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Digital Foundry: Three Hours with the PS4 Pro

R

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
Richard Leadbetter said:
I went into the PlayStation Meeting today as a sceptic, believing that the hardware may not be up to the task of powering a 4K display. The good news is that several hours later, I emerged from the event impressed with the quality of the experience and respectful of the wizardry utilised to make this GPU punch above its weight.
Click to expand...

However, a trio of the Sony first party efforts looked seriously impressive: Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone and Infamous First Light. All use the same cutting-edge upscaling technique. Previously we've talked about the 4x4 checkerboard process, where a 2x2 pixel block is extrapolated out into a 4x4 equivalent - next-gen upscaling, if you like. It allows developers to construct a 2160p 4K framebuffer from half the pixels - a much closer fit for the Pro's GPU prowess.
Click to expand...

Speaking to developers on site, several aspects of the checkerboard technology came into focus. Up until now, we've seen it as a software post-process upscale, but in actual fact, it's one of a number of new custom features backed into the PS4 Pro's GPU and as such comes with zero cost to game developers. We also understand that while it is a hardware feature, game-makers do seem to have a certain level of control - which may perhaps explain why different games exhibit varying levels of artefacting.

But the key takeaway is this - while the PlayStation 4 Pro GPU lacks the horsepower to render out challenging content at native 4K, the presentation we've seen on a number of titles clearly shows a worthwhile, highly desirable increase in fidelity over 1080p - one that does put a 4K screen to good use. Switching between full HD and checkerboard 4K, the increase in detail is simply stunning.
Click to expand...

A ton more at the link including more in depth breakdowns of individual games.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-three-hours-with-playstation-4-pro
 
H

Hoje0308

Banned
That's encouraging news. Got my order in on Amazon, just need a new TV to go with it now.

Edit: I think I've been watching too many DF videos, because I read that in John's voice.
 
E

Elios83

Member
Tomb Raider is also native 4K at 30fps and that's a pretty good looking game.

Article is really interesting, it definetly highlights how much the HDR/4K combo can add but at the same it's something tough to demo unless you'really looking at it on the TV.


WickedLaharl said:
It sounds pretty disappointing
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Lol the article states totally the opposite!
 
D

DustyVonEric

Member
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

Between this and the Giant Bomb guys on site saying that you really needed to see it in person to see how much of an impressive improvement this makes in games, I'm much more interested in the Pro again. Can't wait for more details. Especially from those that spent time with it and maybe even TGS.

Get those side by side demos set up, Sony.
 
S

Scrotum Phillips

Member
Great to hear.

Basically everyone watched this on a stream today and likely didn't get a "true" representation of the systems power. It'd be a smart move for Sony to have these demos playing on 4k hdr tvs in every Best Buy, Costco, Target, etc. so we can see it an "ideal" representation.
 
BigTnaples

BigTnaples

Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
Sounds amazing, just as I knew it would be.




Shadowfall looked amazing with its tequnique, never had any doubts it would look great on PS4 Pro games as well.


We are in for a real treat.

Day one.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
DustyVonEric said:
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

Between this and the Giant Bomb guys on site saying that you really needed to see it in person to see how much of an impressive improvement this makes in games, I'm much more interested in the Pro again. Can't wait for more details. Especially from those that spent time with it and maybe even TGS.

Get those side by side demos set up, Sony.
Click to expand...
Hm, did not know about that giant bomb feedback. Interesting...
 
L

lowhighkang_LHK

Member
Reading through the article, they seem very impressed by it. As do the GiantBomb crew.

Although it's kind of hard to represent 4k / HDR when people can't see that unless they play the game's in person, so it's basically taking what they are saying at complete faith.

Hopefully what they say carries merit, since I plan on getting a Pro since I have a 4k monitor.
 
RedAssedApe

RedAssedApe

Banned
sony's twitter pages should re-tweet the shit out of this article to try and combat the negative impressions people came away with from the meeting lol
 
Caayn

Caayn

Member
Checker board rendering as a replacement for upscaling (where it fits) is a good way to move forward.

4Kinda for all o/

Can't wait for the DF articles off Neo titles in the future.
 
R

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I highly recommend checking out the breakdowns of individual games. I left them out of the OP because I didn't want it to be too long but the ones from Sony first party and Rise of the Tomb Raider sound like they're in excellent shape.
 
T

timlot

Banned
Sounds promising. Sony engineers always have tricks up there sleeves. From Temporal Reprojection in Kilzone SF to Asynchronous Reprojection with PSVR. Very efficient group.
 
B

bananafactory

Banned
There is a clear, unambiguous night and day difference between 1080p and the 4K mode, which is clearly resolving more than the basic 2x increase in pixel throughput being generated at the base level. In fact, the detail increase is almost revelatory - and that applies equally to both Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn.
Click to expand...

I mean, I get that some parts of the Pro are disappointing. But for only $100 more than the standard one, this kind of stuff sounds impressive.
 
B

Boke1879

Member
henhowc said:
sony's twitter pages should re-tweet the shit out of this article to try and combat the negative impressions people came away with from the meeting lol
Click to expand...

Don't think it matters really. The price alone of this will most likely have people buy it on merit.

Not to mention DF articles like this going forward will help people who want expert opinions.
 
C

c0de

Member
Caayn said:
Checker board rendering as a replacement for upscaling (where it fits) is a good wood to move forward.

Can't wait for the DF articles off Neo titles in the future.
Click to expand...

If they don't have a patent on it, I think we will see this also in the Scorpio as a chip and as software for the current platforms.
The resolution talk was way too excessive this gen and so that's why both Sony and MS will concentrate on that as well as software developers.
Amazing, how many different techniques were used by now to fiddle with resolution.
 
O

orochi91

Member
Absolutely lovely.

I have high expectations for Sony's WWS.

They're gonna have to lead the charge in making PS4 Pro a worthwhile product.
 
O

Obliterator

Member
Well I'm gonna end up buying this on launch day aren't I?

I thought the presentation itself was abysmal but the more I'm hearing about the machine itself and what 3rd and 1st parties are doing with it the more encouraging it is.
 
Proelite

Proelite

Member
Hmm sounds like uprendering makes the console trade punches with consoles twice or more powerful using brute force. Since we heard nothing about uprendering from MS, PS4 Pro is essential a 8-9 tflop system, meaning Sony is coming out early and not giving up their perceived visual advantage.
 
I

Inf3cted_b3ast

Member
Great! I beat UC4 twice already and was waiting to get the Neo (Now known as Ps4 Pro) To beat it several more times. Gosh! I wish Driveclub would be patch too to support Ps4 pro. 60fps and better IQ for Driveclub would be outstanding. One can only dream.
 
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