Apart from the PS4 Slim, there are two other choices for the PlayStation 4 console: the standard and reliant PS4 or the more powerful and expensive PS4 Pro.
It is not easy to decide which console to buy if you don’t know the exact improvements made by Sony to the standard PS4 to justify itself to that of the new Pro label.
The standard PS4 and the PS4 Pro support the same number of games and peripherals. The main difference between the standard PS4 and PS4 Pro console is that the PS4 Pro can play some of its games in higher resolution (up to 4K).
The PS4 is not as powerful as the upcoming next-generation console, the PS5. However, the PS4 Pro hardware has an improvement that it uses to triumph over the standard PlayStation 4.
The PS4 Pro has better visuals and performance than the standard PS4, although improved hardware comes with a higher price tag.
To know which console is more suited or better for you, we are diving into the difference in design, price, specs, VR performance, graphics, and other aspects of both consoles.
Appearance
The main difference in appearance between both consoles is the extra layer added to the PS4 Pro console. The standard PS4 has just two layers separated by a gap for the disc drive and two USB ports, while the PS4 Pro has three layers.
There isn’t much of an increase in dimensions. The standard PS4 measures 275.1 x 305.1 x 53.1 mm, while the PS4 Pro measures 295 x 327 x 55 mm.
The Pro version is slightly bigger, 2cm wider, and 2cm deeper, but it is roughly the same height.
The Pro version is half a kilogram or probably just a pound heavier.
| PS4 | PS4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1.6GHz 8-core AMD Jaguar | 2.1GHz 8-core AMD Jaguar |
| GPU | 1.84 TFLOP AMD Radeon | 4.2 TFLOP AMD Radeon |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB GDDR5 & 1GB |
| HDR | Yes | Yes |
| 4K | No | Yes |
| Storage | 500GB | 1TB |
| USB | 2x USB 3.0 | 3x USB 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only) | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5.0GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.1 | Bluetooth 4.0 |
Connection
Regarding rear connectors, the PS4 Pro is similar to the standard PS4, aside from adding the USB 3.0 port, which is useful if you are planning on hooking up a PlayStation VR.
The PS4 also features a rear optical audio output. The final difference between the two consoles is the HDMI port.
The PS4 has an HDMI 1.4 port, while the PS4 Pro has an HDMI 2.0 port, which allows it to output 4K resolutions.
Internals
Concerning the internals, there are a few key differences between both consoles. However, both consoles use the same AMD Jaguar x86 -64 8-core CPU, which is seen to have a 30% boost in clock speed from 1.6GHz – 2.1GHz based on its predecessor.
Meanwhile, the PS4 Pro GPU has been known to increase performance significantly. Its power has been doubled, and its clock speed has been boosted from 800MHz to 911MHz.
The PS4 Pro Wi-Fi was upgraded to include 802.11ac and a Bluetooth bump from v2.1 to v4.0. Another feature of the PS4 Pro is the addition of 1GB of DDR3 RAM, Which will be used for non-gaming apps to free up and unburden the faster GDDR5 RAM for gaming performance.
4K TV Performance
This feature gives the PS4 Pro the upper hand in supporting 4K output. In a review of God of War, the PS4 Pro comes with two separate graphics modes.
The first mode favors a resolution and displays the game at checkerboard 4K (or 2160p).
The other favors performance by lowering the resolution to 1080p but displaying at a framerate close to 60fps (but not always at that exact framerate).
It all comes down to personal preference. The camera movement is much better in performance mode, though the resolution significantly drops.
HDR is also available for TVs that support the format, and it has been confirmed to enhance the experience, especially when it comes to lighting and shadows.
All things considered, the PS4 Pro is not powerful enough to run all games at 4K with all the whistles and graphical bells turned on. However, some compromises could yield impressive results.
The HDR feature is new to the PS4 Pro and has also been added to the standard PS4 through a firmware update.
Price
The PS4 Pro offers some significant advantages over the standard PS4, but there are several reasons why you might prefer the standard version.
One reason is the lower price. The standard PS4 costs about $299.99, while the PS4 Pro costs $399.
By chance, if you decide to go for the PS4 Pro, then you are in for a treat, especially if you own a new 4K HDR TV to play it on.
Knowing the price of both consoles, you can decide which console to buy according to your budget.
