PS4.5 new details suggest 4K output, better CPU and insides but no BDXL disc support
The fact that Sony is building a PS4.5 has already been in the rumour mill for quite a while. For the previous months, there have been updates regarding the possible features that will be included in the new hardware.
This time, a new batch of details have been unearthed, including the supposed codename for the new PS4.5. Sources have reportedly confirmed with Giant Bomb that the PS4.5 has the internal codename NEO. It seems that this new PS4 will feature higher clock speed and bandwidth on the memory, as well as better GPU.
Comparison figures have been provided, wherein the CPU of the PS4.5 NEO will allegedly have 8 Jaguar Cores at 2.1 GHz, which is an improvement of the current PS4’s 8 Jaguar Cores at 1.6 GHz. For its GPU, it will now have the AMD GCN, 36 CUs at 911 MHz. Finally, there will be a bigger memory at 8GB GDDR5, 218 GB/s.
More interestingly, there will be a Base Mode and a NEO Mode, which appears to differentiate the two PS4 consoles. As per the report, PS4 games will supposedly ship with a Base Mode for the current PS4 and a NEO Mode for the PS4.5. The latter mode will be compatible with hardware upgrades and additional memory for better framerate and visuals that will match the 1080p on HDTV.
Another improvement that the NEO Mode will supposedly offer is higher framerate compared to what the PS4 now offers. As far as other features are concerned, the PS4.5 is more of an optional hardware rather than an immediate replacement. Apart from the better visuals, everything else will remain the same, such as user experience, online play and the PSN Store.
Even with the increase in framerate, there will be no games or even options that will be offered exclusively to the upcoming console. This may be an assurance to players that Sony will not be forcing the fan base to upgrade given that the lifespan of the PS4 is less than three years.
Of course, all of these new information has yet to be confirmed by Sony, so it’s best to take this with a grain of salt. In fact, Eurogamer reported that there are a few things that may be conflicting what Sony is planning to offer with the PS4.5.
For instance, there were no mentioned changes in the Blu-ray drive. This supposedly contradicts with the advantage of bringing in support for the new UHD 4K movie standard 50GB, 66GB or 100GB discs and its variants. It may also be possible that the report does not reveal all of the included features that will come with the final version, because there is a big likelihood that these are coming from development kits, which may not include all the features as of yet.
