Apart from PS4 slim, there are two other choices to pick from when it comes to the PlayStation 4 console; the standard and reliant PS4 or the more powerful and expensive PS4 Pro.
It is not easy to decide on which console to buy if you don’t know the exact improvements made by Sony into 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 is capable of playing some of its games in higher resolution (up to 4K).
The PS4 is not as powerful as the upcoming next-generation console, the PS5. The PS4 Pro hardware has an improvement which it uses to triumph over the standard PlayStation 4.
The PS4 Pro has better visuals and performance than the standard PS4. Although, with improved hardware, comes 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.
PS4 vs PS4 Pro 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 3 layers.
There isn’t much of an increase when it comes to dimensions. The standard PS4 measures 275.1 x 305.1 x 53.1 mm, while PS4 Pro measures 295 x 327 x 55 mm. The Pro version is slightly bigger, it is 2cm wider and 2cm deeper but it is more or less the same height.
The Pro version is half a kilogram heavier, 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 |
PS4 vs PS4 Pro connection
In terms of rear connectors, the PS4 Pro is similar to the standard PS4, aside from the addition of the USB 3.0 port, which is useful if you are planning on hooking up a PlayStation VR.
The PS4 also features an optical audio output on its rear. The final difference between both consoles is the HDMI port. The PS4 has an HDMI 1.4 port, while the PS4 Pro has an HDMI 2.0 port which gives it the ability to output 4K resolutions.
PS4 vs PS4 Pro 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 have a bigger performance increase. Its power is doubled, and its clock speed has been boosted from 800MHz – 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.
PS4 vs PS4 Pro 4K TV performance
It is a feature that gives the PS4 Pro the upper hand in its ability to support 4K output. In a review of God of War, there is two separate graphics mode that comes with the PS4 Pro.
The first mode which favours a resolution, and displays the game at checkerboard 4K (or 2160p).
The other favours performance, by lowering the resolution to 1080p but displaying at a framerate that is 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 there is a significant drop in resolution.
HDR is also available for TVs that support the format, which has been confirmed to add to the experience especially when it comes to lighting and shadows.
With all things said, 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 be made to yield impressive results.
The HDR feature is new to the PS4 Pro, and it has also been added to the standard PS4 through a firmware update.
PS4 vs PS4 Price
The PS4 Pro offers some pretty significant advantages over the standard PS4, but there are several reasons why you might go for the standard version instead.
One of the reasons is the lower price. The standard PS4 cost about $299.99 while the PS4 Pro cost $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.
With the knowledge of the price of both consoles, you would be able to decide which console to buy according to your budget.
