Jordan O'BrienThe Xbox One S is the cheapest 4K Blu-ray player on the market, and it looks like it will be retaining that crown for a little longer. While Sony kick-started the Blu-ray revolution with the PlayStation 3, the new PlayStation 4 Pro won’t support the upgraded 4K Blu-rays that have recently been released by movie studios across Hollywood. Despite that omission, the PlayStation 4 Pro has gained a few new features that could make it an interesting new games console.
During this entire generation of consoles, Sony has always stated that the PlayStation 4 is a device primarily designed to appeal to gamers – and that hasn’t changed with the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro. To make it even more appealing than the standard model, Sony has upgraded the internal specifications of the PlayStation 4 with a GPU that is supposedly twice as fast as the original one that shipped with the PlayStation 4. This improved GPU is what makes it possible for the PlayStation 4 Pro to boast 4K and HDR support for better visuals during gameplay.
Despite the upgrade to the GPU, this isn’t exactly a drastically different PlayStation and that’s reflected in the price. Those wishing to buy the PlayStation 4 Pro only need to pay £349 for the privilege – which is the exact same price as the PlayStation 4 when it was released. For that money gamers will be able to enjoy an upgraded resolution, but while Sony says it’s ‘4K’ it’s not quite on all games. In fact, the games will actually be rendered in a dynamic mode depending on how the console is currently performing. If the game is designed well and the console is performing well, then Sony says users should expect resolutions that are up to 90% close to 4K.
Despite not reaching the full heights of 4K on some games, the PlayStation 4 Pro can still muster improved detail in most. The company showcased a clip of Shadow of Mordor running on the new console and more nuanced details could be enjoyed thanks to the upgraded GPU.
That’s not to say true 4K rendering isn’t possible on the PlayStation 4 Pro. Bethesda showcased Elder Scrolls Online running natively in the resolution – although it’s a game that doesn’t rely on intense graphics and has a well-rounded games engine.
Sony is not exactly revolutionising gaming with 4K, in fact Microsoft already offers that on the Xbox One S. The key difference between both companies is the way they are achieving it. Microsoft’s current strategy is to upscale games, while Sony is going full-on native 4K. Both are supporting the format that matters however – HDR.
It’s not yet known whether Sony will be able to keep off the competition of Microsoft’s next generation console, dubbed ‘Project Scorpio’, which is said to put the Xbox in a whole new league. Microsoft even commented on the event, claiming that the power capabilities of Project Scorpio vs the PlayStation 4 Pro will be ‘obvious’.
PlayStation 4 To Get HDR Update
Hot on the heels of the upgraded 4K and HDR-toting PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony has revealed that all PlayStation 4 models will be getting an HDR upgrade. That’s besting Microsoft, which has thus far only committed to HDR support on the Xbox One S.
Sony has not yet revealed to what extent existing PlayStation 4 owners will be able to enjoy HDR – whether it will be solely when watching Netflix movies or whether it will also be during gaming. The company did confirm the date the update will hit however – confirming that the upcoming firmware update is set to hit PlayStation 4 users next week.