacities. However, let's be honest, there are few such examples.
Therefore, if “killing two birds with one stone” did not work out, the developers give Pro users a choice. For example, the creators of Rise of the Tomb Raider provide players with separate modes. In one it will be possible to achieve standard graphics and 60 FPS. In the other - maximum visual effects for Full HD, but only with 30 frames instead of 60.
The current Tomb Raider also has mode No. 3 for 4K TVs (it is also added with the patch). There is no maximum FPS and effects turned up to maximum, but the user will receive highly detailed images.
However, other developers make their games look better on PS4 Pro without any modes by default. For example, The Witcher 3 players will see the following differences on an enhanced Sony console:
The total list of games that received a special patch for PS Pro or, in the case of new projects, initially support the enhanced hardware of the updated console, is already quite large. Here's just a small part of it:
Old games for which the developers never released special patches will work on the powerful PlayStation as usual. To make them look better, Sony itself came up with a trick here, but we will talk about this below, in the section about PlayStation OS.
Overall console gaming performance
Comparing the performance of the PRO version with the Slim version of the game console, you can find that games launch faster on the new device. The difference is insignificant - only 2-3 seconds.
The graphics on PS 4 PRO are also better. But not so much as to write off the standard fourth-generation device or its subsequent version Slim as scrap.
The new PS 4 PRO console records videos and is capable of streaming gameplay, which is perfect for owners of gaming channels on YouTube. Unlike earlier versions, it does this at 60 frames per second and in FullHD resolution. All this will improve the quality of recorded videos and broadcasts, which subscribers will definitely appreciate.
New DualShock 4 and PS Camera
Finally, along with the new game consoles in the fall of 2020, Sony also launched an updated line of key accessories for them. So, in particular, the console’s main controller, DualShock 4, has been updated.
The updated version has a new indicator light on the front panel, and in addition to Bluetooth, it also supports USB communication. This slightly upgraded DualShock 4 comes bundled with both the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim. It is also compatible with the very first model of the fourth PlayStation.
In turn, the PlayStation Camera accessory is now presented in a much more compact case and is equipped with a convenient mount. The PlayStation Camera can be used both in some individual games for PS4 like Until Dawn, and for PlayStation VR, where it is a necessary device for operation.
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Raik
Igor Andreev is the author of articles for ITRew.ru and Our-Firefox.ru. I am passionate about modern technologies, I talk about them in my texts) Follow me — twitter.com
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PS4 Slim
In 2020, improved versions appeared on the market: Slim and Pro.
The differences between PS4 and PS4 Slim cannot be called cardinal when it comes to hardware. The thin version has lower power consumption - 165 watts. The maximum energy consumption of the original version is 250 Watts.
Basically, all changes are cosmetic. The console received a more rounded shape at the corners and began to take up a little less space. Sony designers decided to abandon the glossy surface and the console body became completely matte .
