Announced earlier this fall, Sony is set to release their latest iteration of the PS4, a mid-generation console upgrade. Named the PlayStation 4 Pro or PS4 Pro for short, it’s set to bring gamers better frame rates, higher resolution textures, quicker load times and more. The launch of this new console will coincide with the release of PS4 Pro enhanced versions of many of your favourite games.
A new console to support your 4K setup
Having been revealed by Sony in September, the PS4 Pro is set to bring a whole slew of performance upgrades to the console. Not to be confused with the recently launched PS4 Slim, which is just a slimed down version of the PS4 base console. The PS4 Pro, is said to be more than double the GPU power of the base PS4 model, built on AMD’s Polaris architecture, there will also be a significant CPU boost in the mid-generation console as well. This is pretty important when you consider the leap to 4K resolutions means 4x the amount of pixels need to be displayed on screen when compared to a standard HDTV.
What enhancements can you already use?
Not all games will get special PS4 Pro enhancements, but many developers are already working to get patches out to take advantage of what the PS4 Pro can do. With these patches you can expect games like Deus Ex:Mankind Divided and Titanfall 2, to have higher resolution options, improved effects and more stable frame rates, which will make their in game action all that more intense. Some games like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, inFAMOUS: Second Sun and The Elder Scrolls Online, will offer enhancements like native 4K resolution, improved 1080p graphics and options that favor frame rate or resolution pending your preference. Games like NBA 2K17, The Last Of Us Remastered and Ratchet and Clank will have improved graphics due to HDR rendering, to make sure the games look their best. There are also a huge list of already released games that are yet to have their enhancements announced. Battlefield 1, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3/Infinite Warfare, Fallout 4, RiGS, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End are just a few of the games you can expect to have their PS4 Pro enhancements to be announced soon.
PSVR Games will also benefit from the increased power of the PS4 Pro
Not only will some of your classic PS4 games see graphical and other enhancements, many PSVR games will benefit greatly. Battlezone will offer enhancements like dynamic lighting in the tanks cockpit, increased resolution of screen-spaced reflections and 1080 for VR at 120hz, which will make playing in VR buttery smooth. Other PSVR games like Rez Infinite and Thumper, will support native 4k and boast increased detail in VR.
Hardware Improvements
The PS4 Pro will still support all the 700 plus PS4 titles, including PSVR games as well. This also means those previous titles will be upscaled to 4K, along with full 4K streaming support for sites like YouTube and Netflix. The console will have a new “three-tiered” design and will look similar to the slim model. It will also ship with an updated DualShock 4 controller, with a lightstrip visible on the touchpad and USB data transfer support. There will be a third USB 3.1 port on the back of the console along with support for SATA-III hard drives if you are looking to increase the one terabyte of hard drive space on board. The console will also have the same improved Wifi that can be found on the slim model. You will now also be able to share 4K screenshots and 1080p video with friends.
Expect new titles to have PS4 Pro Enhancements
We will also see many more upcoming titles take advantage of the PS4 Pro enhancements. So that means we can expect games like Final Fantasy XV, Dishonored 2, Mass Effect Andromeda and more, to look better then ever. As these games get released you can see their PS4 Pro enhancements listed on the product page in the PSN store or on the games box.
All in all the PlayStation 4 Pro will be a great addition or upgrade to make the best use of your 4K resolution entertainment setup. With a great line up of enhancements, up scaled games and video streaming, everything will look great when playing on the PS4 Pro.
