Should Sony have waited with PS4 Pro?

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No, there's no point. For what it is the Ps4 Pro is good enough, it is supposed to run Ps4 games at 1800p/2160p checkerboard with some extras on top and more stable framerate. For them to hit 4k native at Ps4 quality they'd need to hit for at least 7-8 tflops GPU (and more vram) which would increase the cost dramatically, even if they could do it. Plus, I'm sure they are already planning on releasing the Ps5 (or whatever they end up calling it) and that would also mess the timing further. In terms of power and timing, the Pro is exactly where it needs to be imo. 2019-2020 is time for the next playstation anyway.

When you think about it: from Pro launch to Scorpio: some people waited 1 year for a 1.8 teraflop increase.. Waiting 2 more years from Scorpio for a +4 teraflop increase + an actual new CPU this time seems doable :p
 
When you think about it: from Pro launch to Scorpio: some people waited 1 year for a 1.8 teraflop increase.. Waiting 2 more years from Scorpio for a +4 teraflop increase + an actual new CPU this time seems doable :p

If all you care about is tflops, PC seems a viable solution to your problem :p

The 1080 ti at 2-2.1Ghz provides 14-15 tflops of GPU computing power.
 
Rather than limiting choice, i don't think that choice of hardware specs is what consoles are about to begin with, and put Sony themselves in a bind in terms of comparisons to their competition. I have no interest in Pro or Scorpio, but i just feel they would have been better off coming strong out of the game with PS5 in a few years while letting the original PS4 continue chugging along on the strength of its software. Horizon shows that the hardware itself still has a lot to offer.

Then it's really easy, you can just ignore Pro. It's not going to impact PS5 but for those of us with 4K TVs and PSVR, it offers a nice boost without detracting from PS4 in any way.
 
Then it's really easy, you can just ignore Pro. It's not going to impact PS5 but for those of us with 4K TVs and PSVR, it offers a nice boost without detracting from PS4 in any way.
That.

Also well, I think I will repeat others' opinions when I state mine, but I don't think Sony should have waited, at all. On the contrary, I think Pro is a nice addition to the market. Lots of happy consumers who will further enjoy their gaming experience while they wait for the PS5 to be announced... or will buy a Scorpio too, if they please. This is the difference in comparison to what would have been with a full generational leap. If Sony had launched this upgrade as a PS5, then yes, I would think they should have waited.
 
Then it's really easy, you can just ignore Pro. It's not going to impact PS5 but for those of us with 4K TVs and PSVR, it offers a nice boost without detracting from PS4 in any way.

A great point. Personal choice is always the best solution.

But what happens when PS5 comes out, and some people in the Playstation commuity get ornery because its not enough of a jump from PS Pro? Even though you and me know what the philosophy of the Pro is, (in that its not really supposed to count for an actual hardware jump and is more of an side step for those who want it), those people who see PS5 come out and complain about the specs themselves not being that big a leap from Pro, atleast GPU wise, may put Sony in a weird position reception wise of how much effort they put into the machine.

But of course i'm going to attack my own musings by saying that of course the results of the hardware will speak for themselves, and professionals, like Digtal Foundry, will correct those people on the proper context of the jump.
 
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But what happens when PS5 comes out, and some people in the Playstation commuity get ornery because its not enough of a jump from PS Pro?
I dare to say that Sony plans to launch a far more powerful console than just a little jump (maybe another piece of a more exotic hardware, like in the old times?), so I don't see a problem here either. Otherwise, they would launch Pro 2.0 or a similar product.
 
But what happens when PS5 comes out, and some people in the Playstation commuity get ornery because its not enough of a jump from PS Pro?
So what? It's a fact of life that you can't please everyone. Some people will complain. Most will just look at the products available and see what's what they want at the price they want to spend.

There has been loads of second-guessing consumer reactions to these new mid-gen cycles, but it's really not complicated. They aren't going to be confused into Internet Rage or emotional breakdowns or defect to a more noble, less confusing alternative. They'll just shop as normal.
 
That's true shifty. I guess i'm just trying to see it from the lens of what Sony would have to do to get good press from the most people in their next machine. When they came out with Pro this time, the reception was muted, even negative in many circles.

Sure you could say that's par the course for iterative machines that don't give a good enough meaning to their existence for many in the ecosystem myself included, but i feel like Sony's muddled messaging(and implementation) of Pro itself was also to blame for the lackluster reception they received there.

They would surely want to make sure that kind of thing doesn't have a chance to happen again.
 
If they want good press, they need to make the brand new next generation console play all the PS4/4Pro games by simply moving the external hard drive with the game installs over and not have to repurchase them as ReReRemasters. Being able to play your previous software library will go a long way.

Obviously, thats just my thoughts on the matter and could be completely wrong but its how my friends and I would see it.
 
I agree with that, its imperative that Sony needs to put emphasis on their compatibility of software going forward. I already figured they were going to do this when PS4 launched, since PS3 was an oddball and x86 supposedly makes compatibility easier on future AMD architectures...but i think with the shifting focus to ecosystem lock in and userbase loyalty, i feel exceptional backwards compatibility in terms of your user account also applies to the content you had on previous systems now more than ever.

You technical guys probably have more of a view on it than me, does it make me a hypocrite to fully support great implementation of backwards software compatibility, yet absolutely hate the idea of forwards compatibility like MS was floating at one point?
 
Being able to play your previous software library will go a long way.

They'll literally be the only large hardware/software platform without compatibility if they don't. However this shift to backwards compatibility will come with a monetary cost to both Sony and Microsoft. People who spend money on new games for their new hardware will have the option to re-play old games. It's difficult to predict what this will do the the traditional console economy.

No imperative to buy new games for your new console and "no one left behind" means new hardware cannot have exclusive games to really sell your new hardware. This seemingly strikes a blow for the desire/need for people to buy new hardware and new games for their new hardware. We probably won't know for another 3 or 4 years.
 
They'll literally be the only large hardware/software platform without compatibility if they don't. However this shift to backwards compatibility will come with a monetary cost to both Sony and Microsoft. People who spend money on new games for their new hardware will have the option to re-play old games. It's difficult to predict what this will do the the traditional console economy.

No imperative to buy new games for your new console and "no one left behind" means new hardware cannot have exclusive games to really sell your new hardware. This seemingly strikes a blow for the desire/need for people to buy new hardware and new games for their new hardware. We probably won't know for another 3 or 4 years.
I dont think its backwards compatibility the issue but rather the same game being able to run under different configurations on both old and new consoles. I prefer to see it as forwards compatibility.
If any game released is both compatible on old and new then yes, but if MS and Sony release games that run only on the new hardware and all games available on old hardware can play on new hardware it won't change anything.
But really these inermediate console releases are annoying for me. I was thinking of selling my PS4 to get a PRO and I might have done it. Now with Scorpio I am considering buying that too. If Sony responds with another intermediate release that would be another pain in the ass. I might have upgraded numerous times and feel disappointed every time that my current console is not the best I can get from my Software. Although I might have upgraded and someone can interpret it as thats what I as a consumer wants because of my actions, it doesnt mean it is convenient or pleasurable or efficient for me.
 
Isn't that just a case of your obsession for new tech doing you in? I mean you don't technically have to buy the new machines every time they come out just to feel like you have the most advanced stuff. There is no such thing as future proofing for iterative machines, there will always be something better, hence why i am content waiting for PS5
 
You technical guys probably have more of a view on it than me, does it make me a hypocrite to fully support great implementation of backwards software compatibility, yet absolutely hate the idea of forwards compatibility like MS was floating at one point?
I don't think so. MS floated the idea but without knowing what forward compatibility works or what effect it would have; we are left to our imaginations to figure out what that means; that which will often be worse or better than reality.
 
They'll literally be the only large hardware/software platform without compatibility if they don't. However this shift to backwards compatibility will come with a monetary cost to both Sony and Microsoft. People who spend money on new games for their new hardware will have the option to re-play old games. It's difficult to predict what this will do the the traditional console economy.

No imperative to buy new games for your new console and "no one left behind" means new hardware cannot have exclusive games to really sell your new hardware. This seemingly strikes a blow for the desire/need for people to buy new hardware and new games for their new hardware. We probably won't know for another 3 or 4 years.

Well one way that might thread the needle a bit would be, if possible, to have 2 PS5 skus one with hardware backwards compatibility for a price and one that is cheaper but without it. I don't know if the cost of implementing such a thing would be offset by a significantly higher price ( PS5 Compatible so to speak ) and the promise of new exclusive gameplay that Sony really does prize, but it might be :)
 
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One thing that comes to my mind is that the PS4 Pro is a kind of investment in the PS5 and maybe more importantly a $399 dollar PS5. It wouldn't just be the margins of the pro model or the fact that it might keep PS4 customers on board but also some of the tech that is introduced can be included in the PS5 even if it wasn't in the original PS4 which may decrease PS5 development costs both for it's design and manufacturing but also with game developers getting used to using Sony's stuff when they develop their games or gaming engines.

So when the PS4 Pro was introduced might not matter as much as when do you want your PS5 with the performance you want at the price you want.
 
Isn't that just a case of your obsession for new tech doing you in? I mean you don't technically have to buy the new machines every time they come out just to feel like you have the most advanced stuff. There is no such thing as future proofing for iterative machines, there will always be something better, hence why i am content waiting for PS5
Of course nobody forces me. It is not a case of having to own the most advanced stuff, but what is considered the intended or optimum experience for a game. I didnt have to think about what if scenarios and such. I liked the fact that consoles didnt have intermediate releases. I knew that, that was the best experience I could have from that platform's games until the excitement for the next gen console would kick in after 5 or so years where the improvement would be massive
 
Well technically that's still the case. THe baseline is still current gen...its just a matter of if your willing to wait for each baseline release or jump on the intermediate iterations
 
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