It know it has been a little bit since I’ve last posted anything. Nevertheless, there has been quite a bit of news in the PS4 front and so I plan to just get right to it.
I have posted in the past about rumors suggesting Sony could be planning an upgraded PS4 of sorts that will be capable of supporting 4k resolution games as well as higher frame rates. I’ve also mentioned my opinions on the idea and what Sony should do if they decided to release such a system.
Well things have heated up and very strong rumors are being released stating that Sony is going to release such a system and it is going to be code named Neo. It will have beefier specs in order to accommodate 4k gaming and better support for VR according to some rumors, but others point out that is being done in such a way that it won’t split the user base.
I still have my reservations about it, but Sony will supposedly not make 4k resolution a major requirement on the new version of the PS4. Plus the rumors are suggestion that the new PS4 mode is not a replacement for the “base” PS4 model which is what everyone has right now.
It still makes me wonder how Sony will not split the fan base, but hopefully they’ll offer some upgrade option for those who have a PS4 and want to get the newer more powerful model.
I can tell you right now that I would certainly want to get the more powerful version, but something else would have to happen first before I could get the supposed new PS4. First of all, I do not have a 4k television.
I have a 1080p LED television right now and it makes me happy with its resolution, but 4k televisions are making big inroads right now especially since prices for them have dropped dramatically over the last couple of years. They are definitely finding their ways into living rooms a lot more these days.
That will mean if I get the “Neo” PS4 then I would inevitably want to get a 4k television to enjoy the games released for the system that will support 4k resolution. That right there means I would probably have to spend $400 or more for a decent 4k tv and after having bought a 42″ 1080p Vizio just a couple of years ago, not sure I’m ready to plunk down more money for another television so soon especially having to spend money on an upgraded PS4.
If you’re wondering about the specs of what the “Neo” will be like, here is an excerpt from an article over at Gamespot that shows the possible internal components compared to the original PS4:
| Original PS4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8 Jaguar Cores at 1.6 GHz | 8 Jaguar Cores at 2.1 GHz (Neo) |
| GPU | AMD GCN, 18 CUs at 800 MHz | Improved AMD GCN, 36 CUs at 911 MHz |
| Memory | 8 GB GDDR5, 176 GB/s | 8 GB GDDR5, 218 GB/s |
As you can see above, the “Neo” PS4 system will have the same amount of cores, but with higher processor speed and a stronger GPU and more bandwith for memory as well. This would certainly make it easier to have beefier graphics of 4k resolution and possibly higher frame rates.
Sony has not officially said anything about a new PS4 model or even a release date, but there are so many strong indicators that the company has big plans to released such a model and make an official statement about it soon.
As always, check back here for new updates on the possible new PS4 system that could be coming this year. It is only heating up now and I’m sure a lot more rumors and possibly something official from Sony is imminent. What are your thoughts on this?
I think youre right, Sony is risking splitting the fan base with an upgrade like this. The financial hits keep coming with having to upgrade your TV as well. Thanks Sony! Do you have any info about a release of a PS5? Or are we still a while away from that. It is very interesting times. i hope it is all worth it for lovers of PS4 and its not just some lame money grab by Sony…
Hello there Ben! Yeah I think this is not a really good idea by Sony. There has not been mention of a true successor to the PS4 at this time and that brings up a really good point. If you’re releasing a more powerful PS4, how are you going to make the PS5 much more powerful, but also keep the costs of it down?
The PS4 was launched in Nov 2013 and distributed world wide round about Feb 2014. This new upgrade to PS4 up-setted many existing PS3 users because the original PS3 games cannot be played on the new PS4 hardware. The coming upgrade on PS4 will be able to support 4K resolution for better game play assuming that due to the falling prices 4K UHDTV will become more affordable. It will be good news to existing PS4 users that the “Neo” PS4 was developed on the same platform as the original PS4. This may cause the price of the original PS4 to drop thereby encouraging older PS3 users to upgrade and have the option to purchase the newer version of PS4 when it becomes available towards the end of the year.
Hi there Kelsey! Yeah I guess I didn’t look at it that way that the base PS4 model could come down in price and others still holding on to the PS3 could finally upgrade to a PS4.
Haha oohh man, they’re beefing it up? That’s crazy. I wonder what Microsoft will do to compete. I kinda was hoping Sony would put more efforts into Virtual Reality gaming. Beefing up a PS4 for 4k gaming is cool, but HD and 4k are pretty similar haha. It ultimately matters what the game was developed to handle. But it should be interesting nonetheless.
Microsoft is actually working on a very powerful new version of Xbox which is being codenames Scorpio at the moment. It is definitely going to get interesting, but it seems most game developers are heavily in favor of this. Both of these new systems are said to be able to handle VR pretty solidly so I’m definitely curious to see how this will go.