Difference Between PS4 And PS4 Pro

If you’ve been shopping for a new PlayStation 4 to outfit your home with, you’ve no doubt seen just how many different options are available today. You have the traditional PlayStation 4, the PlayStation 4 Pro, and even the PlayStation 4 Slim. They come at all different price points, but the differences between all three aren’t clear. The differences between all three is a pretty deep conversation, which is why we’re going to only be diving into the differences between the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 4 Pro in this guide. That said, if you follow along below, we’ll show you everything you need to know about the two consoles, and hopefully help you make a decision on what the best value for money is for you. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

PlayStation 4

The first one that we’re looking at is the traditional PlayStation 4 console. This one is generally going to be your most affordable console. Coming in between $199 and $249 (all depending on retailer pricing and current sales), the traditional PlayStation 4 is your cheapest PS4. It still has really great hardware in it, and it can play all of your favorite PlayStation 4 games in high definition; however, it won’t be able to play any 4K content whatsoever — the hardware just isn’t powerful enough for that, and so, you’re limited to 1080p playback with pretty much everything here.

Don’t let that scare you away, though. The PlayStation 4 is an excellent long-lasting console. You won’t have to worry about upgrading it or it going out of style for years to come. That said, you will have more upgraded models launch, such as the PlayStation 4, but you won’t be forced to upgrade — games will continue to play fine on your original PlayStation 4.

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PlayStation 4 Pro

That said, the PlayStation 4 Pro improves upon the original PlayStation 4 in almost every way. You get improved hardware, such as increased GPU performance, better wireless hardware, and even some upgraded RAM. All of that put together, this means that you should be able to easily play games in 4K or HDR, as well as any 4K streaming playback; however, neither the PlayStation 4 Pro or the PlayStation 4 support 4K Blu-Ray playback.

The PlayStation 4 Pro also has some design differences. It has a slightly larger profile over the original PlayStation 4, but that’s due to all of the added hardware. Not only that, but it does have a sleeker look and an improved color finish. It comes with some extra ports on the back of the console as well, including upgraded HDMI technologies.

The upgraded hardware in the PlayStation 4 Pro also means that you’ll get overall better performance when it comes to using PlayStation VR. Not by much, but it will be a whole lot smoother than on the original PlayStation.

And then there’s the price comparison. All of this extra hardware and improved technology comes at an added cost. Sure, you can get a PlayStation 4 for $200 at your local retailer, or you can even get a PlayStation 4 Slim for $300; however, the PlayStation 4 Pro costs substantially more: a whopping $500. On top of that price, you’ll need to make sure that you have a TV that can support 4K HDR content, which can potentially double that price or more.

Really, when it comes down to it, the PlayStation 4 Pro is more of an incremental upgrade than anything. It cannot support full 4K playback, such as in the case of Blu-Rays, but it will be able to support 4K playback with, say, games that are optimized for the Pro. So is it worth the $500? If you’ve got the cash to spend, and you want to stay on the cusp of technology, then sure. Is it worth upgrading from a PlayStation 4 to a PlayStation 4 Pro? The value is a whole lot less, but it all depends on what you want out of your console.

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Verdict

As you can see, the differences between the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 4 Pro are purely incremental. Sure, there are some small design differences, but they’re not even close to major enough to justify the upgrade, but once gain, that all depends on your disposable cash as well as if you find more value in the PlayStation 4 Pro. The difference is actually a whole lot more incremental than what the Xbox One X is to the Xbox One S — the 4K support just isn’t that great in Sony’s offering, thus why it might be better to buy a traditional PlayStation 4, and then hold out for the next-gen gaming consoles.