Wednesday, September 7th 2016

Sony Launches AMD "Polaris" Powered PlayStation 4 Pro

Sony today announced an addition to its PlayStation family of entertainment systems, with the new PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro). The PS4 Pro isn't meant to succeed the PS4, and is still a "current generation" console, in that all of its games are compatible with the PS4, and there won't be PS4 Pro-exclusive games. What sets it apart is higher-resolution game rendering that looks best on 4K Ultra HD TVs. This doesn't necessarily mean that the games are being rendered at 3840 x 2160 pixels. They could be rendered at resolutions higher than 1080p, and using just the right upscaling algorithms, made to look significantly better than 1080p. Another key visual component is hardware HDR. The PS4 Pro falls in line with Sony's big push for 4K HDR TVs this holiday shopping season.

Under the hood, the PlayStation 4 Pro features an all new semi-custom SoC designed by Sony and AMD. The CPU component sticks to the "Jaguar/Puma" architecture, with 8 cores, but features higher CPU clock speeds. The 8 GB GDDR5 memory is said to run at higher clocks, too, and is bolstered by new lossless memory compression tech by AMD. The GPU component is where the action is. The GPU features over double the shading power of the PS4, and is based on the "Polaris" GPU architecture. The PS4 Pro also ships with a bigger 1 TB hard drive. There is seamless interplayability between PS4 and PS4 Pro. PS4 games you already own are being added with higher-resolution content meant for PS4 Pro. The console also has the muscle for PS-VR. For those still holding on to 1080p HDTVs, the PS4 Pro rewards with higher visual detail, more geometric complexity, and better effects, at that resolution. The PS4 Pro starts at $399.
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81 Comments on Sony Launches AMD "Polaris" Powered PlayStation 4 Pro

#26
Captain_Tom
evernessinceConsidering the 1 TB HDD in this thing is going to be super low end it's not really worth much. Get an RX 470 plus a 1 TB HDD for an easy $230. Add a pentium G3258 + mobo and ram for $100, another $20 for the case plus $30 for the PSU and you just made a system that's all around better for less money.
LMAO enjoy not being able to start half of your games with that dual core shill.

What you just configured would cost $450. Now add $80 for windows 10 for $530 total. Oh and it can't play 4K Blu Rays.


Look I 90% game on PC, but don't act like this is overpriced. You are just making PC gamers look dumb.
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#27
ppn
Why not update it to ZEN and HBM2 already. And make the CPU/GPU chips replaceable on socket just like regular cpu. I doubt it that jaguar will fix the CPU bottleneck just by 500 MHz bump. EDF4.1 and bloodbourne lags bad as it is.
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#28
_Flare
So in the best case it has a downclocked RX480 maybe 1750MHz GDDR5 the New Technologies GPU-side could easily bring doubled Game-Perf.
plus 2x Carizzo-L(puma+)-4Core maybe CPU-side of A8-7410 2.2-2.5 GHz (2x25W)
instead of the 1.6GHz Jaguar-Cores of the PS4

if it used Turbo-Core it´s puma-based, newer than jaguar
PS4 uses a modified GCN1 maybe GCN2 and its ISA
GCN4 is way better designed for APU-usage and easier software-development
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#29
bogmali
In Orbe Terrum Non Visi
Stop posting off topic non-sense and turning this into a PC v Console battle. Just a friendly reminder;)
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#30
AsRock
TPU addict
SupercritPeople will try to nitpick even if the new PS4 was given free.
I wish i got my PS3 for free as i only found 4 games i actually liked. Always wanted to play though God Of War but the controls are umm too console HAHA. Seems stupidly over the top.
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#31
Naito
bogmaliStop posting off topic non-sense and turning this into a PC v Console battle. Just a friendly reminder;)
If referring to OP - this is TechPowerUp, not PCPowerUp, so it's perfectly fine to report on consoles. New tech, is new tech.

EDIT: Whoops! Didn't see the smiley one my phone... didn't realise it was a tongue-in-cheek post. Sorry! :oops:
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#32
Frick
Fishfaced Nincompoop
nickbaldwin86Nope I could honestly care less... I have never owned a console in my life #PCGAMERMASTERRACE! but they could put in a 512GB for $100 or less at their cost and have a MUCH faster more reliable experience. I cant stand to even browse the internet on a PC with a HDD any more. maybe a 1TB drive is needed? those 1GB saved game files?

Even a Hybrid drive at 1TB would be better and those are cheap!
Not many laptops in that price range has SSDs.

Not too shabby tbh.
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#33
Fouquin
NaitoIf referring to OP - this is TechPowerUp, not PCPowerUp, so it's perfectly fine to report on consoles. New tech, is new tech.

EDIT: Whoops! Didn't see the smiley one my phone... didn't realise it was a tongue-in-cheek post. Sorry! :oops:
Not to mention that post is from a staff member. :P
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#34
bogmali
In Orbe Terrum Non Visi
NaitoIf referring to OP - this is TechPowerUp, not PCPowerUp, so it's perfectly fine to report on consoles. New tech, is new tech.

EDIT: Whoops! Didn't see the smiley one my phone... didn't realize it was a tongue-in-cheek post. Sorry! :oops:
:rolleyes: I'm not referring to BTA but rather to the trolls :p
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#35
Nkd
nickbaldwin86that price and no Solid State drive? pfft drink salt water!
LOL wait priced at 399 for a faster gpu and 1tb hard drive and UHD? You kidding me? Its frickin better than xbox one slim at that price. you want 1tb ssd that is already 300? ROFL.
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#36
SUPERREDDEVIL
RejZoRI don't understand the point of consoles anymore. They are entirely missing the point of them...
GIVE THIS MAN A BEER!
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#37
ZoneDymo
NaitoIf referring to OP - this is TechPowerUp, not PCPowerUp, so it's perfectly fine to report on consoles. New tech, is new tech.

EDIT: Whoops! Didn't see the smiley one my phone... didn't realise it was a tongue-in-cheek post. Sorry! :oops:
Reading comprehension, all he said was dont make it in a A vs B nonsense hater "debate".
Never was it said that A was not to be discussed.
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#38
Rowsol
Yea, because at 8 feet from your TV you can totally see the difference between 1080p and this upscaled 4k. What are they thinking? Your games need higher FPS!
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#39
NC37
Clock speed is 2.1Ghz if this leak is accurate.

wccftech.com/playstation-4-neo-leaked-document-reveals-specs-developer-guidelines/

Upgrades to the graphics aside, still don't know all the details on Scorpio. I doubt M$ will lowball again. If their 6TBps info is accurate, then it'll suddenly be on top. However, whether or not M$ breaks even on each console could be in question. They lowballed and lost so they might just go all out and high ball to get back on top. Really depends what they do with the CPU. Jag cores are pretty crappy.

Either way, consumers win.
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#40
Xajel
I don't currently have a PS4, I'm considering one for playing in free time and also as Media player.. I thought the Pro will be a better choice as it will be able to handle 4K and HEVC videos nicely.. and also as BluRay Player ( which I don't see I'll use for this streaming and downloading age, but it's just a plus )... So I suspect it will able to play UHD BD later... how long it will take, I don't know but I don't care currently as I still don't have an UHD TV yet.. planning maybe after 2 years or so. and I plan to keep the PS4 Pro longer than that...
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#41
Naito
ZoneDymoReading comprehension, all he said was dont make it in a A vs B nonsense hater "debate".
Never was it said that A was not to be discussed.
Serves me right for accessing TPU while at work... :banghead:
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#42
Mangalhas
RejZoRI don't understand the point of consoles anymore. They are entirely missing the point of them...
Agree with you RejZor...i don't understand paying to play online, I don't understand why pay for incomplete games that receive dlc's and you have to pay again, I don't understand why pay for customs, why pay for weapons I don't understand Pay to Win... I don't understand how people are capable of paying console/game/internet/psplus/dlc to play one single game... I don't understand how people feed this system...This should not be the path of consoles...And now these updated consoles too...this is like stabbing the fans in the back and they appreciate it...they are transforming the console industry into selling PC hardware every two/three years...but it's my point of view.
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#43
Caring1
www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/ps4-5-ps4k-playstation-neo-news-rumours-price-release-date-games-psvr
An excerpt

"PS4 Pro specs – How much more powerful will the console be than a PS4?

Initial reports suggested PS4 Neo, as it was known, would feature a superior clock speed to the PS4 (2.1GHz vs 1.6Ghz), as well as an improved GPU.

Specifically, the current PS4 features an AMD GCN with 18 compute units running at 800MHz, but the PS4 Pro is expected to have 36 compute units running at a faster 911MHz clock speed – we'll confirm this when Sony does.

In broad terms, Sony says the PS4 Pro's GPU is more than twice as fast the PS4's, but didn't use specific numbers in its launch address."

And "only" $100 more than a standard PS4.
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#44
Finners
Thought about getting this for a few games I have missed and it being a relatively cheap 4k blu Ray player but seems this won't actually have a 4k drive which is odd.
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#45
Bjorn_Of_Iceland
Ok so basically, the games on it won't be rendered in native 4k (possible maybe with ps2 quality graphics), but rather just a post processed "upscaled" 1080p? Weak af.
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#46
dj-electric
I dont know about you guys, but i'm happy that the PS4 Pro launched.

No, not becuase of the device itself. I couldn't give a rat's bottom about this hunk'o'junk.

It was a true freakshow of missleading and embarrassment. I loved watching it and laughing loudly. Better than a summer comedy
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#47
BirdyNV
This damn thing...advertising that its a 4K gaming machine is almost false advertising, I very much doubt this thing will actually perform the way sony says it will. And if it does, shit, you know it costs more to make than what they are selling it for.
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#48
MustSeeMelons
I assume on current PS4 games this Pro version will not make any difference, or maybe there will be patches for it? If it will draw the prices of the standard down I'd be happy, could snatch one for Uncharted :P
P.S. Why all the hate? It's a beefed up PS4, that is all. I'd rather read people hate on the new iPhone.
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#49
BirdyNV
MustSeeMelonsI assume on current PS4 games this Pro version will not make any difference, or maybe there will be patches for it? If it will draw the prices of the standard down I'd be happy, could snatch one for Uncharted :p
P.S. Why all the hate? It's a beefed up PS4, that is all. I'd rather read people hate on the new iPhone.
Is there a thread for the iphone? Go there. But yeah its just ugh, its not really what sony should be doing. But theyre doing it anyway because they held such a big lead for the longest time, and now I feel they are just gonna Microsoft this.
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#50
Phobia9651
Bjorn_Of_IcelandOk so basically, the games on it won't be rendered in native 4k (possible maybe with ps2 quality graphics), but rather just a post processed "upscaled" 1080p? Weak af.
Gaming on UHD for only $399, you must be dreaming, right?
Same can be said about people wanting Zen and HBM2 in this console.
For $399 you can only expect decent framerates on 720p to begin with.
#realism
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