PlayStation 4.5 to arrive before Sony's VR platform launches in October

[Shawn Knight]

Reports surfaced a couple of weeks ago suggesting Sony was developing a more powerful version of its PlayStation 4 game console. Now, we’re hearing rumblings that the new console, dubbed by media as the PlayStation 4.5 and the PlayStation 4K, could arrive sooner rather than later.

Sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that Sony is planning to announce the new console before the PlayStation VR arrives in October. The new machine will reportedly offer higher-end gaming experiences including virtual reality and 4K output, corroborating the earlier report.

The Journal added that existing PS4 owners would need to buy the new model to take full advantage of the enhanced graphics and power. Sources said the two machines would likely share the same software catalog. That said, one would assume that Sony’s current PlayStation 4 can power its virtual reality platform just fine but perhaps at a lower resolution with less eye candy than the new machine.

Interestingly enough, Sony will continue to manufacture the original PS4 alongside the new system.

Polygon points to other clues that indicate a new console is coming. Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt told Huffington Post UK last year that Sony promised them a new version of its PS4 with support for 4K was in the pipeline. What’s more, Netflix told Forbes a month later that it expects refreshed hardware from both Sony and Microsoft in the near future.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/64245-playstation-45-arrive-before-sony-vr-platform-launches.html

 

[davislane1]

Glad I won my PS4 in a bet. Having to buy a whole new machine after waiting years just for content...I imagine some people are none too happy.

Now, they can save themselves from the obvious P.R. blunder by offering trade-in incentives. That would work in their favor.

 

[m4a4]

Fragmenting the market? That would be a dumb move so early. No dev in their right mind would develop a game solely for the more powerful one, which means that there won't be a good enough reason to buy it. Which will feed the cycle of why this is a dumb move.

If they made it convenient to upgrade, this might go smoother. But I don't think they can afford to do that for cheap considering the loss involved. I just feel like this is born out of desperation considering how early in the PS4's life it would be released...

 

[Evernessince]

I've been hearing rumors about this for some time and if it does go through it will kneecap sony. No one wants to buy a new console every 3 years. There's little to no chance that this will do 4k either, a machine of that power would cost more than $600 and sony would have to take a loss.

 

[amstech]

With how shallow and trendy things get nowadays, it wouldn't surprise me if Sony released a better version of the PS4 to adhere to the latest and greatest gaming trends. Microsoft did it with the 360 just like Sony made the slim PS2. Albeit those didn't have superior hardware/updates in hardware but nevertheless they were newer, better running consoles. I have a 360S and its reliable and quiet.

But right to the point:
VR is something that 'could' take off. Anyone left outside might have trouble getting back in and Sony has the $$$ to take a risk or two in the gaming segment; considering how well their gaming branch is doing and has been doing. The PS4, PS3 and PS2 have all been great success's, and Sony has taken the strongest buildings in the gaming industry right now. It's all brick baby, and their going for it.
If it fails its ok, VR will reset. Gamers will know Sony was all in and that goes a long way. Sony know's the PS4 has the best hardware and its the most popular platform right now, and they will use that momentum to hells end. And why not? They worked hard to get there.

 

[Duckeenie]

Fragmenting the market? That would be a dumb move so early. No dev in their right mind would develop a game solely for the more powerful one, which means that there won't be a good enough reason to buy it. Which will feed the cycle of why this is a dumb move.

If they made it convenient to upgrade, this might go smoother. But I don't think they can afford to do that for cheap considering the loss involved. I just feel like this is born out of desperation considering how early in the PS4's life it would be released...

TFA says both machines will use the same catalogue.

 

[m4a4]

TFA says both machines will use the same catalogue.

Yeah, which doesn't give the gamers any solid reason to upgrade. "Multi platform" console games will always be made for the lowest common denominator (which means the HD PS4 version won't look good enough to convince people it's worth the upgrade).

I'm not saying it won't have games that look decent. I'm just saying that there's not a big enough reason to buy it, and the devs will know that. Most people will be cheap and get the old PS4 because practically all games on the HD PS4 will also be on it looking a little less pretty (aka, full catalogue)....

 

[Geforcepat]

All these ps4.5 rumors have me questioning my Uncharted 4 console bundle preorder.

 

[Puiu]

TFA says both machines will use the same catalogue.

Yeah, which doesn't give the gamers any solid reason to upgrade. "Multi platform" console games will always be made for the lowest common denominator (which means the HD PS4 version won't look good enough to convince people it's worth the upgrade).

I'm not saying it won't have games that look decent. I'm just saying that there's not a big enough reason to buy it, and the devs will know that. Most people will be cheap and get the old PS4 because practically all games on the HD PS4 will also be on it looking a little less pretty (aka, full catalogue)....

even if they don't make the games more "pretty", it will at least offer more stable framerates and better loading times (plus better 4K support).

 

[Jeff Schmidt]

Why are these companies so stupid. Just have a slot on it that allows us to remove the gpu and install a new one. Granted it can't be any gpu. Only gpu's sold by Sony/AMD. So the system will come with one gpu. Then a faster gpu will be available later. Simple upgrade.

 

[dogofwars]

Why are these companies so stupid. Just have a slot on it that allows us to remove the gpu and install a new one. Granted it can't be any gpu. Only gpu's sold by Sony/AMD. So the system will come with one gpu. Then a faster gpu will be available later. Simple upgrade.

They are not stupid, those are console made for the mainstream and they need to make it as cheap as possible having the ability to upgrade your console basically require extra housing and hardware logic which cost a lot more and are more prone to failure.

It's like external GPU just for the casing it cost a few hundreds at least for PC. Granted they could make it cheaper. The solution they choose is a CPU and iGPU which is basically one chip that have both circuit.

https://www.techspot.com/news/63382-razer-blade-stealth-laptop-external-graphics-card.html

All in all most people will be happy with what they have and those upgraded console will be a fraction of the original PS4 console.

People complain about the price as it is they don't understand the tech behind so if you come up with something complex your competitor will sell something cheaper and will make more money and more console than you do, just look at the Wii.

 

[Goldotex]

It would be awesome to have an M2 port for a hard drive, with a samsung 950 with big transfers speeds.! Please sony

 

[Evernessince]

It would be awesome to have an M2 port for a hard drive, with a samsung 950 with big transfers speeds.! Please sony

That's not going to happen. What would be the point to installing an M.2 drive that's more expensive than the console itself?

 

[dogofwars]

I've been hearing rumors about this for some time and if it does go through it will kneecap sony. No one wants to buy a new console every 3 years. There's little to no chance that this will do 4k either, a machine of that power would cost more than $600 and sony would have to take a loss.

This will just give the same render from two different point of view so you just need to have more power but the logic is basically two different "view port" and that will feed the goggle for the VR.

I presume that can be accomplish without any modification from the game but just taking the current "view port" and just adjusting it for the left and right eye. It might require a patch but not much need to be done in the code itself.

I doubt that is 4K because it would require from 2 to 4 time the power and with the VR you multiply that again by 2, unless you have 4K without the VR but 4K is more complicate without recoding the game because some details cannot scale well like some text and some texture would be displaced and would not fit properly anymore.

 

[oldikes]

4K at 15 FPS

Coming up next, the xbox 666 - capable of a whopping 8K resolution at 7-8 FPS.

Seriously. This might support 4k media and such, but aint gonna do much at 4K, except maybe like ported PS2 games or something..

 

[risc32]

Well, I think this idea is foolish. They aren't getting me to swap up without a really good reason and really good trade ps4 trade in program. Can't say about that first one, but the second one won't happen.
. Why don't they make consoles upgradeable? They have, many times. How about the Sega cd, or the Sega 32x, or even the n64? I remember putting more ram in my n64. Can't say any of these did any good. I think the turbo grafix16 also had a cd drive option.
look , 1080p has been the dominant HD format for a good long time, yet we don't yet have consoles that can really deliver it. That's pretty weak actually. This was the first console generation that wasn't about 10x more powerful than the model before it, and that was a huge mistake. Simple as that.
I have a ps4 , and I like it ok. Honestly my biggest gripe so far is all the damn user names, accounts, emails and passwords I have to set up just so my kids can play a few games. I bought my kids garden warfare 2 yesterday and nearly threw a controller into my tv when I realized I needed to setup yet another damn account just so they could play. This time, some damn ea account.....
. But that I'm afraid is the state of gaming for everyone in 2016..

 

[davislane1]

Well, I think this idea is foolish. They aren't getting me to swap up without a really good reason and really good trade ps4 trade in program. Can't say about that first one, but the second one won't happen.
. Why don't they make consoles upgradeable? They have, many times. How about the Sega cd, or the Sega 32x, or even the n64? I remember putting more ram in my n64. Can't say any of these did any good. I think the turbo grafix16 also had a cd drive option.
look , 1080p has been the dominant HD format for a good long time, yet we don't yet have consoles that can really deliver it. That's pretty weak actually. This was the first console generation that wasn't about 10x more powerful than the model before it, and that was a huge mistake. Simple as that.
I have a ps4 , and I like it ok. Honestly my biggest gripe so far is all the damn user names, accounts, emails and passwords I have to set up just so my kids can play a few games. I bought my kids garden warfare 2 yesterday and nearly threw a controller into my tv when I realized I needed to setup yet another damn account just so they could play. This time, some damn ea account.....
. But that I'm afraid is the state of gaming for everyone in 2016..

It was understanable with the previous generaton console (PS3) because of the CELL chip and related architecture. When they switched to more approachable hardware, they should have engineered an expansion bay for an additional or replacement GPU. The console would have been bulkier, but a better performer.

On a semi-related note, Microsoft's AI, Tay, recently said PS4 was better than Xbox One. This must mean MS has no answer to the PS4.5.

 

[Puiu]

4K at 15 FPS

Coming up next, the xbox 666 - capable of a whopping 8K resolution at 7-8 FPS.

Seriously. This might support 4k media and such, but aint gonna do much at 4K, except maybe like ported PS2 games or something..

I think you misunderstood something. they aren't going to render the games at native 4K. (although simple games will be able to) It will just have proper 4k upscaling from resolutions that are between 1080p and 4K. This way devs can target 60 FPS without worrying that they will need to set the resolution sub 1080p. with high quality AA and a good upscaling algorithm they can get really good 4K image quality. (much better than what the PS4 currently achieves)
for me 1080p/60p should be the standard for the next 2-3 years. then they can release PS5 for proper 4K.

 

[cliffordcooley]

So it goes on sale before people can find out, how well it will actually support VR. Now this is marketing at it's finest.

 

[oldikes]

I think you misunderstood something. they aren't going to render the games at native 4K. (although simple games will be able to) It will just have proper 4k upscaling from resolutions that are between 1080p and 4K. This way devs can target 60 FPS without worrying that they will need to set the resolution sub 1080p. with high quality AA and a good upscaling algorithm they can get really good 4K image quality. (much better than what the PS4 currently achieves)
for me 1080p/60p should be the standard for the next 2-3 years. then they can release PS5 for proper 4K.

in which case this product is utterly pointless? I dont get it, whos going to pay hundreds of dollars to upscale their content to 4k...

 

[OortCloud]

This was the first console generation that wasn't about 10x more powerful than the model before it, and that was a huge mistake. Simple as that.

Yeah they really under-powered this gen. I think they got their hands so burnt by overheating and unreliability last time around they went too conservative.

I suspect this PS4k is just a 4K media player which also has the VR breakout stuff built in so you wont need that external box for the VR, but could be wrong.

 

[FPSChris]

I don't own anything to output 4k to.
I won't (in the near future) own anything to output 4k to.

I will, once prices drop and they start offering 120Hz models purchase a moderate sized 4k display.

Anyone else got a 4k (TV, not monitor) @ 30Hz. What does it look like compared to a 100Hz + modern 1080 display? Asides from being higher resolution obviously, I mean more towards fluidity of the onscreen pictures.

 

[Edito]

Even if we are willing to buy the new console, are gamers willing to buy new TVs just for playing few 4K games?

I'm a Sony fanboy since ever I always backed them up and supported but seriously I just can't see sense in this PS4.5 I just can't no matter how I look at it, I was in talk with my wife the other day and she asked what are you going to do with this PS4 after the new one comes? Damn Sony you still can avoid this mess.

I will have to sell my PS3 that is in my room for media playback and netflix replace with the old PS4 and buy the new PS4.5 for the living room that's too much for me buy the way there is no such thing as trade in in my country lol...

You did Sony, congrats for messing everyone...

 

[RebelFlag]

For everyone who wants a gaming platform that is upgrade-able, that can run more than one GPU, or an M.2 drive, it already exists.........it's called a PC.

 

[OcelotRex]

Why are these companies so stupid. Just have a slot on it that allows us to remove the gpu and install a new one. Granted it can't be any gpu. Only gpu's sold by Sony/AMD. So the system will come with one gpu. Then a faster gpu will be available later. Simple upgrade.

Jeff,

Neither console uses a traditional GPU. They both use APUs (CPU/GPU on the same chip). Thus your solution would be impossible.

As to why Sony and Microsoft chose the AMD Jaguar architecture over something you described that would be a question for them. I think it's likely due to cost and the maturity of AMD's APUs.

ETA: There might be a possible solution if either console had a fast enough port (thunderbolt or PCI express) available. AMD has dual graphics options specific to their APUs currently for PCs - something like that could be adopted for a console if said port was available. Sadly I am almost positive there is not one available.