Today in New York City, Sony unveiled their newest lineup of PlayStation 4 systems. The PlayStation 4 Slim was introduced, as was the PlayStation 4 Pro, a more powerful console that was previously known under the code name Neo.
PS4 Slim is different from the standard console in size and shape only. The new system is 30 percent smaller and 16 percent lighter than the PS4 that is currently on the market. PS4 Slim will be available September 15 for $300 USD.
Aside from taking up less space in your TV unit, the PS4 Slim also reduces power consumption by 28 percent while providing the same performance as the original PS4.
PS4 Pro is the beefed-up system that was previously known as Neo. Pro enhances PS4 games by supporting 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range, and smoother frame rates. The system has a more powerful Graphics Processing Unit and a faster Central Processing Unit. PS4 Pro will hit shelves November 10 for $400 USD.
A few developers are already updating current PS4 games to add PS4 Pro support, and others are building PS4 Pro support into upcoming titles. Patches will be available for the launch of games like Uncharted 4, which will significantly improve the visual experience. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Mass Effect: Andromeda, and Days Gone will have PS4 Pro enhancements as well.
All games on PS4 Pro will run in 1080p resolution, which will benefit even those who don’t have a TV that can support 4K.
PS4 Pro will stream Netflix and YouTube in 4K as well.
One thing PS4 Pro will not have is a Blu-ray disc player.
Despite the graphical and performance updates, PS4 Pro is not a next-gen console, simply a hardware upgrade that is part of the same software generation. Pro and Slim will both run the same games as the original PS4. There won’t be any gameplay features exclusive to PS4 Pro, so the advantages of the new system are purely technical.
Sony has also stated that all PS4s, even the original consoles, will be HDR capable going forward.
All PS4 systems will be compatible with the upcoming PlayStation VR—Sony’s attempt to jump into the virtual reality market.
Here are the specs for both the PS4 Pro and Slim, courtesy of IGN:
| Feature | PS4 Pro | PS4 Slim |
| Release Date | November 10, 2016 | September 15, 2016 |
| Price | $399.99 | $299.99 |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 11.6 x 12.8 x 2.1 | 11.3 x 10.4 x 1.5 |
| CPU | AMD Jaguar x86-64 8 Core processor (boosted clock speed) |
AMD Jaguar x86-64 8 Core processor |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 4.2 TFLOPs |
AMD Radeon 1.84 TFLOPs |
| System Memory | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Internal Storage | 1TB | 500GB / 1 TB |
| AV Output | HDMI / Optical | HDMI / Optical |
| Power Consumption | 310w (max) | 165w (max) |
Sony’s president and global CEO Andrew House had this to say about the launch in a post on the PlayStation Blog: “Whichever system you choose, we’ll continue to give you the exclusive franchises, blockbuster third-party titles, and unique games from creative developers that you’ve come to expect from PlayStation… From day one with PS4, we’ve been driven to create a system tuned to the needs of gamers. PS4 Pro builds on that goal even further, and we can’t wait for you to try it.”