We know that the Sony’s gearing up to unveil a brand new console code-named the PlayStation 4 Neo (PS4 Neo). We might also see a slimmer PS4 console in the form of the PS4 Slim and we might see both these consoles on 7 September
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Is there reason to get excited though? Let’s find out.
What is the PS4 Neo?
Is Sony’s PS4 Neo “The One”?
The PS4 Neo is an upgraded version of Sony’s PS4. The console is expected to support 4K gaming and some speculate that the real purpose of the update is to offer a better PSVR experience.
The updated console is expected to ship using upgraded AMD APUs that have been built using a newer 14nm process. These APUs are more efficient and thus, can deliver more power per watt consumed. Updates to the architecture also mean that we’ll see a significant bump in performance.
Other changes include a souped up GPU and higher bandwidth memory.
Brass tacks
In terms of specifications, it’s rumoured that the PS4 Neo will ship with an 8-core CPU clocked at 2.1GHz vs the 1.6GHz on the current PS4. Memory remains the same at 8GB, but the bandwidth is expected to be bumped up from 176 GB/s to 218GB/s. The GPU is expected to receive the biggest bump, going from a unit with 18 compute units (CU) to one with 36 CUs.
Think of CUs as GPU cores, the more the merrier. They’re not the same as CPU cores though, so don’t mix the two up.
| PS4 Neo | PS4 | |
| CPU | 8 cores @ 2.1GHz | 8 cores @ 1.6GHz |
| GPU | 36 GCN CU @911 MHz | 18 GCN CU @ 800MHz |
| RAM | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Bandwidth | 218 GB/s | 176 GB/s |
| Computing power | 4.14 TFLOPS | 1.84 TFLOPS |
While one can speculate on the difference the bump in hardware makes, the real stat that stands out is the computing power of the PS4 Neo. This is, again, only rumour, but the PS4 Neo is supposed to offer 4.14 TFLOPS of computing power vs the 1.84 TFLOPS offered by the current PS4.
Is there a need for an upgrade?
An AMD technician holding up a finished Silicon wafer. Image: Reuters
Other than the fact that AMD may have pushed Sony’s — and Microsoft’s — hand by switching to an updated manufacturing process.
The bigger problem is two-fold. The first part of the problem is that the PS4, while more powerful than the Xbox One, still struggles to render its games at 1080p. With an inevitable shift to 4K on the horizon, a beefier system was necessary.
The second part is related to VR (virtual reality). Sony’s gearing up to announce a PSVR headset sometime in October this year and that headset, again, requires a beefier system than the current PS4. To put it simply, the goal of the PS4 was to deliver 1080p, 60fps gameplay. The PSVR requires 1080p, 90fps gameplay.
For a console that’s struggling to hit its original target, supporting PSVR would require great sacrifices in terms of visual fidelity.
Essentially, to support 4K gaming, the PS4 needs to be able to push 4 times the number of pixels it currently does, and to support the PSVR, it needs to push at least 50 percent more pixels (given the 50 percent higher frame-rate).
If the compute scores are accurate, we’re only looking at a two-fold increase in performance (2.25 to be precise), which should be enough for PSVR, but maybe not for true 4K gaming.
On the 4K front, don’t be disappointed. Nvidia’s GTX 1080 is capable of almost 9 TFLOPSin its own right and even that beast of a card can’t deliver 4K, 60fps gameplay in most games.
Should you upgrade?
It’s obviously too early to say anything on this front without facts at our disposal.
If really pushed for an opinion, I’d say the upgrade is worth it if you can afford it, particularly if you’re going for VR. If you’re happy with your PS4, you probably don’t need the upgrade. Sony does claim that games will be supported fully on both consoles, so it’s not as if you’ll be left out or anything.
If you’re in two minds about it, wait until Microsoft unleashes the Xbox Scorpio on the world. That beast is rumoured to offer 6 TFLOPS of power, or around 50 percent more power than the PS4 Neo. If all else fails, do the sensible thing and get yourself a PC.
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