PlayStation 4 Pro Review

The PlayStation 4 Pro is not a new generation of console. It is still a PlayStation 4, a reworked version of the existing machine rather than a successor. Sony keeps the two libraries together: current and upcoming PS4 games run on both the original PS4 and the PS4 Pro, with no Pro-exclusive titles. What separates the two is how those games perform.

The PS4 Pro sells for $399 on GameStop. PlayStation VR also works on both consoles; to use it, you add the camera and the PSVR headset to either machine.

Design

The PS4 Pro adds a third layer to the two-layer stack of the original PS4, so the shape reads as a taller version of the same design. The PS4 logo sits on the right side, keeping the family look. The finish is a matte Jet Black, replacing the glossy piano-black surface of the earlier model.

The Power and Eject buttons, easy to confuse on the original PS4, now sit on different edges of the console. The Pro uses a new power port and places two USB ports on the front. Sony keeps the same Blu-ray disc drive rather than moving to a 4K Blu-ray drive. On the back are the HDMI, AUX, digital optical output, USB and Ethernet ports, with a ventilation grille spread across a wide area above them.

The console is a little larger and taller than the original PS4. The gamepad carries over with small changes: better hold materials, and the light bar moved onto the touchpad as a strip.

Hardware

The hardware is where the two machines part ways. According to Sony, the PS4 Pro has a processor 30% more powerful than the original PS4, which feeds a stronger graphics processor.

The CPU is an AMD Jaguar with 8 cores at 2.1 GHz, against the same Jaguar chip at 1.6 GHz in the original PS4. Graphics come from an AMD Radeon GPU rated at 4.2 TFLOPS, up from 1.84 TFLOPS in the original PS4. Storage is 1 TB, and memory is 8 GB of GDDR5 RAM.

Connectivity steps up as well: HDMI 2.0 in place of the original’s 1.4, a USB 3.1 port, Bluetooth 4.0 rather than 2.1, and Wi-Fi at 802.11ac.

Performance

Every PS4 game, including upcoming ones, runs on both consoles, so nothing is Pro-only. The difference shows up in performance. With HDR and 4K support, the PS4 Pro comes into its own on HDR and 4K televisions: games run at 4K between 30 and 60 FPS, and at Full HD it can reach 60 FPS.

In practice, a game may run at 30 FPS at 4K and 60 FPS at 1080p, while the original PS4 stays at 1080p. Battlefield 1 runs at 60 FPS on the Pro, using checkerboard rendering to reach 4K rather than a native 4K image.

Running the same game on both machines is the clearest way to see the gap, and the difference is visible even at Full HD rather than only at 4K. The 4K itself comes in two forms depending on the title: some newer games render at native 4K, while others are upscaled from Full HD. Most PS4 games are optimized for the Pro, with around 50 more set to be converted.

One limit: the PS4 Pro has no Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, so it cannot play physical 4K discs. 4K streaming from YouTube and Netflix does work.

Who it suits

The PS4 Pro narrows the gap between consoles and PCs on newer display technologies while keeping the whole PS4 library intact. It fits best if you own a 4K or HDR television and want games to run at higher resolution and frame rates. It also makes sense as a first console for someone who does not yet own a PS4. If you already have an original PS4 and no 4K display, the added hardware has less to work with.