Previous rumors the the upgraded PlayStation 4 console suggested that the console would be priced anywhere between $399 and $399, will feature a GPU twice as powerful as the standard PS4 and will upscale games to 4K.
New sources have revealed themselves through GiantBomb via leaked documents, which have been confirmed by Digital Foundry – who claims to have access to the very same documents. These leaked files detail the hardware specifications for the new PS4, how Sony expects to make the console work and its apparent codename.
Before we dive in, take a look at the supposed specs for the console codenamed 'Neo':
| Original PS4 | NEO | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8 Jaguar Cores at 1.6 GHz | 8 Jaguar Cores at 2.1 GHz |
| GPU | AMD GCN, 18 CUs at 800 MHz | Improved AMD GCN, 36 CUs at 911 MHz |
| Memory | 8 GB GDDR5, 176 GB/s | 8 GB GDDR5, 218 GB/s |
How the console is expected to work:
The upgraded PS4 will offer better performance, power and graphics than the current version of the PlayStation 4. The documents suggested that Neo will feature the rumored 4K resolution for games that support 4K, without losing out on framerate.
According to the documents, Sony will not compromise framerate for resolution – games must meet or exceed the framerate of the original PS4's games.
Sony does not intend to split the PlayStation community with the two consoles. There will be no Neo specific games and no separation in online play between the two consoles. In addition to that, the upgraded console will not feature exclusive PlayStation VR modes.
How games will be affected:
Starting this October, every PS4 game will need to ship with two mods: Base Mode and Neo Mode. The Base Mode will run on the original PS4 with no alterations, while the Neo Mode will offer enhanced graphics and performance on the upgraded PlayStation 4.
Games that release in late September will require day one patches to upgrade them to Neo-worthy titles. Unfortunately, shipping a game with two versions sounds like adding additional development time to PlayStation games.
