As we get closer to the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro, many of us are heading to forums for answers, we’re tweeting Sony for answers, or we’re simply typing away in some form or another to see what we can find out. With the launch just a few days away, I too found myself keying away at my search engines for all the things I needed to know. None of this, however, had to do with just specs, but features, requirements, and capabilities as far as hardware goes.
Let alone were those part of the searches, so were the games that would be getting the higher-end performance upgrades and graphical retouching. So lets take a look at the few things you may not know just yet.
Will the PlayStation 4 Pro Take Advantage of my AC Router?
While I, myself, were troubled by this question I decided to revisit the official blog post by Sony’s CEO Andrew House. Unlike the PlayStation 4 that launched back in 2013 that supports wireless 802.11 B and 802.11G which don’t support modern speeds. Most gamers, myself included, are running speeds between 100-200Mbit/s, which unfortunately, 54 Mbit/s won’t ever hit between both download and upload.
However, the PlayStation 4 will be one upping this by allowing you gamers to use all current standards ranging from Wireless 802.111 B/G on the 2.47GHz band and finally joining the Xbox One crowds with 802.11 N and AC. These two will allow gamers to hit 1300 Mbit/s total, in 80 MHz channels in the 5 GHz band for their full on gaming experience.
What of my newly released PS4 games? What ones are getting the PlayStation 4 Pro treatment starting next Tuesday?
As many of us buckle down, prepare our rooms, our consoles to trade-in to help with the costs, and even our shelves – we all have a few questions. Many of us have dove into recent releases such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, Titanfall 2, the recently reviewed Battlefield 1, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and even Dishonored 2. We all wonder what will happen to them, will they be getting the 4K and high texture treatments?
It has been confirmed that the aforementioned games will be getting upgraded starting Tuesday along with a hearty list that Sony has listed on their official PlayStation Blog. Sony has gone on to say “In addition to the titles listed above, more than 45 games will be optimised for PS4 Pro by the end of the year, including Watch Dogs 2, Killing Floor 2, The Last Guardian and Final Fantasy XV, with the likes of Nioh, Resident Evil 7 Biohazardand For Honor to follow in early 2017.
Further to that, all first party software launched in 2017 and beyond, including Gravity Rush 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone and Gran Turismo Sport, will enjoy the benefits of the world’s most powerful console.”
If that’s not enough, I don’t know what is.
What about upgrading my PlayStation 4 Pro Hard Drive?’
Just like the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Slim, you can openly do this, and Sony has openly said they welcome it. So do not fear, if you are wanting to upgrade to a SATA-III laptop hard drive, you can now do it, and fear none about voiding out a warranty. Just like before, however, you will need to download the specified updates for your console.
So if you want to upgrade? It’s almost time with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales days/weeks just around the corner.
What will I need for PlayStation 4’s 4K Capabilities and HDR?
First off, a 4K TV that fully utilizes HDR technology. Sadly most TV’s within the past year and a half doesn’t seem to be all that much. If you want to get your hands on a 4K experience, you’ll also want to get your hands on a Premium HDMI 2.0 cable to get the most of it. If you are wanting to get a full HDR experience, you may want to get your hands on this guide by Sony to get the most out of your console.
Will my PlayStation 4 Pro come with the new DualShock 4 Controller?
The answer is actually yes. Both the new PlayStation 4 Pro’s and the PlayStation 4 Slim consoles as they begin to roll out here pretty quickly. The new controller will also be the fact that the DualShock 4 Controller (or as I call it 2.0) will feature a few subtle changes.
A new sliver of a lightbar and even a new USB communication that will amp up the capabilities of the controller itself. For those of you wanting to see the color of your health on the light bar, if you are taking damage in games (which you should know already) or even watch for your Destiny supercharge, this controller will allow you to do so without hesitation.
With the newly mentioned USB advantages, you will be able to do two things with your controller. One using the Bluetooth to connect and play on your console or using a USB cable if you prefer. If you want to grab another one, you can grab a second controller for $59.99 USD at your local retailer.
Closing Statement
While there is a lot more to be covered about the console. Sony has done quite a good job through their blog posts on the PlayStation Blog. With a bit of the information provided above and the information you can find on their blog, the PlayStation 4 Pro could very well evolve the way we see gaming and graphics qualities.
While I would have loved to see the PlayStation 4 adopt the AMD RX480’s, I would like to state the PlayStation 4 is a rather impressive step in the right direction for putting console gamers on par with PC.
About the Writer:
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.