PS4 technical specifications. What is the difference between PS4 and PS4 PRO and SLIM. Differences from previous versions

A year and a half ago, Sony completed the release of the basic version of the PS4 console and instead introduced the new PlayStation 4 Slim and PlayStation 4 Pro game consoles, at the same time debuting on the market with a helmet virtual reality PlayStation VR. In this material we have collected all the basic information about the devices that you need to know.

Looking ahead: the main difference between the PS4 Pro and both the regular PS4 and the PS4 Slim is more than double the GPU performance. Other characteristics have also been slightly improved, although not as significantly.

PlayStation 4 Slim: characteristics

PlayStation 4 Slim launched in 2016. In terms of hardware performance, this console should be completely identical to the original PlayStation 4, sales of which began worldwide at the end of 2013. Characteristics of PS4 Slim: it is still the same eight-core processor with a frequency of 1.6 GHz, 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and a GPU with a performance of 1.84 teraflops.

The differences between Slim and a simple PS4 lie in its dimensions: the new console is 30% smaller and more than 16% lighter. In addition, the PlayStation 4 Slim consumes 28% less energy and is less noisy, according to Sony. Enthusiasts from Digital Foundry tested the last two points in practice and found that they are really close to the truth.

In the table above, the CUH-1000 is the very first version of the PlayStation 4, released in 2013. The CUH-1200 is a slightly updated model with minimal differences in terms of design (the glossy part of the body was replaced with a matte one) and almost the same body dimensions. It was released without announcement or noise in the press in the summer of 2015. Finally, CUH-2000 is the new PlayStation 4 Slim.

All three versions were tested for power consumption (first three columns) and noise both at idle and in games. As a result, in all tests, the PS4 Slim with one or another advantage outperformed the older revisions of the PlayStation 4 in terms of quality. Digital Foundry additionally noted that in Assassin’s Creed Unity, the new compact version of the PS4 also heats up 6-7 degrees lower than previous models.

By the way, Slim additionally differs from the regular PS4 in two ways: USB ports 3.1 versus USB 3.0, as well as Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0 support versus Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 in the original version. And, of course, the pleasant difference between Slim is the price. If the original PS4 started in the world with a price tag of $400 and then dropped in price to $350, then the PlayStation 4 Slim started its journey with a price tag of $300.

Official sales of this new modification PlayStation 4 began on September 15, 2016 in the countries of the so-called first wave. The updated PS4 reached other markets, including Russia, a little later. The Russian division of Sony then announced a price of 26,999 rubles.

Differences between PlayStation 4 Pro and PS4

The PlayStation 4 Pro, previously rumored to be the PlayStation 4 Neo and PlayStation 4K, also went on sale towards the end of 2016, three years after the base PS4. The difference between the Pro version of PlayStation 4 is the noticeable increase in key hardware characteristics compared to other models.

As we said at the beginning, first of all, PS4 Pro differs from PS4 and PS4 Slim in terms of GPU power.

If the original PS4 (and Slim) has this figure at 1.84 Tflops, then the PlayStation 4 Pro uses a much more powerful GPU with a performance of 4.2 Tflops. Other characteristics of the PS4 Pro have also increased, although not as seriously as graphics.

In particular, the CPU still has eight cores, but they now operate at a frequency of 2.1 GHz versus 1.6 GHz in the regular PlayStation 4 and PS4 Slim. It's 30% faster. The amount of GDDR5 memory has not changed - it's still the same 8 GB, but their bandwidth has increased from 176 GB/s to 218 GB/s. That is approximately 24%.

The hard drive remains the same, but, unlike simpler versions of the PlayStation 4, the Pro comes with a HDD capacity of at least 1 TB and simply does not have a 500 GB version.

The most important thing that required increased power is that the PS4 Pro can run games in a huge 4K resolution on TVs that support it.

Alas, even four-plus teraflops of GPU performance is often not enough for such a resolution. Therefore, Pro launches most projects not in native 4K, but using so-called chess rendering, which is somewhat worse. However, 1.8 teraflops in the regular PS4 and Slim was not enough even for this.

The PS4 Pro has other differences from the regular PS4:

It has not 2, but three USB ports, and USB 3.1, not 3.0;
Advantages in part wireless networks, what the Slim described above has over the base PS4 are retained by the Pro;
Due to the powerful hardware and cooling system, the Pro has slightly larger dimensions and weight (3.3 kg versus 2.8 for the initial PS4 and 2.1 kg for the Slim);
Strengthening the hardware allows this PlayStation 4 model to stream the game to the Internet, to another device, or simply record a video in Full HD resolution (in other models - only HD);
Screenshots can even be taken in 4K if you have an appropriate TV.

Talking about the PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony immediately clarified that this is not a new generation of its consoles, but only a more powerful version of the original console. Therefore, Pro will not have any exclusives that would only work on it. All future games will work great on PS4/PS4 Slim.

In turn, already released projects will, of course, be able to run on PS4 Pro. The user just needs to log into his account on the new console and all the previous games he purchased for the original PlayStation 4 will be at his disposal. Only some of them will work better.

What are the differences between the characteristics of PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro?

If you still haven’t decided which PlayStation is better, then here is a short visual comparison of the characteristics of the PS4/Slim with the Pro version in the form of a table:

PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro: the difference in games

The most interesting thing is how the differences in hardware affected the difference we see in games. PS4 Pro was the first among PlayStation consoles to somehow learn to operate games in 4K resolution, but gamers with regular Full HD screens were also not forgotten. One of the first advantages of Pro was recently revealed by Sony's high-profile exclusive, Horizon Zero Dawn:

For previously released games, their developers have prepared special patches for PS4 Pro. Some of the authors chose to double the frame rate in those projects where it did not exceed 30 FPS or exceeded it, but was unstable.

Others have improved detail and visuals. This is how one of Sony's main hits of recent times is changing - The Last of Us on PS3, PS4 and PS4 Pro.

By the way, some individual developers managed to increase both FPS and effects using new capacities. However, let's be honest, there are few such examples.

Therefore, if “killing two birds with one stone” did not work out, the developers give Pro users a choice. For example, the creators of Rise of the Tomb Raider provide players with separate modes. In one it will be possible to achieve standard graphics and 60 FPS. In the other - maximum visual effects for Full HD, but only with 30 frames instead of 60.

The current Tomb Raider also has mode No. 3 for 4K TVs (it is also added with the patch). There is no maximum FPS and effects turned up to maximum, but the user will receive highly detailed images.

However, other developers make their games look better on PS4 Pro without any modes by default. For example, The Witcher 3 players will see the following differences on an enhanced Sony console:

The total list of games that received a special patch for PS Pro or, in the case of new projects, initially support the enhanced hardware of the updated console, is already quite large. Here's just a small part of it:

Old games for which the developers never released special patches will work on the powerful PlayStation as usual. To make them look better, Sony itself came up with a trick here, but we will talk about this below, in the section about PlayStation OS.

PlayStation 4 OS

Every spring and fall, Sony releases a major update for operating system, which controls all PlayStation 4 models. We will not retell here their entire extensive list of changes, especially since Sony itself does this very well in its Russian-language blog.

Instead, we want to highlight specific features that are important to PlayStation 4 Pro users. They began to appear in the OS starting from version 4.0, when the enhanced console entered the market.

4.0 (fall 2016): Remote Play streaming on PC/Mac in Full HD. Streaming via Share Play in Full HD. Full HD broadcasts on YouTube at 60 FPS and Twitch at 30 FPS;
4.5 (Spring 2017): Boost mode for PS4 Pro. Can increase FPS even in games for which the developers have not provided a patch;
5.0 (fall 2017): Full HD broadcasts to Twitch 60 FPS;
5.5 (Spring 2018, not yet released): Supersampling mode on PS4 Pro. Can improve image clarity and picture quality on TVs without 4K support.

The most interesting is the forced mode. It increases the frame rate where it is not fixed at 30. Or it provides a stable 30 without drops where there is such a fix.

In addition to improved Full HD gaming and the first ability to run games in 4K, the new hardware capabilities of the PlayStation 4 Pro are also important for the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset.

PlayStation VR is another relatively new direction from Sony. This helmet was announced in March 2014, but managed to reach store shelves only at the end of 2016.

PlayStation VR can connect to both PlayStation 4 Pro and PS4/PS4 Slim. The only difference, as is the case with regular games, is that on a more powerful console, VR games will run at a better frame rate and big amount effects, better detail. You can use DualShock 4 or PS Move as a controller.

Today the helmet has managed to fall slightly in price from the original $400. In addition, Sony has recently added the PS Camera accessory for free to all PS VR bundles, without which it does not work. Previously, users had to separately purchase a PS Camera at a price of about $60, but now this is a thing of the past.

In terms of technical characteristics, PlayStation VR, at first glance, is very similar to solutions from competitors (Oculus Rift and HTC Vive). It is slightly inferior to them in resolution and viewing angle, but it is superior in display refresh rate, which is important for VR.

In addition to a more affordable price and no need for an expensive PC, Sony's VR is also attractive due to the presence of a line of exclusive games. There was a place in it for horror, racing, shooters, star wars and even dating simulators.

Let's note Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Batman: Arkham VR from Rocksteady, VR versions of Driveclub and Gran Turismo Sport, Robinson: The Journey from the creators of Crysis and especially the VR mode in Resident Evil 7 from Capcom. But the latter is not for the faint of heart.

Despite the later launch and in some respects somewhat simpler characteristics than its competitors, the PS VR is currently the most successful VR headset in commercial terms.

New DualShock 4 and PS Camera

Finally, along with the new game consoles in the fall of 2016, Sony also launched an updated line of key accessories for them. So, in particular, the console’s main controller, DualShock 4, has been updated.

The updated version has a new indicator light on the front panel, and in addition to Bluetooth, it also supports USB communication. This slightly upgraded DualShock 4 comes bundled with both the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim. It is also compatible with the very first model of the fourth PlayStation.

In turn, the PlayStation Camera accessory is now presented in a much more compact case and is equipped with a convenient mount. The PlayStation Camera can be used both in some individual games for PS4 like Until Dawn, and for PlayStation VR, where it is a necessary device for operation.

For anyone who wants to buy a Sony PlayStation 4 game console, today there are three current options on the market that look very similar to each other: the original PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Slim and the advanced PlayStation 4 Pro.

Do they all offer the same thing? Or maybe the “old” PlayStation 4 is worse than the thin version? People have questions, and now we will sort everything out.

What is the difference?

Sony has a little background with the PlayStation 4 Slim hitting the market. Two years after the release of the PlayStation 4, the PlayStation 4 Slim appeared on the market, which has more external than functional differences. Then the box for new version The PlayStation looked a little different to signify the "new" console.

Now the newest one is - there is a difference in both appearance and performance. However, it is only most noticeable if you have a 4K TV with HDR support.

The biggest difference between the original and PS4 Slim is power consumption. The maximum energy consumption for the thin version is 165 Watts, for the original one – 250 Watts.

At the same time, PS4 Pro has twice the performance level of regular PlayStation 4.

There is also an updated version of the HDMI standard, but the difference for the user is that games that ran at 30 frames per second on the PS4 will run at a stable 60 fps on the PlayStation 4 Pro. Plus support for 4K resolution.

In addition, new and old games are appearing with “enhanced” resolution specifically for the PS4 Pro. (For example, ).

Don't forget about. For now, the difference in graphics quality is small, but later developers will create more demanding games, and here the performance of the Pro version will come in handy.

PS4, PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro specifications

Comparative table of characteristics of all versions of PlayStation 4:

Version	PS4 (2013)	PS4 Slim (2016)	PS4 Pro
Wed. price in Ya.Market	RUB 22,700	RUB 21,300	RUB 28,500
Dimensions	275 x 53 x 305 mm with a weight of 2.80 kg	10.43in x 11.34 x 1.54	295 x 55 x 233 mm with a weight of 3.30 kg
CPU	AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64)	AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64)	AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64)
GPU	AMD Radeon (1.84 TFLOPs)	AMD Radeon (1.84 TFLOPs)	AMD Radeon (4.2 TFLOPs)
HDD	500 GB	500 GB	1TB
Ports	AV/HDMI 1.4	HDMI 1.4	HDMI 2.0
Power	250 watt	165 watt	310 watt
4K streaming	No	No	Yes
USB standard	USB 3.0 (x2)	USB 3.0 (x2)	USB 3.0 (x3)
Support	Yes	Yes	Yes (extended)

So what should you take?

Well, now that the difference is clear, let's summarize:

Playstation 4. This version of the console can most likely be found at a good discount or bundled with an additional controller and game (the notorious bundles). If your gaming budget is limited, this is a good option.

PlayStation 4 Slim. The thin Playstation can be found almost everywhere, and it is the best-looking of all the versions. If you like this and just want a console without additional bells and whistles, go for it.

Playstation 4 Pro. If you have a 4K TV and want the best gaming experience possible, this is the console for you. But know that in most games the difference between the regular PS4 will be minimal. At least until the arrival of new exclusive games for PlayStation 4.

What can I say here - standard set ports, no frills.

Console technical specifications overview

Now let's take a look inside the PS4. The technical specifications are as follows:

CPU (processor) AMD Jaguar, 1.6 - 2.75 GHz (8 cores), 28nm process technology, L2 2x2 mb

GPU (graphics) AMD Radeon 800 MHz (GPU Cores - 1152) performance - 1.84 Tflops

Memory GDDR5, 8 GB, 5500 MHz, bandwidth 176 GB/s, bus 256 bit

Hard drive - 500 GB (408 GB user accessible)

DVD/Blu-Ray, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI 1.4, RJ-45, S/PDIF, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth 2.1 (EDR)

Built-in power supply. It is noteworthy that the console does not get particularly hot and the operation of the cooling system is not audible behind the various sounds.

As you can see from the characteristics, the new PlayStation is extremely close in its structure to a computer. You can decide that by assembling a PC with a similar configuration, you will get approximately the same gaming system and that in 3 years this configuration will already be outdated. There is one significant nuance here. In the case of a PC, the developer does not know exactly what configuration his game will run on. With PS4, this issue disappears - over its entire life cycle, the technical process changes to a more advanced one, but the configuration remains unchanged. Thus, games on a gaming console will almost always be better optimized, and this is important.

Updated Dualshock gamepad

The updated controller deserves special attention, because there have been practically no fundamental changes since the first dualshok.

And the first thing that catches your eye when reviewing the joystick is the large touch panel. It turns out that it can be used in games and more. There is also a built-in speaker on the front, which enhances the immersion effect in the game - all sorts of sounds should be heard from it. I’m writing this because so far, the speaker has only been used in the first PlayStation 4 exclusive - KillZone: Shadow Fall.

Also, the joystick no longer has the usual select and start - two new buttons, options and share, have taken their place. By clicking the share button, you can instantly post a screenshot online or make a short video - a very convenient function.

The “fungi” have acquired a recess, thanks to which they will no longer slip off so often, and the L2 and R2 buttons have gained more emphasis and have become even more convenient. The vibration strength feels the same as that of its predecessor, dualshock 3.

The back surface has become “rough” - the controller fits better in the hands, and a light indicator has also appeared that changes color. It indicates, for example, the state of health. It is also recognized by the updated PlayStation eye camera. Unfortunately, this indicator works constantly. So, if you're used to playing in the dark, chances are you'll see colorful reflections on the screen. This is especially true for plasma TVs.

Added: With the release of firmware 2.50, it became possible to change the brightness of the gamepad backlight.

There is also a headset output and an expansion port. The built-in 1000 mAh battery is enough for 6-8 hours of continuous play. A little. The joystick transmits signals via Bluetooth 2.1.

Possibility of using the console in conjunction with PS Vita

Good news for PS Vita owners. The handheld console can be used as an additional controller and screen. Of course, it’s unlikely that anyone will use this often, but taking care of your clients is still worthy of respect.

Nextgen chips

UPD: At the moment, September 13, 2016, firmware 4.00 is current, which has significantly changed the menu and functions of the console - a complete list of innovations in firmware 4.00 for playstation 4

What catches your eye literally immediately after launching the reviewed console is the speed with which the Playstaton 4 responds to your commands: it does it instantly. Feels like 10 times faster than ps3. There are no loading times, pauses or long animations.

There is also a really convenient and truly next-gen feature: the ability to play until the game is completely downloaded. By the way, the console can also download in sleep mode. Convenient, given the fact that PS4 games weigh 30-50 GB.

Also implemented is something that was not present on the previous generation consoles - full multitasking. It is now possible to interrupt the game, check the download status or the presence of a friend online, and again, as if nothing had happened, return to the gameplay. All this will happen instantly. It feels like the console is designed for games and everything around games.

As for the games themselves. The game KillZone: shadow fall that comes with the console looks great, FPS feels like it is in the range of 50-60 frames per second. The game never crashed, did not freeze, and there were no glitches at all - everything is as it should be with a modern gaming system. And this is just the beginning of what we hope will be a long time. life cycle playstation 4.

Conclusion:

Playstation 4 leaves a purely positive impression. It's fast, pleasant and intuitive clear interface, the controller is a new word in the gaming industry, although the battery runs out quickly. But in general, Playstation 4 deserves to be considered a representative of the new, 8th generation of game consoles.

If you have not yet decided whether you need a PlayStation 4 or not, then we have good news. You can rent a game console and, after playing for a while (one week is enough), decide whether to buy it for yourself or not. We rent game consoles in the city of Minsk. Lists available games, rental conditions and prices

After the resounding success of the PlayStation 3, which was released by the world-famous Japanese company Sony back in 2007, everyone was waiting for a sequel. And now, after six for long years expectations, the Japanese were born with a new product - the fourth generation console PlayStation 4. The characteristics of this model exceeded all expectations, and at the time of its release the console had neither analogues nor competitors. This allowed sales of the console to soar to previously unprecedented heights, which brought serious profits to the manufacturer.

Key Console Features

Let's take a closer look at the console: what is the PlayStation 4? The characteristics of the new console correspond to all modern realities and even slightly exceed them. Here are the basic data:

The new console has an x86-64 AMD Jaguar processor, which is not inferior in power to the best computer analogues and has 8 cores.
The graphics core from AMD, which produces 1.84 teraflops, is responsible for video playback
RAM is 8 gigabytes, GDDR5 generation.
The total memory capacity is 500 GB; the hard drive can be replaced if desired.
Among the input/output devices, we can highlight a full-fledged 6xCAV Blu-ray drive, as well as the presence of USB 3.0 and AUX outputs.
The console can connect to the network via Ethernet, which supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T protocols, wireless systems that support IEEE 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1.
The set-top box has HDMI, digital and analogue outputs.

In short, the new console has everything that even the most sophisticated and demanding player needs.

As for joysticks, they can also please players. The joysticks are now wireless, have dimensions of 162 x 52 x 98 mm and a fairly light weight - 210 g. They lie very comfortably in the hands and are practically not felt. Plus, the absence of wires also plays a role - now you can play at any distance from the console. In general, the joysticks are packed with the latest technology and are not inferior in functionality to the console itself. Among the buttons you can see PS, share, options, direction of movement, actions, R1/L1/R2/L2, left stick/L3, right stick/R3. In addition to the buttons, the joystick has a capacitive touchpad that supports up to two points simultaneously. The touchpad is fully clickable. The joystick has a six-axis gyroscope built into it. In addition, it has a light bar, which makes it appearance Even more attractive, the joystick supports vibration and has a built-in microphone for communicating with other players while gaming or recording streams. The joystick has USB outputs, Extention and a headphone jack, so if you wish, you can connect everything you need to it. The gamepad is connected to the console via Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. The battery on the joystick is a classic lithium-ion one that can last quite a long time without recharging.

PlayStation 4 comes with an updated PlayStation 4 Eye camera with external dimensions 186 x 27 x 27 mm. Its characteristics are also quite worthy of respect:

It can shoot video with a resolution of 1200 x 800 pixels and a frame rate of 60 frames per second in video formats such as RAW and YUV. There are also shooting modes with a resolution of 640 x 400 and a frequency of 120 frames per second, 320 x 190 and a frequency of 240 frames per second, which allows you to choose the optimal quality that is convenient for you.
The camera has dual lenses with a fixed focus and a capture range of 30 cm.
The view of the updated video camera is 85 degrees, which, you see, is quite a lot.
The camera has a four-channel microphone that picks up even the quietest sounds.
The camera is connected to the console via AUX. The cable length is two meters, so the camera can be placed in any place convenient for you.

And that’s not all the innovations, there are incredibly many of them. If we listed them all, this article would not be enough. You can learn about additional innovations in the software plan from the second half of the article.

Design

So, you have already become familiar with the main innovations in the PlayStation 4. The characteristics, you see, are impressive. As for the appearance, everything is excellent here too. The dimensions of the new console are 275 x 53 x 305 mm, and the weight is about 2.8 kg. The appearance of the console is quite classic - straight lines and a slightly beveled design, in short, nothing superfluous. It fully complies with the principle of Japanese minimalism. The body of the console looks like three layers of blocks, which symbolize the power and reliability of the console. Centered top panel you can see the glossy manufacturer's logo. On the front panel of the set-top box you can see two USB outputs.

If you want something special, then today there are enough a large number of a variety of customized models of consoles, from which you can choose any, depending on what you like best

Advantages compared to other consoles

The main competitor of the Japanese console is still the brainchild of Microsoft- Xbox console. By and large, the consoles are quite similar and it’s hard to say which one is better. It is best to leave this question to the judgment of gamers, because each of the consoles has its own advantages and disadvantages, and, accordingly, each of them has its own army of fans who consider the competitor’s product something unworthy of attention.

Features of the new console

What else can the new PlayStation 4 boast? The characteristics have already been considered, the design too, all that remains is to see the new software-type features. And here, too, there is where to roam:

The console was made as convenient as possible for developers of new games, significantly reducing the time required to create them, as well as their budget. This will allow even small game development companies to promote their creations to gamers with minimal effort. As a result, it will receive a serious impetus for development.
While the game is downloading from the PlayStation Store, you won't have to sit and look at the loading bar with a bored face. Now you can start playing the digital version of the game the moment you download it.
You can update software even when the console is turned off.
Now there is a new “smart pause” mode. It allows you to continue playing from where you left the game immediately after turning on the console. This means that even a lack of time will not hinder your progress in the game - you can pause, turn off the console, and then turn it on and continue playing from the same place.
Now appeared latest system Gaikai, which will let you try the game in the store before you buy it. After all, no one wants to buy a pig in a poke, right?
You can see what your friends are playing in real time.
In the store you can now immediately see a list of your recommendations. It is based on your purchases on the PlayStation Store, which, you see, is very convenient.
Now there is a new service called Ustream that allows you to stream games in real time. And if you encounter difficulties, you can easily ask for help from friends who will tell you how best to go through this or that moment of the game.
The console menu is now multitasking: while playing, you can use other applications, for example, surf the Internet.
Using special PlayStation Apps, you can connect to the console using PlayStation Vita and PS Vita TV. In addition, you can connect to the console using your phone.
The console comes with a standard headset and a 500 GB hard drive, which can be replaced with any other if desired.
The console has finally removed regional restrictions, so you will no longer encounter letters such as PAL and NTSC.

Differences from previous versions

The technical characteristics of the PlayStation 4 are significantly different from the characteristics of the previous version of the console. The software also has significant differences. Technically, the console has become much more powerful - everything has improved, from the processor to the RAM. An important fact was that the manufacturer abandoned the processors that it used in previous models and adopted a computer processor.

In addition, the new joysticks are different. An important update was the appearance of the Share button, which makes it possible to share the best moments of your game with friends and acquaintances or stream the game in real time.

Console modifications

Today, there are several different modifications of the Sony PlayStation 4, the characteristics of which are slightly different. Today, the most popular modifications are Neo, Slim and Pro. Each of them has its own characteristics.

PlayStation 4 Pro

One of the modifications can be called a console whose characteristics differ from the standard one. It shows higher performance due to the updated “filling”. The technical characteristics of the PlayStation 4 Pro are as follows:

Full 4K support. Now the game graphics will be impressive.
The hard drive has been increased to terabytes.
The graphics core has been improved by more than 2 times to expand the graphics capabilities of games.
Full 1080p resolution.

As you can see, there are quite a few changes. If we compare the standard console and the PlayStation 4 Pro, the characteristics of the latter significantly exceed the original, especially the visual component. In addition, the pro version boasts an additional USB port on the rear panel. The new console is scheduled for release in November 2016.

PlayStation 4 Slim

Another modification of the console is the PlayStation 4 Slim. Its characteristics have not changed, as in previous slim versions of consoles. The only thing that has changed is the size of the console. She became much smaller. Its size became smaller by a third, and its size decreased by a quarter. All this made it possible to significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce noise levels. The new set-top box is equipped with USB 3.1 ports, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac with the ability to connect via Bluetooth 4.0. In addition, the slim version of the console is cheaper than the original one.

PlayStation 4 Neo

Sony has created a high-end console called the PlayStation 4 Neo, its characteristics are somewhat different from the original. The first thing that catches your eye is the seriously improved graphics. Now, if your TV allows it, you can enjoy full 4K in all games. True, at the moment only games released in the fall of 2016 are meant, but the Japanese promise to finalize everything. TVs that support the FullHD system will also be subject to improvements - they will now have a higher stable frame rate, and the graphics detail will be higher.

The processor of this modification will be more powerful and support a clock frequency of 2.1 gigahertz, which will speed up the operation of the console by a third. The power of the graphics core was more than doubled, and its clock speed increased by more than a hundred megahertz. In addition, the RAM throughput was increased by a quarter, which is also important. Plus, an additional 512 megabytes of memory were allocated for games. All this made it possible to increase the image resolution to full 2160p. The release of the updated console is scheduled for October 2016.

For almost seven years, fans of game consoles have been waiting for the release of a new version of their favorite console - this was noticeable on the first day of PS4 sales - more than a million consoles were sold in Japan and the USA alone. In this review, we will talk about the appearance of the PS4 console, its technical characteristics, equipment, hardware and software.

Appearance and equipment Sony Playstation 4

PS4, as expected, is made in a minimalist style - the console is a small “obelisk” made of black plastic with a glossy surface. Of course, the gloss easily scratches with active use, but the console looks simply amazing, in a classic Japanese hi-tech design. PS4 can be installed both vertically and horizontally, this will not affect its functionality in any way, and the appearance will remain beautiful.

In addition to the console itself, Sony supplies the Playstation 4 with one DualShock 4 joystick-gamepad, an HDMI cable for connecting to a TV, four different power cables, two USB cables for charging PS4, a headset with one earphone, as well as instructions for use.

This time Sony decided not to bother too much with Playstation interfaces and provided the console with only the most necessary connectors.

On the front panel of the PS4 there are two ports for USB cables, as well as a BD drive, on the rear panel there is an HDMI port, AUX, optical S/PDIF and RJ-45. By the way, in the new version of Sony Playstation, the console can be connected to the TV only via HDMI, which most modern TVs have. The S/PDIF digital audio output will allow you to connect the console to a variety of sound systems, and the Ethernet port will allow you to connect to wired Internet, although the set-top box itself is also equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter with support for 802.11n.
PS4 Specifications and Hardware

The new console from Sony is equipped with an 8-core processor AMD processor Jaguar with clock frequency 1.6 GHz. In the new version, the developers decided to switch to using standard x86 PC architecture. This step will allow video game developers to simplify the process of studying the hardware of the device, which will greatly facilitate the development process itself. The studios themselves pushed Sony to take this step, indicating the console architecture as the main priority. The developers have increased the memory capacity from 256 MB to 8 GB, which significantly improves the console's performance.

The technical characteristics of the new Sony Playstation console are not amazing and are average for PC hardware, but there are certain advantages to this. Previous generations of PS suffered from severe overheating, which led to their rapid failure. The mobile hardware of the new PS4 will significantly reduce the heating of the consoles, which will have a positive effect on their longevity.

The optical drive of the Sony Playstation 4 operates at a constant rotation speed, allowing you to play both regular DVDs and Blu-Rays. It is worth noting that it is the latter that are the main carriers of video games and films for the console. It is mandatory to install games on the console's hard drive, which has a capacity of 500 GB.

Let's list specifications Sony Playstation 4:
- Processor: 8-core AMD Jaguar (x86-64) with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz.
- Graphics: Latest generation AMD Radeon, 1.84 teraflops performance.
- Network connectivity: Ethernet (cable connection), IEEE 802.11 b/g/n (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth 2.1
- RAM: 8 GB (GDDR5)
- Hard drive: 500 GB (replaceable).
Sony Playstation Software

PS4 has a new software interface, made in a minimalist design. This allows the set-top box not to load RAM devices for the needs of the interface - so you can make multiple downloads and play heavy games at the same time.

The software independently monitors current updates and downloads them, this applies both to the firmware of the device itself and to updates to installed (or being installed) games.

Navigating through the main menu is smooth and lag-free, which is a definite improvement over the PS3 interface. In addition, the developers have given users the ability to take screenshots from games and post them on Facebook or Twitter.

The PS4's built-in browser deserves special mention. Everything works smoothly, no flaws were noticed. Most sites open correctly. Although there is no support Adobe Flash, the browser opens and plays many videos. The browser supports the ability to simultaneously work with games, which will allow you to look at the passage tips or other tips on the game at any time.

PS3 users encountered many difficulties due to the overloaded settings of the console. On PS4, the settings are so simplified and the optimization is so good that, most likely, you won’t even have to use the settings.

The developers also thought about localizing the device: the entire Playstation 4 interface has been translated into Russian, including interactive instructions, so no one should have any problems mastering the console.
The technical characteristics of the Sony Playstation 4 allow you to play all games in Full HD resolution, while maintaining an FPS of 30-60.