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Eurogamer: Independently confirms source that the PS4.5 is real, referred as PS 4K

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I wonder if they will also upgrade or downgrade the controller in someway when they release this new console?

Is PS2 the only PS console that didn't get a redesign controller in it's life cycle?

A controller with higher quality sticks (XBO textured) and longer battery life is all I would want. The DS4 is pretty fantastic otherwise.
 

Orayn

Member
I wonder if they will also upgrade or downgrade the controller in someway when they release this new console?

Is PS2 the only PS console that didn't get a redesign controller in it's life cycle?

Yeah, the original PlayStation got two redesigns with the non-clicky, non-rumble Dual Analog Controller, followed by the DualShock. Closest PS2 got was an officially licensed 3rd party wireless model in some markets.

This would be a good opportunity for Sony to introduce a PS4 "Elite" controller, though I could see them aiming a little lower than Microsoft in terms of premium features and price.
 

Yoday

Member
I think AMD polaris 10 is the PS4.5 GPU & all the AMD polaris 11 GPUs are for the Windows 10 devices that will replace Xbox One.
Why would PS4.5 use Polaris 10 and Xbox Two use Polaris 11? That makes no sense. I would imagine they will both have custom APUs based on Zen and Polaris. Assuming they are both going with upgrades.
 
He was verified like a year ago. Could have sworn it was Kagari that checked him back then. He has always been a tease.
And he wasnt entirely accurate either. The core was unlocked for everyone and not just first party. And devs dont have access to the entire core either (split between system and game). Unless he meant full core access is restricted to first party only, but that would be an odd move on Sony's part.
 

Saintruski

Unconfirmed Member
I don't know what the consensus is here, but a couple other places complain about segmentation. I don't understand what the big deal is there would have to be segmentation and no desk to be made. Assuming using common sense it stuck to the same architecture which is x86. All they would really have to do is if you popped a "ps4k" game in a ps4 have that be recognized and have the graphical settings be adjusted for best steady framerate.

I no longer game console, only PC but is it wrong to assume this that they would essentially just work like a PC but still in their close down state and be tuned to work for the console they are on since they are still using the same architecture? Who knows maybe Sony has a nice set of tools for scaling across two static sets of hardware, it isn't like PC where it's the Wild Wild West and there's thousands of hardware configs.

maybe they spring for GDDR5X...that would be interesting...mooaaar bandwidth, what does it get now 176GB/s? Could double maybe triple that depending on the clock speed.
I actually see this a feasible change, the pin comparability is great it is actually not a giant change in memory technology but double the data rates.
 

Gamerman1

Member
I think it will just be a new shrunken cpu die with higher gpu and cpu clock speeds. 4K will pertain to upscaling output and 4K UHD bluray playback.
 
Judging by the posts and other news outlets this 'updated console' will only have sufficient power in order to play 4K movies but it will probably never go towards the path of another 500-$600 upgrade to play games in 4K, right?
 
It won't be a whole new console anyway. Maybe a a slim ps4 released before christmas with 4k support - doesn't the current ps4 support 4k video anyway?

I just can't see an upgraded console - it just won't work in this industry and has been tried in the past.
 
Yeah no matter what it HAS to have a better wifi card. The one in the PS4 is garbage
jkEe10d.gif


Wifi-AC adapter or bust.
 

thuway

Member
Does anyone else here think PS4K is Sony's play at captivating the "Spirit" of PC gaming? Whether people like to admit it or not, there is a modest group of people who are leaving the console confines and entering the PC space. I built my first PC in nearly 7 years with a 280X, and I never thought I'd do it. My biggest motivation? Better fidelity.

It's unfair to call these machines glorified PC's, but they share a lot of DNA with the PC arena, and it would be a pretty good idea to adopt the practices of iterative hardware because it could demotivate consumers that are on the fence about PC gaming.

I also see this as an opportunity to answer Microsoft's UWP initiative. Microsoft is creating an ecosystem where platform agnosticism is the rule. All boxes behave like PCs, load up an app, and scale performanc depending on what configuration the user has. For all the flak MS received for the poorly designed Xbox One, this might be their ticket back onto the bus of the mainstream conscience. PS4K- however, could signal a new era where PlayStation titles begin to scale and become more "PC" like. The biggest difference though is Sony could offer more secure upgrade paths and "modest" life spans. IE releasing a new machine every 4 or so years.
 

Hermii

Member
I think that if they used that power for stable 60 Frames 1080P experience for upcoming games people would be all on it.Because having some little extra hump power there and only using it for 4K movies seems to me like a missed oportunity
You can't get 60fps on ps4 if you change video output to 720p or 480p.
 

Man

Member
Thuway: Regarding point 1 it's something I (as a hardcore gamer) always gravitate towards doing when the console generation gets long in the tooth. Usually the 4+ year mark. If Sony was to provide a new console iteration every three years then I will have officially have built my last ever stationary PC.
 
They're fracturing the userbase anyways with this. I don't really see the point of this 'choice' other than making gamers pay full price for a half gen update.

Fracturing the userbase only if there is no cross gen support. Hell for all we know the Xbox and PlayStation might be playing in the same multiplayer sandbox soon.
 

Yoday

Member
Does anyone else here think PS4K is Sony's play at captivating the "Spirit" of PC gaming? Whether people like to admit it or not, there is a modest group of people who are leaving the console confines and entering the PC space. I built my first PC in nearly 7 years with a 280X, and I never thought I'd do it. My biggest motivation? Better fidelity.

It's unfair to call these machines glorified PC's, but they share a lot of DNA with the PC arena, and it would be a pretty good idea to adopt the practices of iterative hardware because it could demotivate consumers that are on the fence about PC gaming.

I also see this as an opportunity to answer Microsoft's UWP initiative. Microsoft is creating an ecosystem where platform agnosticism is the rule. All boxes behave like PCs, load up an app, and scale performanc depending on what configuration the user has. For all the flak MS received for the poorly designed Xbox One, this might be their ticket back onto the bus of the mainstream conscience. PS4K- however, could signal a new era where PlayStation titles begin to scale and become more "PC" like. The biggest difference though is Sony could offer more secure upgrade paths and "modest" life spans. IE releasing a new machine every 4 or so years.
It's the future of consoles IMO. MS is clearly on the path to doing this, and if Sony hasn't been planning something similar from the start of this generation, then they are going to be in trouble. People can brag about PS4 sales all they want, but that goes out the window if they have to start from scratch at PS5 like every previous generation.

I firmly believe that one of the biggest motivating factors in this switch to an incremental ecosystem is that they don't have to reset their user base at the start of every generation. If MS does this and they are able to carry over twenty to thirty million users(along with Windows 10 users), then Sony is going to have a hard time if they don't do this and have to start from zero again with PS5.

This is the future, and it just makes sense for everyone involved. Gamers get to carry over their library and get more options when it comes to hardware, developers have a more stable user base that they can count on, and the console makers don't have to hit the big red reset button every time they want to update the hardware.
 

JordanN

Banned
It's the future of consoles IMO. MS is clearly on the path to doing this, and if Sony hasn't been planning something similar from the start of this generation, then they are going to be in trouble. People can brag about PS4 sales all they want, but that goes out the window if they have to start from scratch at PS5 like every previous generation.

They've been doing it since the PS1 and have always been fine.

If anything, I'm not seeing the evidence that gives MS any advantage. Even if a Xbox 1.5 absorbs the previous 20 million, that's still less than half of what PS4 userbase has now.

Sony starting from scratch doesn't eliminate the fact they would still have the biggest mindshare going into next gen and only need to convince those same people to buy their new console.
 

wazoo

Member
Does anyone else here think PS4K is Sony's play at captivating the "Spirit" of PC gaming?


I think Sony is more jealous of Apple capability to sell new mobile iterations every year with an ecosystem adapted to this constantly expanding specs.

PC, as much as I like it, is no concern for those consumer oriented companies.
 

Double H

Member
I doubt we are going to see any performance improvements in an iterative console like this, I think it will just support what Eurogamer mentioned (support for 4K, HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2 and HDR and a new 4K BluRay player) with enhanced multimedia capabilities being the focus (bundled with the BluRay Remote etc.).

As for games, they will be exactly the same as PS4 games currently. The only exception might be an update to the SDK to allow UI elements to be rendered at 4K on top of the regular framebuffer at 1080p so the UI/HUD doesn't look blurry. They may also throw in some new hardware solution to do the best possible upscale.
Capital THIS.

Expectations of games at dramatically higher resolutions are misguided, the sensible answer is what Son of Flounder mentions above—a 4K UHD/3840×2160 output composed of a natively sized UI/HUD and an upscaled game render. Yoshida already confirmed the presence of a hardware scaler in the PS4, so a PS4K revision here would be unlikely to introduce breaking changes to how things are working today.
 

AmyS

Member
THTmwjv.gif


I think deep in your souls you know you want a beefed-up PS4 where gameplay graphics can look just. this. good.
 

thuway

Member
I think Sony is more jealous of Apple capability to sell new mobile iterations every year with an ecosystem adapted to this constantly expanding specs.

PC, as much as I like it, is no concern for those consumer oriented companies.

Every gamer lost to Steam is a sale lost for PSN. I, myself, and a pretty good chunk of twitter friends have switched from console isolationist to PC/PS4, with multiplats that are non-MP focused going solely to PC. This easily eats into Sony's profit margins, and their inability to atleast answer that segment of the market or act as if it doesn't exist, is just purely complacent.

The carrot for PC gaming always has been aging hardware and lack of technical grunt, but I can freely admit that a 4 year cycle upgrade that keeps users up to snuff to mid range PC's sounds like a terrific idea that can enforce a 1080p 60 FPS standard across the board. PC gaming's nuisances could be avoided and my PlayStation console would suddenly have a different meaning in my platform of choice. (4K 30 FPS for SP modes doesn't too bad either ;).)


It's up to Sony to "convert" me back to console gaming, because this time next year I'll either purchase a top of the line GPU or invest in PS4K depending on it's spec. No I don't expect PS4K to be a high end PC, but if they can offer midrange AMD performance in a "modern" APU with all the bells and whistles- consider many people on board.
 

thuway

Member
THTmwjv.gif


I think deep in your souls you know you want a beefed-up PS4 where gameplay graphics can look just. this. good.

I hope you remember this, but you had posted an article months prior about AMD's APU roadmap and I cannot find it for the life of me. It could provide context in this thread.
 

Yoday

Member
They've been doing it since the PS1 and have always been fine.

If anything, I'm not seeing the evidence that gives MS any advantage. Even if a Xbox 1.5 absorbs the previous 20 million, that's still less than half of what PS4 userbase has now.

Sony starting from scratch doesn't eliminate the fact they would still have the biggest mindshare going into next gen and only need to convince those same people to buy their new console.
They have been fine, others haven't fared as well. But, that is why I said IF MS does it they will be in trouble. Mind share is a fickle thing that can be lost in an instant. Let's not forget that MS had the mindshare in some major regions going into this generation, and one screw up cost them millions of sales. If this change occurred for MS and the PS5 came out in a standard cycle change way without BC, it would be a disaster for Sony.

Regardless, I hope both Sony and MS do this. I think this change would ultimately benefit every party, and I want both console makers to be successful.
 

thuway

Member
Thuway: Regarding point 1 it's something I (as a hardcore gamer) always gravitate towards doing when the console generation gets long in the tooth. Usually the 4+ year mark. If Sony was to provide a new console iteration every three years then I will have officially have built my last ever stationary PC.

I'm in a similar boat. My 280X recently died on me, and I have too many real life responsibilities to spend cash/time on my PC this year. The appeal to consoles has always been about a sacrifice in performance for convenience, and if Sony can mitigate the prior, and maximize the latter- my PC will find itself as a lesser of the two.
 

Man

Member
Let's not forget that MS had the mindshare in some major regions going into this generation, and one screw up cost them millions of sales.
I would adjust this to: Multiple screw-ups within a 1 year frame prior to generation launch cost them millions of sales. And they are not over judging by the current state of UWP but that will likely (maybe, hopefully...) improve.
 
How did you come up with the $800 figure? We are on the verge of a GPU node shrink, a CPU generation change, and a RAM architecture transformation. AMD's entire portfolio is about to turn upside down, and the components/architectures we've come to expect in the last 5 years will all change into a completely new form.

In DBZ Terms:
AMD is Goku going Super Saiyan if he goes Polaris, Zen, and HBM.
AMD is Goku going Kaio-ken if they stick with the same architecture. :)

Finally, words that make sense to me
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Yeah, it would just be stupid. No need to put the box in for general console users. Those who want VR will have it. Just a waste of space and is extra production on the box for many that may go to waste.

Rear USB for VR neatness at least.

Two rear USB slots in addition to the front two. Let's us plug in the VR breakout box or wireless headsets without cluttering the front.
 

Man

Member
So is there a genuine possibility of;
a) 'New PS4' N3DS like games
b) Games running like shit on the regular PS4?
Hopefully Sony will have very strict guide-lines.
i.e, your game will currently not go through PSVR approval if it has a drop to 55fps.
Hopefully something similar will start to be applied to 2D-monitor games (within reason, they won't actually make you physically ill like VR). Gameplay (A.I etc) will continue to be developed around the PS4 CPU which is its main bottleneck. For graphics (besides different presets and maybe some assets) we could potentially start seeing a crawl downwards in resolution for PS4 but hopefully not (not sure how that will affect XB1->XB2 though, Quantum Break is already at 720p with a non-stable 30hz framerate).
 

thuway

Member
Honestly, I did not think that was the article you were thinking of, was just a lucky guess :)

We had a thread a while ago and this article was the catalyst for some of us predicting what a 2018/2019 APU would look like. The reality is, a lot of this tech is available in 2016.

AMD was lambasted and the laughing stock of the tech world for doubling down on the APU design philosophy. They seem to have perfected it and are now going back to single core performance. If they can somehow manage to get Zen's IPC performance levels equivalent to a Core i3-i5 and mate it with a GPU with HBM 2.0 this could be a paradigm shift for all in one APU performance.

Years, billions, and resources were spent perfecting the all-in-one APU design. If they can get their CPU guts up to snuff, they'll be a very competent alternative.
 

Yoday

Member
BOOM -

AMD APU's folks. Here's your bread and butter.

Choice quotes:
Both Sony and MS would have custom APUs designed though. It would be more beneficial to look at how their CPU and GPU architecture is changing as a whole. Polaris GPU performance is said to be 2.5x more powerful per watt than their last GPUs (what's in consoles is older), and their Zen CPUs are at something like 40% more ICP, as well as having multi-threading support. Both of which are capable of faster clock speeds on 14nm. I could see both MS and Sony using less chip space for the CPU, while still getting significantly better performance, and giving more space to the GPU. I don't think an APU with 4xGPU power and 3x CPU power is that hard to imagine with what AMD has coming.
 

Withnail

Member
I think some people are reading too much into it. There's no evidence that this is a move to iterative hardware releases, it's far more likely that it's just a one-off because UHD came too late for PS4 launch. UHD is critical for Sony because it touches nearly all areas of the business. It's as important to Sony as Windows 10 is to MS.
 

thuway

Member
Both Sony and MS would have custom APUs designed though. It would be more beneficial to look at how their CPU and GPU architecture is changing as a whole. Polaris GPU performance is said to be 2.5x more powerful per watt than their last GPUs (what's in consoles is older), and their Zen CPUs are at something like 40% more ICP, as well as having multi-threading support. Both of which are capable of faster clock speeds on 14nm. I could see both MS and Sony using less chip space for the CPU, while still getting significantly better performance, and giving more space to the GPU. I don't think an APU with 4xGPU power and 3x CPU power is that hard to imagine with what AMD has coming.

Agreed, I just wanted to post a picture where people actually see what we are talking about. Using words like Zen, Polaris, and HBM 2.0 sounds like magic pixy dust secret sauce. I'd rather people know that its coming from somewhere and why some of us think a 2016 launch is a bad deal.
 

Yoday

Member
Agreed, I just wanted to post a picture where people actually see what we are talking about. Using words like Zen, Polaris, and HBM 2.0 sounds like magic pixy dust secret sauce. I'd rather people know that its coming from somewhere and why some of us think a 2016 launch is a bad deal.
Here is an article I found today, not sure how respectable the site is, but seems pretty legit. The GPU jump is going to be massive this year.

http://wccftech.com/amd-polaris-10-gpu-specs-leaked/

Why do you think a 2016 launch would be a bad deal? Sure, AMDs APUs are coming next year, but if the CPU and GPU tech is there then a custom APU from either console maker seems totally possible this year. I suppose it would limit manufacturing capabilities for a large scale launch, but they wouldn't need to plan on a full scale launch, just enough to cover the hardcore that would opt for the more expensive unit this holiday.
 

Man

Member
If Sony actually go for Option 1, Polaris 10, then I'm pretty sure the PS4K price will end up being $499. The PS4 is a fully viable alternative (likely dropping to $299) so they are not forced to offer it at wholesale price or at a loss.
 

Elandyll

Banned
Judging by the posts and other news outlets this 'updated console' will only have sufficient power in order to play 4K movies but it will probably never go towards the path of another 500-$600 upgrade to play games in 4K, right?
A 980ti with a half decent CPU cannot do a fixed 4k 60fps on a modern AAA afaik, and consumes tons of power.
And that would already net you north of $800 in GPU/CPU alone right there.

Some say that AMD has a "secret sauce" (polaris, HBM, etc.) incoming that would make that kind of power much more affordable...

1) Not THAT affordable. (You want a mass appeal console to be $499 or under. Preferably under).
2) A massive architectural change implies a split in the user base, as previous games would not work unless emulated
3) Existing titles, created for 1080p, would have to be upscaled anyway as their assets would not match (not even talking of titles with unlocked framerates)

So in short... No way is this new PS4 (if real) going to play native 4k games imo
 

Yoday

Member
If Sony actually go for Option 1, Polaris 10, then I'm pretty sure the PS4K price will end up being $499. The PS4 is a fully viable alternative (likely dropping to $299) so they are not forced to offer it at wholesale price or at a loss.
It's possible, as cost to manufacture won't go up much at all, a higher price will mean more revenue, and the upgraded systems will target the hardcore until the next version anyway. I think MS will top out at $450 though, maybe even $400, as an upgraded system is their chance to relaunch and regain some market share.
 

GribbleGrunger

Dreams in Digital
I know Sony have gone out of there way to suggest otherwise but has anyone considered the box that comes with PSVR could be the 'secret sauce'?

20151224103523696.jpg


Is it possible to use an external chipset to enhance current games? On the PS I Love You vid Yosh said the plan was originally to launch the PSVR around June but they decided to delay it until October to allow for more development time. What if it was actually to add something to that box? It certainly would make the PSVR a more attractive proposition for those still sitting on the fence.
 

Sakujou

Banned
guys you are missing something here. i think it will be on the same level as xbon 360 fat=>xbox 360kinect(with kinect plug,hdmi,not as loid and less power consumption)
same goes for xbone.
 

Krisprolls

Banned
I'm in a similar boat. My 280X recently died on me, and I have too many real life responsibilities to spend cash/time on my PC this year. The appeal to consoles has always been about a sacrifice in performance for convenience, and if Sony can mitigate the prior, and maximize the latter- my PC will find itself as a lesser of the two.

I feel the same. If iterative consoles happen, I'll never buy a gaming PC again.

They're basically the same thing anyway, just without the PC hassles.

Some people here say "I'll go PC then" but they would have to upgrade as often, it would just cost them more because they don't get a mass market price, unlike on consoles. Plus their non official spec would get a worse support than the official closed specs, so outside of the mods and general openness, there's no real incentive left to go PC. You'd just get less for your bucks.

This kind of consoles could actually kill gaming PCs for good because you get both consoles advantages (closed specs, affordability because of mass production and a potential small subside, ease of use / plug and play, stability, console optimizations) AND PC advantages (top hardware, quickly evolving architecture, full compatibility both backward from PS4 and forward). I suspect more PC gamers would go consoles. On a board like GAF though, you could find more people trying to go the other way. They're just not the majority.
 

DemonNite

Member
I know Sony have gone out of there way to suggest otherwise but has anyone considered the box that comes with PSVR could be the 'secret sauce'?

20151224103523696.jpg


Is it possible to use an external chipset to enhance current games? On the PS I Love You vid Yosh said the plan was originally to launch the PSVR around June but they decided to delay it until October to allow for more development time. What if it was actually to add something to that box? It certainly would make the PSVR a more attractive proposition for those still sitting on the fence.

No. There's nothing called secret sauce in there.
 
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