PlayStation 4 Pro Review Impressions

The PlayStation 4 Pro, as impressive and technically brilliant as it is, came across as a confusing product. Not only does it challenge the entire concept of the generational cycle that we've been used to for a good long while, it offers a glimpse into a future where consoles are more iterative, where they are more akin to the phone and tablet market where several SKUs offers slightly different experiences. This is the PlayStation 4S, it's the hardcore gamer's choice.

But that doesn't change the fact that the product itself is confusing, a situation that has not been improved by the initial reveal and the messaging afterwards. Powerful questions still linger: Who is this for? Why should we care? What specifically does it offer in terms of tangible advantages over the original PlayStation 4?

Now that we've been able to play around with the final hardware, the result is a bit more reassuring. The PlayStation 4 Pro is a great console, and the strategy and vision behind it has started to feel more clear. However, some of the questions are still unanswered as we move into this new era of game development and, more crucially, it offers a new approach to how we perceive consoles.

Late last week we attended a PlayStation 4 Pro-themed event in London, where an array of iconic people within Sony, as well as a selection of developers working on software tailored for the platform, spoke about the benefits of reinvesting in the PlayStation family. Here, the problem of messaging was as apparent as ever, as both developers, as well as Sony themselves, struggled to explain in a clear and concise way what the platform can actually offer. Buzzwords like 4K and HDR were thrown around, and of course, when Yamauchi-san of Polyphony Digital showed Gran Turismo Sport with HDR and 4K off, and with it on afterwards, the visual effect provided by these two technologies is pretty clear. But in a day-to-day environment, which is where the PlayStation 4 Pro must also prove itself, the visual improvements are pretty small.

One example is Horizon: Zero Dawn, a game that's been lauded for its incredible visuals from the start. The game is beautiful, and even though it's slightly prettier on PlayStation 4 Pro, the actual difference is hidden well within the graphics. You know it's there, and for some that might be enough, but to the naked eye, in the minds of the people who need to purchase this console in order to make it a success, it's pretty hard to gauge.

Over the weekend we've had our own console for testing, and once it's in your home, once it's installed and simply replaces the regular PlayStation 4, then the vision comes into focus. It is, as mentioned before, akin to being a PlayStation 4S. Everything, be it the responsiveness of the various menus, to the crispness of the image, is a little bit better. It's a slight improvement in every single regard, in terms of simply being a console. It's faster, has more power to spare, wastes less time and feels more fluid overall.

Sadly, the new crispness we can see in the software is sorely lacking in the design of the hardware. There are many memes on the internet that demonstrate this point already, but it's still fair to say that this is a new Super Slim PlayStation 3 situation we're in. The original PlayStation 4 is a beautiful piece of design, with its slightly skewered angles and two-tone material scheme. It's small, sleek and doesn't immediately hurt the eye in the living room, as is the case with most consoles throughout the years. Many therefore thought that the PlayStation 4 Slim represented a massive step back for Sony, as was the case with the final version of the PlayStation 3. Somehow it looked too cheap, like Fisher Price somehow had had a hand in deciding its design.

Whether they're right or not, the PlayStation 4 Pro is more a Big Mac version of the Slim, rather than being based on the original design, and that's pretty frustrating. It's a Slim with a couple of extra pounds around the waste, and flattering to look at it is not. The matte finish is back, and while it lacks the crisp edges of the original, it's quite a uniform machine to behold. However, as it quickly becomes clear once you've looked at it closely, it's actually quite large, not only compared to the Slim, but to the regular PS4. Whether you like the Slim or not, it was small, thin and very, very light, and so it did feel like we at least mechanically took a step forwards compared to the original machine. With the PlayStation 4 Pro, however, it seems to be a step backwards design wise, regardless of the beefed up hardware.

But, luckily, you mainly invest in the PlayStation 4 Pro to play games on, and in this key respect the experience has been dialled up. As we mentioned before in terms of experiencing Horizon: Zero Dawn at the event, you're not quite sure what it is in particular that you're noticing in the PlayStation 4 Pro version. You constantly gaze at the screen when playing a game like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and think to yourself "it definitely looks better," but working out why is the hard part. Is it the HDR? Is it the increased texture detail? The resolution bump? The case is different from title to title, but playing around with the hardware and a bunch of the games that have received Pro-oriented patches during the last few days, the difference is quite clear, and more importantly it's clear to someone who's not used to looking at graphical improvements with such a keen eye.

Now let's take a look at what exactly it is you're getting. Here is the complete list of hardware specifications:

These are the new PS4 Pro specs:

Main processor: Custom-chip single Processor
CPU: x86-64 AMD "Jaguar," 8 cores
GPU: 4.20 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon-based graphics engine
Memory: GDDR5 8GB 1GB of VRAM
Storage size: 1TB
External dimensions: Approx. 295×55×327 mm (width × height × length)
Mass: Approx. 3.3 kg
BD/DVD Drive: BD × 6 CAV, DVD × 8 CAV
Input/Output: Super-Speed USB (USB 3.1 Gen.1) port × 3, AUX port × 1
Networking: Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)×1, IEEE 802.11 a/ b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE)
AV Output: HDMI out port (supports 4K/HDR) DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) port

So, how does this actually improve the games that have received patches and updates to take advantage of the extra power? Well, for one, most of the launch line-up opts for the 4K checkerboard solution, which essentially upscales a given image in real time, to make it appear as if it has a higher resolution than what is actually presented on screen. It's an acceptable solution, and with games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare it does present a noticeable visual difference, albeit one where you do have to squint occasionally to appreciate it. Resolution is not all though, and neither is HDR, so it's essential to the PlayStation 4 Pro ecosystem going forward that more games offer the choice of how the consumer would like to use that extra horsepower. A recent example is the upcoming Nioh, which lets you switch between 4K, 60fps and texture details on the fly.

The actual line-up is quite impressive, and will most definitely include all major releases going forward, but for the titles out there which won't receive a specific update to support the Pro, don't expect anything to change. As Mark Cerny has been quoted saying, the GPU size in the Pro is double that of a normal PlayStation 4, but if you play an unsupported title on the console, that extra GPU power is simply turned off; this in order to avoid any technical hiccups in games that have been designed for a regular PlayStation 4. It's a clean way to support titles with and without updates at the same time, and leaves it up to developers how and if they want to support the console.

While the results are obvious on a 4K TV with HDR on, the difference is not so obvious on a regular Full HD TV. A few games offer an "enhanced graphics" mode, like Shadow of Mordor and Rise of the Tomb Raider, but the difference isn't really that noticeable. Is it better? Sure, but not by much. The biggest advantage for a Full HD TV owner might be an improvement in the game's framerate. Both Rise of the Tomb Raider and Infamous: Second Son now support a 60 frames per second mode over the original locked 30 frames per second, and that's a big plus. Both games run a lot smoother and the difference is clear. Shadow of Mordor, on the other hand, only offers higher resolution (useless to Full HD TVs) and enhanced graphics, no 60 frames per second mode. So this is where we're at: games will offer different settings, and these changes might not always be worth it for those with a HD TV.

But you need to work out in which category you belong before you can really answer the question we're all asking: is it worth buying one?

"I own a 4K TV": You will be getting the most out of the PS4 Pro, and you will see a clear difference in terms of graphics over the regular PS4, so it's worth getting one in this context. We can really only complain about the absence of a 4K Blu-Ray reader in this regard.

"I love PSVR": The games we tested looked sharper, and what we saw at the London event showed a clear difference. If you're into the PSVR, the PS4 Pro is the perfect match.

"I don't own a PS4": Well, regardless of having a Full HD TV, or a 4K TV, if you want a PS4, go for the Pro. It's the superior version, and you will be ready for 4K gaming.

"I have a PS4 and a Full HD TV": Honestly? For now stick with your PS4 unless you really need to have the best tech as it launches (if that's the case, where's your 4K TV?). It's still unclear how many games will demonstrate a clear difference on a Full HD TV, so we need to advise you to wait for now, see how games evolve in this regard, and perhaps hope for a price drop in the future.

Regardless of what we say above, the actual worth of the console ultimately comes down to how you approach video games, new tech launches, and the price. The hardware itself is well worth the cost it asks, but you need to figure out if you're gonna take full advantage of its power or not, and how important that is for you.