Comparison of Sony PS4 and Microsoft XBox One game consoles. Comparison of game consoles Sony PS4 and Microsoft XBox One PS4 about characteristics comparison with PC

• Supports newer Wi-Fi, HDMI and Bluetooth formats

• Consumes less energy

• Became quieter than the original PlayStation 4

• The buttons on the console itself have become mechanical

• The console has lost audio output through optics (the only negative)

Verdict.

Playstation 4 Slim is quieter, consumes less power and takes up less space. In addition, it has more modern standards of communication with the world. True, it should be noted that 90% of gamers will not feel the difference between HDMI 1.4 and 2.0a, just as they will not notice that the console now supports Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi with a frequency of 5 GHz. Not many people use the optical audio output either. Significant differences remain noise, dimensions and energy consumption.

Is it worth upgrading from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 4 slim? Definitely not worth it. The difference in noise and size is not significant enough to warrant an update. And if there is space in the room and a stand for the vertical position of the console, all the difference disappears. The only thing is power consumption, if you play a lot, then when you upgrade to slim, you will save on electricity.

Thus, we have before us an improved version of the PlayStation 4, which can be recommended to those who do not have a regular PlayStation 4. However, provided that you purchase the console to play a FIFA match once or twice a week or to diversify the evening in the company of friends. Everyone else who is involved in more serious gaming should take a closer look at its older brother - the playstation 4 pro, a comparison of which with the ps4 slim is already on our website - a comparison of ps4 slim and ps4 pro.

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The PlayStation 4 Pro will soon hit the market, which will allow games to be played in 4K resolution for the first time. How did Sony manage to do this, given that the GPU power did not increase radically - only more than 2 times, to 4.2 teraflops? In a conversation with Eurogamer, console architect Mark Cerny shared the details.

In general, PS4 Pro does not belong to the new generation of systems: the CPU architecture remains the same, the amount of memory has hardly changed - the system is intended to become an extension existing model: Games optimized for it will be able to be displayed in increased resolution up to 4K. At the same time, a minimum of effort is required from developers to use new features. For example, optimizations for Days Gone for PS4 Pro required the work of only one programmer. Sony claims that in the overall effort of creating a game, full optimization for PS4 Pro will take only a fraction of a percent.

To begin with, it’s worth saying that the PS4 Pro uses a single-chip system manufactured according to 16-nm FinFET standards, instead of 28-nm in the original console. This allowed us to significantly increase productivity. For example, 8 Jaguar CPU cores now operate at a frequency of 2.1 GHz instead of 1.6 GHz (1.3 times more power). The 18 Radeon GCN computing units with a frequency of 800 MHz were replaced by 36 computing units with a frequency of 911 MHz (an increase in power by 2.3 times). The bandwidth of 8 GB GDDR5 memory has increased by 24%, to 218 GB/s. In addition, there was an additional gigabyte of slower random access memory DDR3.

Sony says its clever design results in a system that can effectively display 4 times as many pixels on the screen, yet is perfectly compatible with more than 700 games on the original PS4. To maximize compatibility, Sony simply doubled the size of the GPU: in compatibility mode, the company disables the second half of the GPU's compute units, so the system runs very close to the original. The CPU power did not increase much (as much as the new process technology allowed), and Sony also decided to use old and rather weak AMD Jaguar cores for maximum compatibility. The transition to new CPU cores could lead to problems in individual projects. In games where the frame rate is not fixed, Sony promises performance gains.

Also, the company, considering that games needed more memory, added a gigabyte of slower DDR3. On the standard model, when switching between software like Netflix and a game, the application remains in the system memory even while gameplay, which makes it possible to instantly switch to it. On PS4 Pro, a slightly different process occurs: when you switch to a game, Netflix is ​​moved to the slower DRAM. This frees up almost a gigabyte of GDDR5. Of this additional capacity, 512 MB can be used by games (so on PS4 Pro they can use 5.5 GB instead of 5 GB), and the rest is reserved for rendering the console interface in 4K resolution instead of 1080p.

Developers can use this little extra memory as they wish, but it's usually all spent on the 4K framebuffer, so don't expect the PS4 Pro to output higher-quality textures and assets at higher resolutions - they'll remain the same. on a regular PS4. But supporting game output in 4K will not require much additional effort from developers or downloading voluminous DLC. A full 4K picture with higher quality textures remains the prerogative of the PC (of course, in relevant games like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry Primal or Gears of War 4, where all resources are optimized for 4K).

But Sony changed the GPU architecture in PS4 Pro, using the latest generation of Polaris. This not only allowed for a significant increase in performance, but also provided new features such as DCC (delta color compression) compression technology, which can significantly reduce memory bandwidth requirements. This is a very important innovation, given the more than twofold increase in GPU performance and much less in GDDR5 bandwidth.

Another improvement is the primitive clipping technology. It improves efficiency (especially in tasks such as various full-screen anti-aliasing methods) by discarding too small triangles from the image processing pipeline. Work with 16-bit instructions for floating point calculations has also been optimized. If previously a 16-bit variable in a shader program occupied the same space as a 32-bit variable, now 16-bit variables require half as many vector registers. In certain tasks, this significantly affects efficiency by increasing the number of instructions processed. That is, in the case of 16-bit calculations, peak performance increases from 4.2 teraflops to 8.4 teraflops.

Sony also notes that PC players are also enjoying the benefits of its collaboration with AMD: many features created specifically for the PS4 and PS4 Pro console then appear on the discrete graphics card market. This was the case, for example, in the case of asynchronous computing, which was created specifically for the PS4 and now gives an advantage to AMD video cards in DX12 mode. Mark Cerny says that AMD is very willing to cooperate and consoles sometimes even receive new features before discrete GPUs.

In the case of the PS4 Pro, there are innovations in the GPU that are not yet implemented in the Polaris architecture and will probably appear in the Vega next year. This is more efficient work with 16-bit instructions, as already mentioned, and a very advanced task scheduler, which is also designed to increase efficiency due to more intelligent load distribution. This task distributor not only brings fundamental improvements in the speed of tessellation, like in Polaris, but also speeds up rendering in scenes with many small objects.

But that's not all: the chip for PS4 Pro uses special blocks created for the Sony console and allows it to jump above its head. Today, full-screen anti-aliasing technologies like FXAA or SMAA have their limitations, and it is in this area that Sony has tried to solve the problem by introducing an ID buffer, where a separate hardware unit records the object identifier to accurately determine the edges that need to be smoothed. It is completely hardware and writes data simultaneously with the Z-buffer. As a result, for the first time, objects, their coordinates, and even individual triangles can be accurately tracked between frames. Modern GPUs cannot do this without severely degrading performance.

Using this buffer allows you to create a 4K image using relatively small resources using geometric rendering, partially using textures and reflection effects in 1080p resolution (this method is used in Infamous First Light for PS4 Pro). There is also a better and more resource-demanding method of cell-by-cell rendering. It also allows you to create images close to 4K while saving resources due to new high-quality and economical full-screen anti-aliasing methods based on data from previous frames.

At the same time, according to Sony, the integration of these and other methods for improving resolution and graphics in games does not require significant developer effort, especially since the Japanese company provides code examples. Most PS4 Pro optimized games will run at upscaled 1800p or even 2160p on eligible TVs.

Some games use full rendering with dynamic resolution (usually between 80-90% of 4K) varying depending on scene complexity and workload. But even in this case, using an ID buffer allows you to achieve significant advantages. There are also games (like Paragon) where the developers on PS4 Pro chose to simply improve graphics, frame rates and visual effects, leaving the resolution at 1080p. But the latter approach won't gain much traction: Sony is encouraging developers to optimize games primarily to support higher resolutions for 4K TVs. Owners of regular HDTVs will, in most cases, get better full-screen antialiasing (although there are exceptions like Paragon, Tomb Raider or Mass Effect Andromeda, which provides 1080p modes with improved effects and rendering quality).

Overall, the PS4 Pro, priced at $400 versus $300 for the regular PS4, is impressive. Not every game is perfectly optimized for 4K output, but you can already see good results and examples of developers using their own 4K optimization methods (for example, Spider-Man and For Honor). And in the future, we can expect that the ID buffer, other architectural innovations and increased power of the PS4 Pro will be used even more effectively by developers.

Of course, VR projects will receive a significant advantage thanks to the increased performance of the PS4 Pro and hardware support for changing resolutions (when the frame is rendered in a lower resolution at the periphery of vision). This will significantly improve performance in games for the second generation PS VR without noticeably affecting the image quality in the headset.

For almost seven years, fans of game consoles have been waiting for the release new version their favorite console - this was noticeable on the first day of PS4 sales - more than a million consoles were sold in Japan and the USA alone. In this review, we will talk about the appearance of the PS4 console, its technical characteristics, equipment, hardware and software.

• Appearance and equipment Sony Playstation 4

  PS4, as expected, is made in a minimalist style - the console is a small “obelisk” made of black plastic with a glossy surface. Of course, the gloss easily scratches with active use, but the console looks simply amazing, in a classic Japanese hi-tech design. PS4 can be installed both vertically and horizontally, this will not affect its functionality in any way, and the appearance will remain beautiful.

  In addition to the console itself, Sony supplies the Playstation 4 with one DualShock 4 joystick-gamepad, an HDMI cable for connecting to a TV, four different power cables, two USB cables for charging PS4, a headset with one earphone, as well as instructions for use.

  This time Sony decided not to bother too much with Playstation interfaces and provided the console with only the most necessary connectors.

  On the front panel of the PS4 there are two ports for USB cables, as well as a BD drive, on the rear panel there is an HDMI port, AUX, optical S/PDIF and RJ-45. By the way, in the new version of Sony Playstation, the console can be connected to the TV only via HDMI, which most modern TVs have. The S/PDIF digital audio output will allow you to connect the console to a variety of sound systems, and the Ethernet port will allow you to connect to wired Internet, although the set-top box itself is also equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter with support for 802.11n.

• PS4 Specifications and Hardware

  

  The new console from Sony is equipped with an 8-core AMD Jaguar processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz. In the new version, the developers decided to switch to using standard x86 PC architecture. This step will allow video game developers to simplify the process of studying the hardware of the device, which will greatly facilitate the development process itself. The studios themselves pushed Sony to take this step, indicating the console architecture as the main priority. The developers have increased the memory capacity from 256 MB to 8 GB, which significantly improves the console's performance.

  Specifications The new Sony Playstation consoles are not amazing and are average for PC hardware, but there are certain advantages to this. Previous generations of PS suffered from severe overheating, which led to their rapid failure. The mobile hardware of the new PS4 will significantly reduce the heating of the consoles, which will have a positive effect on their longevity.

  The optical drive of the Sony Playstation 4 operates at a constant rotation speed, allowing you to play both regular DVDs and Blu-Rays. It is worth noting that it is the latter that are the main carriers of video games and films for the console. It is mandatory to install games on HDD set-top box, the volume of which is 500 GB.

  Let's list the technical characteristics of Sony Playstation 4:

  • Processor: 8-core AMD Jaguar (x86-64) with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz.
  • Graphics: Latest generation AMD Radeon, 1.84 teraflops performance.
  • Network connectivity: Ethernet (cable connection), IEEE 802.11 b/g/n (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth 2.1
  • RAM: 8 GB (GDDR5)
  • Hard drive: 500 GB (replaceable).

• Sony Playstation Software

  

  PS4 has a new software interface, made in a minimalist design. This allows the console not to load the device’s RAM for the needs of the interface - this way you can make multiple downloads and play heavy games at the same time.

  The software independently monitors current updates and downloads them, this applies both to the firmware of the device itself and to updates to installed (or being installed) games.

  Navigating through the main menu is smooth and lag-free, which is a definite improvement over the PS3 interface. In addition, the developers have given users the ability to take screenshots from games and post them on Facebook or Twitter.

  The PS4's built-in browser deserves special mention. Everything works smoothly, no flaws were noticed. Most sites open correctly. Although there is no support for Adobe Flash, the browser opens and plays many videos. The browser supports the ability to simultaneously work with games, which will allow you to look at the passage tips or other tips on the game at any time.

  PS3 users encountered many difficulties due to the overloaded settings of the console. On PS4, the settings are so simplified and the optimization is so good that, most likely, you won’t even have to use the settings.

  The developers also thought about localizing the device: the entire Playstation 4 interface has been translated into Russian, including interactive instructions, so no one should have any problems mastering the console.

  The technical characteristics of the Sony Playstation 4 allow you to play all games in Full HD resolution, while maintaining an FPS of 30-60.

Or XBox One? Which consoles were they released for? best games? Disputes about which of the data game consoles more worthy of the attention of gamers, have not subsided since the first mention of them in the press. Today, after the presentations of both products took place, we are ready to discard speculation and conduct an objective comparison of them, based on real details. So, in our ring it’s Sony PlayStation 4 versus Microsoft’s XBox One.

Iron filling

Computational core

Both platforms are based on an eight-core AMD Jaguar x86-64 processor operating at a frequency of 1.75 GHz. More precisely, the computing power is provided by a “system on a chip” - a combined module that includes a central and graphic processors, a video codec and a RAM controller. Despite the identical CPU, the systems differ quite noticeably in other parameters. And first of all, these are the graphics.

Graphics subsystem

XBox One vs PS4 graphics compared based on the following characteristics:

• FLOPS - the number of floating point operations performed by the GPU in 1 second (peak power indicator). According to this parameter, the computing power of Playstation 4 is 1.4 times higher than that of the new Xbox. (TFLOPS indicators PS4 vs XBox One - 1.84:1.31).
• The number of Shading units (video chip shaders), which are responsible for the speed of processing some parameters of 3D graphics (textures, shadows, object displacement, etc.) and the realism of the image. PS4 vs XBox One has more: 1152 and 768 respectively. Plus, the video chip of the Sony console has its own unique shader system - the PlayStation Shader Language, the capabilities of which even exceed the current limits of OpenGL 4 and DirectX11.
• The number of ROPs visualization units that are responsible for the clarity of the displayed image (the more there are, the better). The video card of the Sony console has 32 such blocks, and Microsoft has 2 times less. The number of main computing units is also greater for Sony - 18 versus 12.
• Among other things, the PlayStation 4 graphics processor has advantages due to support for tessellation, which has a positive effect on the quality of object detail, and a more powerful accelerator.
• And only one indicator, despite all the "goodies" of the PS 4, adds bonuses to the Xbox - the GPU clock speed. For Microsoft's console it is 853 MHz versus 800 for Sony. That is, in general, the graphics processor of the new Xbox works faster, so the visual quality of the graphics of both platforms is quite comparable. And without being too picky, the differences between them are not that great.

The conclusion is this. The graphical characteristics of the Sony PlayStation 4 are still better developed, and this opens up unprecedented opportunities for game developers wide open space for creativity.

Storage and Memory

The amount of RAM in both cases is 8 GB. But the XBox One vs PlayStation 4 RAM modules have a lower bandwidth - 86 GB/s (DDR3 standard) compared to 176 GB/s for the PS 4 (DDR5 standard). However, this only applies to the main unit. The lack of bandwidth of the Microsoft console is compensated by an additional ultra-fast 32 MB ESRAM memory module.

Both set-top boxes use 500 GB hard drives as the main storage devices, plus there is access to cloud storage. This is enough for the gaming collections of the majority of gamers. And for those who need special space, the creators of Xbox provided the ability to connect an external drive via USB, and the developers of PlayStation 4 made the hard drive removable. If 500 GB is not enough for someone, they will be able to buy and install a more capacious drive.

Also, both consoles are equipped with drives for reading Blu-Ray and DVD discs.

Interfaces

In terms of establishing communication with other devices through various interfaces, the characteristics of the XBox One and PS4 are as follows:

• both consoles are equipped with USB 3.0 ports, a Wi-Fi module and network card Ethernet for connecting to computer networks, has HDMI and optical outputs;
• the Microsoft set-top box supports Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA technologies, which allows you to connect directly to other devices on your home network and quickly exchange media content, and also has an additional HDMI input;
• The Sony set-top box is equipped with a BlueTooth version 2.1 device and a 3.5 jack jack for connecting headphones.

Input Devices

The main device with which the user directly interacts is the gamepad (joystick). The ease of game control and player comfort depend on it, like nothing else. Which console has a better gamepad - XBox One or PlayStation 4?

The gamepad of the Microsoft console has remained virtually unchanged compared to the previous release, the Xbox 360. The shape remained the same, only the location of some buttons changed, a cross was added, and the batteries were replaced with rechargeable batteries.

Sony's joystick has undergone a much more significant transformation. Firstly, it became larger and heavier. Secondly, it added a touchpad for more precise control of the game, and thirdly, the design of the controls changed and several new buttons were added.

As for the ease of use of gamepads, both of them fit equally comfortably in the hands, but otherwise, each is good in its own way.

In addition to gamepads, both consoles support player motion capture devices - kinect and various motion controllers. Kinect, included with the new Xbox, is equipped with two cameras with Full HD resolution and wide-angle lenses that capture the slightest movements of the player, and 4 built-in microphones pick up any noise around. All this is translated into the game and affects the course of its events. For example, the enemy will be able to detect your presence by the noise in the room. In addition, Xbox supports voice control.

The PS 4 also has a device similar to the Kinect, but it is not included in the standard package and must be purchased separately. Unlike Xbox, Sony PlayStation 4 supports cameras and other motion controllers from previous versions of its consoles. But still, here the comparison between XBox One and PS4 is clearly in favor of the former.

Operating system and services

The PS4 operating system has received more socialization functions - applications for communicating with other players, modules for broadcasting the progress of the game to the network with the ability to exchange comments, and even remotely connecting to the game. At the same time, these functions are not imposed on the user - they can be disabled if desired. In short, thanks to the OS, the game console lives up to its purpose - it can only be used for games and communication.

Microsoft's concept is somewhat different. The corporation positions its device as a home media center, so it has developed as many as 3 operating systems for the new Xbox:

• XBox OS gaming system;
• mini-Windows (especially for consoles);
• and a hypervisor that manages these two systems - thanks to it, both XBox OS and Windows can be used simultaneously.

This arrangement of the operating system allows you to watch simultaneously with the game, for example, cable TV channels (picture-in-picture), use a number of Smart TV functions, make Skype calls, sit in in social networks etc. Which is better - XBox One or PS4 in terms of software is probably clear.

Games

The number of exclusive games for both consoles is still small, and Sony currently has more of them (25 versus 17). It’s difficult to say who will have them and how many of them will be in a few months - active development is being carried out by both competitors.

Today, at least five companies are preparing to release exclusives for the PS 4. In contrast, at the presentation of the new Xbox, Microsoft representatives said that the corporation had invested a billion dollars in the development of new projects and would soon make its users incredibly happy. In addition, games for Xbox will “fully” use the capabilities of kinect, since every owner will have one.

At the moment, the following exclusive games for Sony PlayStation 4 have already been released:

• Bloodborne;
• Killzone: Shadow Fall;
• Knack;
• Lily Bergamo;
• The Order: 1886;
• Road Not Taken;
• Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and others.

Microsoft has exclusive rights to such games for XBox One as:

• Quantum Break;
• Halo title;
• Forza Horizon 2;
• Forza Motorsport 5;
• Crimson Dragon;
• Halo 5: Guardians;
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection and others.

Sales of consoles

Sales of PS4 and XBox One started at different times. The new console from Sony can be bought in our country at a price of about 18,000 rubles or for 400 euros abroad. The package includes the console itself and a gamepad. Xbox in Russia will begin to be sold in September 2014, but those who are not able to wait for this significant event can purchase the console on Ebay and Amazon right today. The price of the set - set-top box, Kinect and gamepad will be about 500 euros. Yes, such a purchase will hit the budget more seriously than the XBox 360 or Sony PlayStation 4, but you will agree that it is worth it.

This is almost the end of our review. What more can be said about these undoubtedly magnificent and noteworthy products? What to rely on when choosing?

If you prefer powerful hardware, detailed graphics and big choice exclusive games now, then the Sony PlayStation 4 is probably made for you. Well, for those who dream of a good multimedia “combine” with “bells and whistles” in the form of a kinect and agree that an exclusive product should be expensive, you should wait a little until it appears on the shelves of your hometown Microsoft XBox One. In both cases the choice game console will be correct.

After the resounding success of the PlayStation 3, which was released by the world-famous Japanese company Sony back in 2007, everyone was waiting for a sequel. And now, after six for long years expectations, the Japanese were born with a new product - the fourth generation console PlayStation 4. The characteristics of this model exceeded all expectations, and at the time of its release the console had neither analogues nor competitors. This allowed sales of the console to soar to previously unprecedented heights, which brought serious profits to the manufacturer.

Key Console Features

Let's take a closer look at the console: what is the PlayStation 4? Characteristics new console correspond to all modern realities and even slightly exceed them. Here are the basic data:

• The new console has an x86-64 AMD Jaguar processor, which is not inferior in power to the best computer analogues and has 8 cores.
• The graphics core from AMD, which produces 1.84 teraflops, is responsible for video playback
• RAM is 8 GB, generation GDDR5.
• The total memory capacity is 500 GB; the hard drive can be replaced if desired.
• Among the input/output devices, we can highlight a full-fledged 6xCAV Blu-ray drive, as well as the presence of USB 3.0 and AUX outputs.
• The console can connect to the network via Ethernet, which supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T protocols, wireless systems that support IEEE 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1.
• The set-top box has HDMI, digital and analogue outputs.

In short, the new console has everything that even the most sophisticated and demanding player needs.

As for joysticks, they can also please players. The joysticks are now wireless, have dimensions of 162 x 52 x 98 mm and a fairly light weight - 210 g. They lie very comfortably in the hands and are practically not felt. Plus, the absence of wires also plays a role - now you can play at any distance from the console. In general, the joysticks are packed with the latest technology and are not inferior in functionality to the console itself. Among the buttons you can see PS, share, options, direction of movement, actions, R1/L1/R2/L2, left stick/L3, right stick/R3. In addition to the buttons, the joystick has a capacitive touchpad that supports up to two points simultaneously. The touchpad is fully clickable. The joystick has a six-axis gyroscope built into it. In addition, it has a light bar that makes its appearance even more attractive, the joystick supports vibration and it has a built-in microphone for communicating with other players while playing or recording streams. The joystick has USB outputs, Extention and a headphone jack, so if you wish, you can connect everything you need to it. The gamepad is connected to the console via Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. The battery on the joystick is a classic lithium-ion one that can last quite a long time without recharging.

The PlayStation 4 comes with an updated PlayStation 4 Eye camera with external dimensions of 186 x 27 x 27 mm. Its characteristics are also quite worthy of respect:

• It can shoot video with a resolution of 1200 x 800 pixels and a frame rate of 60 frames per second in video formats such as RAW and YUV. There are also shooting modes with a resolution of 640 x 400 and a frequency of 120 frames per second, 320 x 190 and a frequency of 240 frames per second, which allows you to choose the optimal quality that is convenient for you.
• The camera has dual lenses with a fixed focus and a capture range of 30 cm.
• The view of the updated video camera is 85 degrees, which, you see, is quite a lot.
• The camera has a four-channel microphone that picks up even the quietest sounds.
• The camera is connected to the console via AUX. The cable length is two meters, so the camera can be placed in any place convenient for you.

And that’s not all the innovations, there are incredibly many of them. If we listed them all, this article would not be enough. You can learn about additional innovations in the software plan from the second half of the article.

Design

So, you have already become familiar with the main innovations in the PlayStation 4. The characteristics, you see, are impressive. As for the appearance, everything is excellent here too. The dimensions of the new console are 275 x 53 x 305 mm, and the weight is about 2.8 kg. Appearance The console is quite classic - straight lines and a slightly beveled design, in short, nothing superfluous. It fully complies with the principle of Japanese minimalism. The body of the console looks like three layers of blocks, which symbolize the power and reliability of the console. In the center of the top panel you can see the glossy manufacturer's logo. On the front panel of the set-top box you can see two USB outputs.

If you want something special, then today there is a fairly large number of different customized models of consoles, among which you can choose any one, depending on what you like best

Advantages compared to other consoles

The main competitor of the Japanese console is still the brainchild of Microsoft - Xbox console. By and large, the consoles are quite similar and it’s hard to say which one is better. It is best to leave this question to the judgment of gamers, because each of the consoles has its own advantages and disadvantages, and, accordingly, each of them has its own army of fans who consider the competitor’s product something unworthy of attention.

Features of the new console

What else can the new PlayStation 4 boast? The characteristics have already been considered, the design too, all that remains is to see the new software-type features. And here, too, there is where to roam:

• The console was made as convenient as possible for developers of new games, significantly reducing the time required to create them, as well as their budget. This will allow even small game development companies to promote their creations to gamers with minimal effort. As a result, it will receive a serious impetus for development.
• While the game is downloading from the PlayStation Store, you won't have to sit and look at the loading bar with a bored face. Now you can start playing the digital version of the game the moment you download it.
• You can update software even when the console is turned off.
• Now appeared new mode"intellectual pause". It allows you to continue playing from where you left the game immediately after turning on the console. This means that even a lack of time will not hinder your progress in the game - you can pause, turn off the console, and then turn it on and continue playing from the same place.
• Now appeared latest system Gaikai, which will let you try the game in the store before you buy it. After all, no one wants to buy a pig in a poke, right?
• You can see what your friends are playing in real time.
• In the store you can now immediately see a list of your recommendations. It is based on your purchases on the PlayStation Store, which, you see, is very convenient.
• Now it is new service Ustream, which allows you to stream games in real time. And if you encounter difficulties, you can easily ask for help from friends who will tell you how best to go through this or that moment of the game.
• The console menu is now multitasking: while playing, you can use other applications, for example, surf the Internet.
• Using special PlayStation Apps, you can connect to the console using PlayStation Vita and PS Vita TV. In addition, you can connect to the console using your phone.
• The console comes with a standard headset and a 500 GB hard drive, which can be replaced with any other if desired.
• The console has finally removed regional restrictions, so you will no longer encounter letters such as PAL and NTSC.

Differences from previous versions

Technical PlayStation specifications 4 are seriously different from the console's specifications previous version. The software also has significant differences. Technically, the console has become much more powerful - everything has improved, from the processor to the RAM. An important fact was that the manufacturer abandoned the processors that it used in previous models and adopted a computer processor.

In addition, the new joysticks are different. Important update was the appearance of the Share button, which makes it possible to share best moments your game with friends and acquaintances or stream the game in real time.

Console modifications

Today, there are several different modifications of the Sony PlayStation 4, the characteristics of which are slightly different. Today, the most popular modifications are Neo, Slim and Pro. Each of them has its own characteristics.

PlayStation 4 Pro

One of the modifications can be called a console whose characteristics differ from the standard one. She shows more high performance due to the updated “filling”. The technical characteristics of the PlayStation 4 Pro are as follows:

• Full 4K support. Now the game graphics will be impressive.
• The hard drive has been increased to terabytes.
• The graphics core has been improved by more than 2 times to expand the graphics capabilities of games.
• Full 1080p resolution.

As you can see, there are quite a few changes. If we compare the standard console and the PlayStation 4 Pro, the characteristics of the latter significantly exceed the original, especially the visual component. In addition, the pro version boasts an additional USB port on the rear panel. The new console is scheduled for release in November 2016.

PlayStation 4 Slim

Another modification of the console is the PlayStation 4 Slim. Its characteristics have not changed, as in previous slim versions of consoles. The only thing that has changed is the size of the console. She became much smaller. Its size became smaller by a third, and its size decreased by a quarter. All this made it possible to significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce noise levels. The new set-top box is equipped with USB 3.1 ports, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac with the ability to connect via Bluetooth 4.0. In addition, the slim version of the console is cheaper than the original one.

PlayStation 4 Neo

Sony has created a high-end console called the PlayStation 4 Neo, its characteristics are somewhat different from the original. The first thing that catches your eye is the seriously improved graphics. Now, if your TV allows it, you can enjoy full 4K in all games. True, at the moment only games released in the fall of 2016 are meant, but the Japanese promise to finalize everything. TVs that support the FullHD system will also be subject to improvements - they will now have a higher stable frame rate, and the graphics detail will be higher.

The processor of this modification will be more powerful and support a clock frequency of 2.1 gigahertz, which will speed up the operation of the console by a third. The power of the graphics core was more than doubled, and its clock speed increased by more than a hundred megahertz. In addition, the RAM throughput was increased by a quarter, which is also important. Plus, an additional 512 megabytes of memory were allocated for games. All this made it possible to increase the image resolution to full 2160p. The release of the updated console is scheduled for October 2016.