"High-Power" PS4 Model Something Sony Might Consider, Exec Says Hypothetically

This is going to be a long Game generation. Going into the third year and we are just getting going, MS and Sony might both have to release upgraded models in two years when their systems sit side by side a PC and look embarrassing.

so they want to turn consoles into PC-s while still weaker than average PC...interesting.

I like it. All developers would have to do is patch the option to run the game at setting deemed ideal for one system or the other. They'd still build for the lowest common denominator, but if the high performance system can push 1080 vs 900, why not?

I'm totally on board with this and think this should be the way consoles go in the future. Less time spend on R&D with controllers, looks, etc and more time spent on offering upgrades as you go along. PS4 is already near-perfect, but it's still based on 3-4 year old specs. I know it's not ideal for the masses, but fits into what I want. Otherwise the same watered-down versions of games that have plagued the past few console lifecycles are subject to "Can PS4 run Half-Life 3?" and then boom, console gamers miss out on great new games or pared-down versions.

an add on that can play xbx1 games LEL

I'd actually be fine with this as long the "old" PS4's could still play the same games. I imagine it would only equate to slightly better resolutions, a more stable frame rate, and quicker load times.

I'd much rather have this than the doomed Project Morpheus.

Get ready to get bent over boys. This console gen will be over in just two years and everybody will be pissed.

It'll never happen. With the way consoles work it will basically be a new console. Games will have to be made for both increasing aggravation for developers and then games will simply stop being made on the lower powered model.

Unless it is called PS5 and SIGNIFICANTLY more powerful it won't make it anywhere near fruition. I sure as f*ck won't be buying one this early into the cycle.

Yay, I can still have one of this! But if the price range goes outrageous, no way!

The New 3DS has a more powerful CPU that allows it to run games the older models can't. Some new games will have features (like 3D) disabled on older models. That said, I don't believe older games that chugged along work any smoother on the higher power New 3DS.

they could optimize for both PS4's, the upgraded PS4 would get a bit more eye candy not unlike what you see between mid ranged and higher end PC's. I don't know why sony would even bother with this though. But theoretically they could.

Someday there will be a console maker who makes consoles like phones (upgrading them ever year), and is going to institute some Verizon/ATT/TMobile-esque system where users can upgrade every year, but really are just getting screwed.

Well hey, if it can run Ratchet & Clank and Uncharted 4 at 60fps, I'm all for it.

They won't do it rest assured. It will be a marketing suicide. What they'll do eventually is to a lighter model maybe with faster HDD or something like that.

It's too bad the GPU isn't modular like a PC making drop-in upgrades possible. Playstation 4.5?

If I wanted to play games with different specs I'd build a gaming PC. I've bought PS4 because I've wanted to play games that optimized to my console for at least 5 years. If Sony will try to give me a 4K finger "up", I'll gladly return that finger back with building a gaming PC. They MUST solve the "credit card info is not valid" issue first.

Been saying the last 6 months or so that this generation will not last as long as the previous. With graphical improvement will come more 900p 30fps titles.

Now that's not to say that's horrible, but certainly its not the experience anyone was hoping for.

This is something stupid that a company like Nintendo would do... but not Sony.

I'm all for a new console every 2 years, it needs to happen like how phones and tablets are doing it. Every device is supported for 5 years and you can play everything, they'll just turn the graphics down on your one. Then when games stop supporting your device, you finally have to upgrade, 5 years was the normal console cycle any ways.

If consoles want to stay relevant, they need to do this, right now we have ARM chips in TV boxes and tablets that are almost as powerful, the new Nvidia X1 is a 1Tflop chip and the Xbox One is around 1.4, the PS4 is 1.8 and the PC ever gets more and more powerful leaving the consoles in the dust.

In two years the iPad will be more powerful than a PS4 and 2018 is when I fully expect new consoles.

I only like this news a bit but I have just seen there is a possibility on software updates for a PS4 on performance too and I think that should be done instead because Xbox One has received their updates. Rather work on a PS5 if there is any indication on that and while a VR headset is on the horizon

This makes me wonder if Sony and MS are considering the possibility of the Nintendo NX being a significantly more powerful console. What if the NX is capable of running all the current gen games at a higher resolution and framerate? That would surely take some customers away. It may be a smart strategy to prepare for that situation.

It's doable. Developers can just code into their games an option to get higher resolution, extra effects, and faster load times when it's using the New-PS4. And gamers with the regular PS4 wouldn't care much about the graphical extras they're missing since it doesn't effect the game play.

I'd prefer good gameplay over graphics any day, PS4 is doing fine as it is. Just keep the good quality exclusives coming...

worst idea ever, they should of done that from the start. they should use that money to make new games

The whole reason for buying a console is so I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility, specs etc. Definitely a bad idea. Go Produce a brilliant PS5 when the PS4 is tired and be done with it! Don't do a half-job with PS4.5

if Sony were to make a special edition PlayStation 4 with a 4 TB HDD and have this model offer backwards compatibility with PS1, PS2, PS3 disc via hardware. Call it the true gamers limited edition. It would cost at least $650.00 and just offer a special colors of PlayStation history with designs saluting PS1 era 1994-2000, PS2 2000-2006, and PS3 2006-2013 and maybe just increase the PlayStation 4 CPU/RAM etc for improved performance. PS4 1.5

Sony could release this special edition for the 30th anniversary, people could order this from Sony themselves off the Sony store website. And continue to offer this model as long as PS4 era lasts, so that no eBay scalpers can try to resell these for $20,000.

There is no chance Sony would make a special edition PS4 such as this, but if they did I would buy one.

Interesting; on the one hand I wouldn't mind and even beefier PS4, but on the other the whole point of consoles is basic parity for all a manufacturer's systems of a generation. I have to admit though, I'd bite.

wouldn't that just be playstation 5?

Hahahahahaha Welcome to PC gaming Consolites.

I mean If Apple can Come out with New iPhone every year with "little" improvements ad sell 10's of millions every year for 700-900 dollars I see no reason why Microsoft and Sony cant do it either, only difference is that instead of new consoles every year its every 2-3 years with substantial improvements .

I already did buy an upgraded PS4 - a PC. Surprised just how easy it is to stick a controller in and play nowadays.

Wow well I'm gonna have to restructure my Black Friday and Christmas shopping. I was gonna finally get a PS4 but im definitely gonna wait least until after next years E3 to see if they do this.

this is sony's middle finger to all of you who brought this system.

I welcome a beefier PS4! All the software companies have to do is release the games simultaneously like they are doing now, but with better graphics, 1080p and 60fps on the higher PS4.

What's so complicated about it? The newer PS4 plays games at "high" settings while the regular one plays them at lower settings. All games have to be playable on the launch PS4, it's just the newer one can perform a bit better.

It could work, but in a certain way. I think what they ment is having a console be faster not necessarily a PS5 spec like console.

The way they could approach this is, enabling full SSD support, that alone would make loading times faster. On that same PS4 they could add PS1, PS2 chip for backwards compatibility. Maybe add 1gb or 2 of more ram for faster multitasking purposes.

All of what i suggested would simply make this a PS4 for the enthusiasts but of COURSE you would have to pay more. Games would still be the same etc. I know I would buy one of these if it came true.

I don't see this working, because if this were to happen what would be the eventual goal in the long-run? If they were to make a beefier system, then games themselves would need to be upgraded to make use of the better CPU/GPU (whatever they plan on upgrading). This would mean games would need to have graphical settings menus similar to PC in order to not only be suitable for the new hardware, but what does that mean for people who have the old hardware.......they won't be able to run it the same way.

Trust me, in a few years, this hypothetical idea will become a reality cause consoles are already struggling as is. They'll probably introduce some kind of exchange program where you could give your old PS4 for a newer more powerful one with a bit of cash added.

If the PS5 has the same architecture (which is very likely) and is backward compatible, then for all intents and purposes it will be a "high power PS4" that splits the user base.

Imagine a PS4 with 3 DP connections and HDMI 2.0. That would be amazing....