Seperti yang dijanjikan, Sony akhirnya secara resmi mengumumkan konsol PlayStation 4 (PS4) baru di PlayStation Theater

Sesuai dengan berbagai prediksi di dunia maya, Sony perkenalkan konsol PS4 baru dengan bentuk yang lebih ramping dan ringan ketimbang seri PS4 yang diluncurkan pada 2013.

menyaksikan Live Streaming PlayStation Meeting yang diadakan di New York, Kamis (8/9/2016) dini hari, Andrew House, selaku President and Global CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) membuka ajang yang sudah ditunggu banyak gamer di dunia.

Tanpa panjang lebar, Andrew pun langsung memperlihatkan konsol PlayStation 4 (PS4) yang lebih ramping.

"PS4 versi ramping akan mulai di jual di pasaran mulai 15 September 2016 dengan bandrol harga US$ 299 atau sekitar Rp 4 juta," ungkap Andrew.

Selain memperkenalkan konsol PS4 versi ramping, Andrew pun memperkenalkan PS4 Pro. Tampil sebagai pelengkap jajaran konsol PS4 yang sudah ada, Mark Cerny, selaku Lead System Architecture Sony menjelaskan kemampuan GPU yang terpasang di PS4 Pro dua kali lebih baik dari PS4 pertama.

Didukung dengan prosesor yang lebih tinggi dan kapasitas hard drive sebesar 1TB, PS4 Pro juga sudah mendukung game beresolusi 4K.

PS4 Pro resmi meluncur dengan performa yang lebih tinggi dari PS4 versi awalnya. (BBC)
Seakan menjawab tantangan Microsoft yang menghadirkan fitur HDR (High Dynamic Range) di Xbox One S, Sony akan menyebarkan update software yang akan mengaktifkan fitur HDR untuk seluruh konsol PS4 yang ada.

PS4 Pro akan mulai Sony jual di pasaran pada 10 November 2016 dengan bandrol harga US$399 atau sekitar Rp 5.2 juta

1. The PS4 Pro does play games at native 4K resolution

So it’s official. The PS4 Pro can play games at a native 4K resolution. One of the games running at 4K natively is The Elder Scrolls Online. Bethesda has stated that the MMORPG will run at a native 4K resolution on the PlayStation 4 Pro. Another game that will be running at a native 4K resolution is The Last of Us Remastered. You can learn more about it here.

With 4K gaming, the PS4 Pro is sending large amounts of data from the console to the television. During every frame we’re talking like 8 million pixels that need to be filled. That’s a lot of data!

So even though this is proof that PS4 Pro can do native 4K gaming, from what we’ve seen in interviews, native 4K will not be the case with a majority of games. At least not at the moment until games are made from the ground up with the Pro in mind.

What you’ll most likely see is upscaling to 4K.
2. The PS4 Pro doesn’t come with an Ultra Blu-ray disc player

Yeah. This was a surprise. There are a lot of disappointed people who were expecting the Pro to come with an Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray disc player.

Well, it doesn’t. Even though the Xbox One S has it. This was something that many people found to be really weird because Sony is pushing 4K support so hard with the Pro but it left out this core technology.

“The PlayStation is primarily a gaming platform, and everything we do is to make the gaming experience as seamless as possible” – Jim Ryan, head of PlayStation Europe

You know what else is a gaming platform Mr. Ryan? The Xbox One S and it has an Ultra Blu-ray player.

3. Most PS4 accessories will work with PS4 Pro

When it comes to things like gaming headsets (we do have an awesome gaming headset guide you should see) other PS4 accessories, they will work with the Pro model. Things like controllers and the PlayStation Camera will be compatible.

The one thing we could think of that won’t work are the PlayStation 4 Stands and Cooling Systems. We’ve come to the conclusion that because of the size differences between the models, the current list of PS4 Cooling Systems and PS4 Stands won’t be compatible with the Pro version.

As far as the current PS4 carrying cases, that is something to be determined. Because maybe you can actually squeeze a Pro model into the PS4 case.

Let us know in the comment section what you discover.

4. You can switch between better frames or better visual modes

This is something that’s really interesting. In a Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration interview, it was stated that there will be 2 different viewing modes for HDTV owners.

A 1080p high frame rate mode that locks the game at 1080p but unlocks the frame rate.
An enhanced visuals mode that locks the game at both 1080p and 30fps but the visuals and effects are at their highest potential.

So this is awesome because it gives gamers the choice of playing the game with higher frame rates or playing it with better visuals. And this can be switched at any time with an in-game slider.

5. Support for 4K video playback with streaming services

Even though there is no Ultra Blu-ray disc player included in the Pro, at least there is 4K streaming. With apps like YouTube and Netflix providing apps for Sony’s new console, owners will get hundreds of hours of 4K content to grace their eyeballs.

As time goes on and more people have 4K televisions in their home, expect 4K streaming to eventually become the norm. As for now with the Pro, you’ll have to get your 4K video fix from YouTube and Netflix.

6. The PS4 Pro compliments the PS4 and wasn’t made to replace it

When Sony thought about where they wanted to go with the future, they thought about how they could do this and keep the PS4 community intact. Thus, PS4 Pro was born.

Even though this is a mid-generation console refresh, you must understand that the PS4 and PS4 Pro are designed to exist together. Whether you buy a PS4 or the Pro you will essentially have the same experience. The only real differences will be performance wise and the visuals.

7. Standard HDTVs will benefit from PS4 Pro gaming enhancements

Like most gamers, you’re probably wondering what the PS4 Pro can do for you if you don’t have a 4K television. Like we mentioned before, Sony realized they needed to build the Pro model because it didn’t just benefit 4K TV owners, it also benefited HDTVs.

With all the extra horse power not going into outputting 4K visuals, developers are able to make HDTV version of PS4 games look amazing. From visual upgrades to a more stable or increased frame rate, you can expect to see 1080p games receive a huge boost.

Here’s a list of some enhancements for HDTV owners who have a PS4 Pro:

Increased super sampling
Better physics
Stable frame rates
An increase to frame rates
Increased visuals
Enhanced environments
Better details

What we should probably expect from most games is a higher frame rate for smoother gameplay. If not, then a locked 30fps with enhanced visuals. And if a game on PS4 is already locked at 60fps then it will be the same on PS4 Pro but far more stable.

Of course any and every enhancement is totally up to the game developer. So expect things to vary from game to game.

8. PS4 Pro is a little more than twice as powerful as the standard PS4

The PS4 Pro’s GPU is more than double the power of the PS4’s (going from 1.84 to 4.2 Teraflops). And the Pro has received a CPU boost making it much faster. This extra power of the Pro allows massive draw distances, a 4K level of fidelity and details you won’t get on the standard PS4.

The PlayStation 4 Pro is designed to take games to the next level with HDR and 4K. Character and environment details will pop and the vibrancy of the gaming world will have even more clarity.

The PS4 Pro is targeted at taking the whole PS4 experience to a new level. Its main focus is on creating higher fidelity graphics and a smoother frame rate without altering the fundamental gameplay of a PS4 game.

9. All PS4 games and downloads will work on the Pro model

So the great thing about Sony keeping all their consoles within the same ecosystem is the benefits of compatibility. PS4 accessories and gaming televisions you already own will work with the PS4 Pro.

But will all PS4 games work on PS4 Pro?

Yes, and thanks to Forward Compatibility, older PS4 games will be able to get an upgrade as well. Forward Compatibility is needed for older games to take advantage of PS4 Pro. So developers need to make this happen if they want their older games to really shine on the Pro.

Sony has said their older 1st party studio games will be supporting the PlayStation 4 Pro. But it is totally up to 3rd parties whether they want to take the time to patch their older gamers or not.

Not all games will receive the patches needed to utilize the extra power, but all PS4 games will work on PS4 Pro no matter what.

10. The PS4 Pro improves the PlayStation VR experience

It’s been said many times that the PS4 will be able to give you a good PlayStation VR experience. It’s also been said that the PS4 just doesn’t have enough power to give you a great PSVR experience.

Not so much the case with Pro. The Pro model can easily enhance what the PSVR headset can do. It can enhance the frame rate from 60 to 90 frames per second or from 90 to 120 frames per second. An increase in frame rate was something which a lot of gamers were hoping for to help alleviate motion sickness and better the immersion.

There’s also the fact that the Pro can enhance the VR world’s visuals and make the images much more crisp. Something else gamers were hoping for when they step into their virtual worlds.

In all honesty, if you plan on getting the PlayStation VR headset, you should strongly consider getting or upgrading to the PS4 Pro. It’ll make your entire experience so much better.

11. It will auto-detect your display to give you the right gaming modes

Developers will have access to tools that will allow them to know what type of television you hooked the PS4 Pro up to. Depending on your TV, this gives them the option to be able to make certain types of decisions on what features will apply to your game automatically.

From things like super sampling and a stable frame rate to better physics and increasing image quality, the auto detection will be able to make your gameplay experience much better. When you hook up the console to whatever TV you own, you’ll automatically reap the benefits of the Pro without having to worry about adjusting settings.
.

12. PS4 and PS4 Pro gamers can play together

This is something that Sony wants to make clear. Whether it is online multiplayer or online co-op, PlayStation 4 owners and PlayStation 4 Pro owners will be able to play together.

Sony has stated that the PS4 community will remain the same community it has been even with the introduction of the Pro model. It’s all one family and gamers can play against or with each other no matter which platform they have.

13. You can upgrade the 1TB HDD that comes with the Pro

For those of you worried about this, you’ll be happy to know that you can swap out the 1TB HDD. Just like the PS4, you can upgrade the PS4 Pro hard drive for larger storage space.

It’s not known right now if you can take your current PS4 hard drive and put it into the PS4 Pro. And we don’t know yet if the hard drive in the PS4 Pro is the same size as the PlayStation 4’s. But we’ll assume it is because it wouldn’t make much sense if it wasn’t.

14. There will be no PS4 Pro exclusive games

Sony has stated that the Pro is designed to exist alongside the standard PS4. Developers are required to have all games being able to work across both platforms.

So think of it like PC gaming. The games work on multiple variations of PCs but it is the higher-end gaming rigs that reap the full benefit. There are no high-end PC exclusives, you are only limited by the hardware you own.

The Pro version of games will have all the bells and whistles but the standard PS4 versions will still be amazing. It’s just that, like a high-end PC, Pro owners will receive a better overall experience.

15. Online multiplayer will have the same FPS on PS4 and Pro

For most games, this won’t be a problem because games like Battlefront and Call of Duty run at 60fps. So with the Pro you can expect a much more stable frame rate and better resolution.

But let’s take a game like Destiny. It runs at 30fps. According to developer interviews Pro users will still be stuck at 30fps even though the machine is capable of more. The developers have stated they want to keep the playing field level. So if an online multiplayer game for the base PS4 is 30fps then the Pro version will be too.

Whether we like it or not, this is the decision for now.

16. Why did Sony name it PS4 Pro?

Sony name their latest console the PS4 Pro because they want it to symbolize that it is part of the current generation. They want to make sure that people understand that it is not in direct competition with the standard PS4 but that it compliments it.

They also named it PS4 Pro to show that it is targeted mainly towards the hardcore gamer and to those who have invested in advanced display technology.

17. It will be the #1 provider for High Resolution and HDR content

One of the great things about gaming is that it is naturally meant to take advantage of HDR and 4K resolution. Both these technologies help gamers see the gaming worlds as more realistic and truer to the way your eyes see the world.

Sci-fi games like Mass Effect: Andromeda will greatly benefit from HDR and the gamers will notice almost immediately. With the promise of HDR and a higher resolution, game developers will once again be able to deliver on the promises of their creative vision.

When the PS4 Pro launches, it will immediately have 100s of hours of HDR and high resolution experiences for gamers. And the great thing is that these gaming experiences will be available in different formats, depending on your television.

18. PS4 was the foundation that PS4 Pro was built from

Luckily, when Sony was coming up with the concept of their latest console, they decided that PS4 would be its foundation. And because of this, the PS4 and PS4 Pro will remain a single unified community.

So because they decided to treat the PS4 and Pro as compatible systems, gamers have the opportunity to have a PS4 and PS4 Pro working seamlessly in their home. So a parent can play an online cop-op game on their more expensive and advanced Pro model while their kids play with them on their PS4.

19. Adopted many features from the AMD Polaris architecture

As PC world has stated in their article:

“The PC-ification of consoles continues with this incremental upgrade”

Let’s face it, consoles this generation are moving far closer to PC gaming which is a great thing. If you’re someone who is still trying to decide whether to buy a PS4 or gaming PC your decision just got a bit harder with the PS4 Pro now involved.

The Pro’s GPU has some elements of the AMD’s Polaris tech. You can learn more about how the PS4 Pro and AMD Polaris tech work by going here.

20. Sony does not expect all developers to support HDR on PS4 Pro

Don’t expect all developers to jump on board with HDR and what the Pro can do for their games. Even though it seems like something they should do, it is entirely their choice whether to support these things or not.

For one, HDR to developers at this point is something new and exciting. It would be surprising if the majority of devs didn’t utilize it. But HDR televisions are not the norm so some developers may not see the point of adding it in just yet.

The other thing developers have to consider is utilizing the power of the PlayStation 4 Pro. Sony has made it very easy for them to develop for both the PS4 and Pro systems. Still, it is always up to the developer to put in the extra effort to take full advantage of the more powerful Pro while still targeting the PS4 for what it can do.

21. Better super sampling on a 1080p display

One of the great things about having an HDTV is super sampling. This gives your images a sharp definition by putting a bunch of pixels together and making one pixel out of them.

With the Pro you’ll get super sampling on your 1080p HDTV that will make the image much sharper giving your games a noticeable improvement.

22. When did Sony start thinking about the PS4 Pro?

Sony began putting together ideas about a new console soon after the PS4 launched. Mark Cerny has said that with the adaption rate of 4K televisions going up, they wanted to put out a console that could support it.

Mark Cerny also said when it became obvious that the new console’s increased power could benefit 4K and HDTVs, the Pro became a must do.

23. Sony is asking all developers of new titles to support 4K

Devs not supporting the upgrade potential of their old games is one thing. Even though they have an opportunity to possibly make their older games run at a native 4K resolution. But moving forward developers have a decision to make.

Will they fully support 4K with future titles or not?

From a lot of the interviews we’ve seen, developers are very excited at what they can achieve with the Pro. They believe that they are much closer to bringing their true vision of their game to life. And the ability to get so much image detail and draw distances with 4K has them highly excited to show off what is possible with 4K.

Still, with more power means they can do things that might not be in the best interest of 4K gaming. They may opt for things like a lower resolution and a higher frame rate for example. Either way, expect more support for native 4K gaming as more and more people buy them. Just don’t expect every developer to fully support it.