Should You Buy a PlayStation 4 Pro in 2018

As the years go by, and as this console generation gets longer. It seems gamers are picking up new 4k tv's and the dust starting to collect on their favorite console. More gamers are asking themselves, is it worth jumping on board with the PlayStation 4 Pro? Is it worth just hanging on to our launch day consoles, until the PlayStation 5? What are the benefits that gamers could look forward to with this new mid generation upgrade, whether their a 4k user or not? Is the PlayStation 4 Pro worth it's price in 2018? Or Does Microsoft's Xbox One X hold a strong advantage over the competition?

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Well, if you don't have a PS4 then Pro is the best option no question. PS4s are basically becoming irrelevant along with Xbox. Specifically for the enthusiast btw.

[solideagle]

I agree with you + if you have a 4k tv then defo go for pro.

[Sirk7x]

The PS4 supports supersampling now, so it's a better option even without a 4k tv if it's affordable to you.
For those who do not know, supersampling is basically running the game at higher resolutions, and then compressing that image to a lower one for better image quality, anti-aliasing, etc.

[Eonjay]

I just bought one last month. I don't believe they are necessary for most because most don't have TVs that can go about 1080p. People don't understand that the enhance systems are mainly being used to make the same thing you see now on a PS4 blow up to 4k. And thats it, except for VR which is actually better on Pro objectively.

[Shineon]

Except on the X produces better textures,Textures are more important than rez to me

[Eonjay]

The X is a marginally more powerful machine. It doesn't change what I said above. The Pro and X don't do anything that wont be mostly completely replicated on a regular PS4.

[G20WLY]

Agreed. PSVR is definitely even better on Pro. Often the clarity is considerably improved, draw distance, pop in, frame rate (which is ALWAYS great on PSVR anyway) and you can just really feel the additional oomph the games get.

[Muigi]

@Shineon I hope your just trolling.

[Eonjay]

@SoloKingRobert

Very few people would care about the things you listed. Very few. Myself an many others who bought the pro already know the X doesn't play games that I want to play. Therefore, I'm not gonna spend 500 on something I don't want. if fact, you don'tj even need to spend 400 on the pro. Thats my point.

[WilliamSheridan]

50% more power is considered marginal now? When the PS4 was doing 1080p vs Xbox One 900p people said the difference was huge. Now that Xbox One X is pushing out double the pixels as the Pro, people are like nah it's marginal. The goal posts sure have moved...

[IamTylerDurden1]

If you have a 4K TV then PS4 Pro is a must. It also is great if you have VR.The Pro still has benefits even if you don't have a 4K TV, but with games like God of War and Spiderman on the way i'd suggest upgrading to Pro. Horizon is stunning on Pro in HDR and God of War will have a very nice PS4 Pro upgrade.

[-shoryuken-]

pro is a must for me as it improves the fps for some games from 30 to 60.

[Old McGroin]

Specifically for Monster Hunter, is there a difference in performance running on a regular PS4 and a Pro?

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

If I was buying a Playstation today, it would be a PRO, now that I have a 4k TV, I wish I had initially got one but there's no point upgrading from my vanilla console now.

[PurpHerbison]

Even then you finally have devs utilizing the little bit of extra power for 1080p. Which typically results in a better experience (frame rate) over 4k. And if you wanted games to look better at 1080p, enable supersampling. Pro isn't all about 4k these days.

[IamTylerDurden1]

I would upgrade considering how well games like Horizon, God of War, and Spiderman are/are being tuned for Pro, but games like Horizon and R&C are great games regardless of resolution. Either way you will enjoy them and at least Vanilla PS4 has HDR. Also if you are interested in VR i would upgrade to PS4 Pro.

[GUTZnPAPERCUTZ]

I have a Pro and an X in my living room on a 55" M series Vizio 4k, HDR10 120hz. I put my day one X1 in the bedroom. Love both!

[OB1Biker]

No I don't think ps4s are becoming relevant. Sure the Pro is a more future proof investment especially if you consider getting a 4k TV at some point but ps4 slim is still a decent option. I'm sure some gamers even prefer a slim console for whatever reason.

[MegamanXXX]

All you need is a PS4 to play great first party exclusives

[Wh1teLightning]

Or an Xbox 1 X to play some more awesome first party exclusives. Halo 5 running at 60fps on a 4K TV is AMAZING...same for Forza 7.

[ILostMyMind]

You must be joking.

[FallenAngel1984]

Screw that im content with the base model

[UKRsoldja]

Sorry you're poor.

[loadstone007]

What the hell man. Grow a character.

[nucky64]

no, he's smart. this mid-gen console thing is a cash grab. if you're happy throwing your money away replacing something that will already play the games- do it. I will say, if someone does not have a ps4 at this point, the pro is the right choice. I think using my standard ps4 and waiting for the ps5 makes the most sense.

[ocelot07]

He is actually smart. Am a pro owner and though I like it. It's not all that great. I wish more developers gave us more options. Even though I have a 4k TV I much rather have higher FPS followed by higher textures rather than 4k resolution.

You see the likes of the God of War devs and sucker punch and square giving us these options. But more devs need to do it. So i fully understand why people rather hold on to the PS4 rather then upgrade to a pro.

Plus with the ps5 being released in 2019/2020 (guess) I think it's actually smart to just wait.

[Ju]

Well, if Sony would announce a PS5 this June, I doubt the Pro @ $400 will have a market. But if it drops to $300 (soon) and replaces the base Slim, of course. I got my base gold slim for $249 (and the other one is a Pro). I would like to replace it with a Pro, tbh. It's probably a $100 upgrade if I'd sell it. But, yes, I'd want to wait for Sony's next gen in the hope this will be a pure 60fps console. If it's another 2 years till then, though, I certainly would say the Pro is worth it. It's not a massive upgrade, but it's that little edge. If you are in for a $300 or $400 console, and you don't have one, I'd say get the Pro. Slim works fine too, if you don't care so much about jagged edges. Games look pretty much the same, else (surprisingly). Pro has more stable framerate, too, though (and with system wide super sampling, those edges also disappear on 1080p screens).

[AgeInTheCage]

I bet you cant show us you have an xboxone x...

[sprinterboy]

Agree, plus everyone who has bought a 4k TV this gen will have a inferior 4k TV when the nxt gen comes out, I'm getting my 4k tv nxt yr just b4 ps5 comes out, plus the blu ray movies will be cheaper, there £25 here in the UK atm for a new release. 4k starts nxt gen imo although there has been some great content of course already hzd, gts, forza, fc5 etc but I'm willing to wait as I don't want to be in a position of owning a 3yr old 4k TV when ps5 is out.

[phoenixwing]

Base model and no mid gen upgrades. I want every new numbered base playstation to feel really upgraded when i switch to it and doing this mid gen thing is silly.

[TGG_overlord]

I can't speak for everyone else, but I intend to buy a PS4 Pro and a new TV very soon. So in my case, yes, it's a must buy.

[fiveby9]

I needed a second PS4 as one of my kids like to use the PS4 increasingly more often. I ended up getting the PS4 Pro bundle for God of War as it was a good deal considering I was going to buy that game anyway. Had I not needed a second PS4 I would have been happy with my OG PS4 though. God of War should look pretty nice on my Sony 900e 4K set.

[FyBy]

It will shine on that tv! I recently bought 930e for pro and it’s really great experience!

[OB1Biker]

That's it. I think its the way to go to improve the gaming experience if you want it. Its a matter of time (timing?) and personal budget when the value makes it worth it. For many, though, the time may come when the ps5 is due.

[sprinterboy]

I know so many gamers who have bought pros and x but bought low/mid range Black friday cheapish 4k tvs which don't have the best hdr, just watch the digital foundry YouTube video on it. That's why I'm waiting for nxt gen b4 going 4k, get all the bells and whistles on 4k which current ones don't support ie the new hdmi format which will support 8k also, I'm sure they'll be 8k indie titles at least nxt gen.

[traumadisaster]

There is something the 2018 or 19 tv's will have, vvr. Variable refresh rate, I think that might be a game changer.

[tmisellati]

ps4 pro is essential purchase only if you like sony's first and second party games. 3rd party devs do not use the ps4 pro specs properly.

[TechnoGoat]

Um... yes they do.

[tmisellati]

Um
how many third party games that look as awesome on 4k tv as Horizon , GT sport , ratchet and clanck and shadow of the colossuss then ?

[Goldby]

@Tmisellati
Hellblade,
Metal Gear Solid V
A Way Out
Witcher
just to name a few

[tmisellati]

@Goldby
you are right about the witcher 3. it is one of the few 3rd party games that use the checkerboard. and i like how it look like on the ps4 pro.
though , i disagree with you with hellblade and metal gear solid 5. both of these games are only 1440p.

[Goldby]

@tmisellati

Resolution isnt the only thing that makes a game look better.
And 1440p is still a good resolution as there share alot of people out there with 1080p tv's Taking advantage of the supersampling

[GUTZnPAPERCUTZ]

Horizon looks amazing, but TW3 and Far Cry 5 on X look even better on the same TV, HDR is a huge difference imo!

[Rainstorm81]

AC Origns looks great as well as Rise of the Tomb Raider

[Rude-ro]

Cod
Destiny
Battlefield 1
Etc to name more.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

3rd party games still look and run better on the PRO, I'd just recommend a PRO if you'r buying a Playstation today, if you already own a vanilla version then it's not worth upgrading for the performance boost.

[tmisellati]

Agree

[Hardiman]

AC Origins, Wolfenstien 2, Shadow of War and FarCry 5 all look amazing on the Pro!

[bigmalky]

It was better to buy a Pro on release. I got mine for £289 pre-order from Tesco, then sold my original PS4 for £150 with twelve games. Kept all my special games on the shelf for the collection.

So, I got a Pro for £139.

It would have been worth it, even if I did pay the full price, as it had double the HD space, looks a little nicer and is less noisy than the base model.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the PS4 though, it has one of the best gaming libraries since PS2, I'd dare to say that with upcoming exclusives, it has even more to offer than that.

[Ju]

If Sony would make a 2GB standard in the Pro, if wouldn't really be a discussion.

[traumadisaster]

Can't u just buy an external ssd for it?

[Heelix]

It's not an X but its still an improvement over the base PS4 plus you get to play the upcoming first party titles with improved visuals and sometimes performance too.

I wouldn't even consider base hardware at this point in the generation.

I have a Pro pre ordered

[bluefox755]

Well, it's the best place to play the best games on console, so it has that going for it. Not gonna be for everyone though, especially if you already have a standard PS4.

[traumadisaster]

I really only need a device to play Naughty Dogs games, I've had a 4ktv for years but I have a huge back log on Steam and ps360 I'd like to get through. Multiplatforms go to pc and I can be patient, money is a bit of a consideration too.

If the ps5 will auto upgrade ps4 games then I'd prefer to get that. However if the ps5 doesn't really improve ps4 games then I'll probably get a pro at that point.

[Ju]

What about if a PS5 will actually run PS5 games (and Pro games)? A PS5 just pushing pixels to 4K isn't gonna cut it. PS5 games must have a tangible advantage over already good looking Pro games - e.g. stable 60fps and 4K - with more details. Unless a PS5 is just a cost saver for the PS4. It could for example be a PS4/Pro level pair of machines, targeting 1080p/4k but with a $200/$300 price (those components would probably become available soon to have similar performance targets at a much lower price).

[bamillington]

no

[TechnoGoat]

As someone who had a PS4 from day 1, I'm glad I ditched it for the PRO, granted I have a 4k TV, but with the recent inclusion of super sampling, you're crazy not to make the upgrade.

[BLAKHOODe]

I just bought an Xbox One X and I have 2 OG PS4s. The XB1X is a beast! And I could see Microsoft staying with it for another 4 years before releasing a next gen console. But I don't think Sony will wait that long. We might see the PS5 in as little as 2 years, so I'd wait for that before buying the PS4 Pro.

[Ju]

I think Sony will announce the PS5 at this years E3. I'm curious what impact this will have on the PS4 - I expect it to be fully backwards compatible to the PS4/Pro, though.

[Xavi4K]

nah probably next year this year is to early...they will probably announce it on E3 2019 and release it during holiday seasons or sometimes in the first quarter of 2020.

[Ju]

If the rumors about dev kits out now are true, it'll be out this holiday season.

[MatrixxGT]

As a owner of the ps4pro and Xbox one x with 4K tvs I will just say that I recommend buying any of the mid gen consoles. The ps4pro is better buy considering it does display nice on a good 4K hdr tv. Also the amount of exclusive games Sony puts out and ones coming in the future. It’s also a little cheaper than the Xbox one x.

If you don’t care about Sony’s exclusives and want to play the latest FPS or 3rd party game with the best visuals and performance than the x1x is where it’s at without going PC. The x1x runs backwards compatibility games better as well. One thing to consider is the download file size is A LOT bigger on the Xbox X vs ps4pro.

In any case It’s hard to go back to the OG units. Especially a launch day Xbox one. Hah the regular ps4 can still hold its own but once you get used to 4K it’s hard to go back.

[MarineLineman]

It’s definitely worth it just to appreciate how well Sony’s first party make use of it, especially if you have a 4K TV.

[Skankinruby]

Make another good limited edition and I'll buy my 4th ps4 in a heartbeat. Had the launch console and gave that away, got the uncharted limited edition, and the star wars limited edition pro. Really hoped they would do a pro for gran turismo sport but oh well, wasn't really too impressed with that God of war design probably won't buy that. Maybe spiderman, doubt they'll do one for Detroit.

[sprinterboy]

Sony must love you

[Youngindy21]

I did. But then again, I never owned the original PS4. I traded my Xbox One for it, because I plan on getting Xbox One X in the future. One thing that swayed me was all the great exclusives for PS4 in 2018. I don't really care that it doesn't play UHD blu-rays, because I can just stream or download 4k content.

[G20WLY]

Did you just say you plan on getting an Xbox one x in the future? 🤔

[Goldby]

than why are you getting an xbox one x?

[Youngindy21]

I plan on getting Xbox One X, esp. if Microsoft comes w/ more exclusives at E3. Also I want the best version of my multiplat games.

[Auron]

Haha he does kinda make it seem like he doesnt want an x after all

[Vizigoth04]

Yep, still definitely planning on getting a Pro. Mainly so that we have two PS4s in the house. Kids always wanting to jump on the PlayStation usually for PSVR. I want one so that I can play online coop games with peeps in the house.

We do have a 50' 4K but in my opinion it's a garbage 4K because it doesn't have HDR. But it was on a garbage sale at Sam's so it's considered a stepping stone to the 80 we just have to have with HDR and all the bells and whistles.

[Guyfamily999]

For upcoming first party games (God of War, Detroit, spider man) the Pro is an amazing machine, running them all at 4K through checkerboard rendering or temporal reconstruction, both techniques that have proven to be very effective. For third party games and general 4K usage it's a step down from the X for sure (lower resolutions, no UHD blu ray). The PC debate doesn't come in for everybody. PCs still don't work well for couch/bed play, and they're extremely expensive. You're looking at around a thousand dollars for a PC that can match the X in graphics power. Biggest upside of PC is that you can prioritize 60fps over graphical quality. But as a value proposition, for 500 bucks you can barely throw together a system with an i3 and a 1050.

[AKS]

The "couch" argument against PC is greatly exaggerated. I play Nier: Automata and other games with the same Scuf output to the same OLED as used with my PS4 Pro. They key exception would be games that are best played with kb/m such as competitive FPSs or RTSs that would put you at a major disadvantage with a controller. If you're playing Witcher 3 or Nier or most games that aren't of the key genres I named, you can do that with a controller on the couch just like consoles.

[Xavi4K]

except that my pc is in my office not living room and honestly Steam link doing shitty job even though I'm connecting steam link to Ethernet cable.

[traumadisaster]

I brought my pc out to the living room and put in under and end table and connected it to my tv and sat in my recliner/couch, no one even knows it's sitting there. I DID THIS IN 1997!!!!!!!!

[BLAKHOODe]

You should probably be thinking about updating.

[nucky64]

no way I'm replacing my ps4 with a pro or x at this point of the current cycle - I'll wait for the next console.

[Kokyu]

Nope wait for Ps5 it will be out next year anyway

[OffRoadKing]

lol, wont be next year but I do plan to wait for it.

[Kokyu]

Yes it will with a Ryzen/Vega based APU.

[Kokyu]

http://n4g.com/news/2159115...

[OffRoadKing]

lol, nope.

[Kokyu]

Lol yep

http://n4g.com/news/2159115...

[OffRoadKing]

Lol nope. "MAY release in 2018", is speculation not an actual release date, the story was failed because its unconfirmed rumors, its not releasing this year so give it a rest and stop posting links to a failed article.

[Traingamez]

Having my original PS4 and having bought and returned the Pro within the two week return period I would say hold off if you have a PS4 as the ps5 will be out in 1.5-2 years.

If you do not own a PS4 yet, what are you waiting for?? And grab a pro of course!! Worth it for a first time buyer but as an upgrade for the PS4.... nah

[OffRoadKing]

Personally I'm holding out for PS5 but if you dont already on a Playstation and plan to get one soon and you have a 4K tv then its certainly worth it.

[PyroPotatoe]

I currently have an OG PS4, but I’m upgrading to a Pro with the new GOW as i got a 4k tv in december.

[The_Jackel]

youll be stupid not to buy a ps4 at all, be it regularly or pro by now.
games is what we buy consoles for in the first place and thats what playstation has been deleivering

[DivineAssault]

If theres a sale, id say yes.. You can always play many of its games in the future when you get the itch.. However if you want the latest and greatest, id say wait for the PS5.. Microsoft has a stronger machine but theres no competition when it comes to quality software..

[KickSpinFilter]

If ya don't have a PS4 anything ya should.

[ziggurcat]

If you don't have a PS4 yet, sure. If you feel as though you wouldn't feel ripped off if they came out with their next console in 2020, sure.

[PyroPotatoe]

At this point i was hesitant, but considering i already upgraded my tv and have psvr and sony is dropping all of these bombs, why not? Thank God for my best buy credit card and a year of no interest!

[MasterCornholio]

Well I did decide to preorder the GoW PS4 Pro so in my opinion it's worth it. Especially for the PlayStation exclusives if your interested in them. And even if your not it still plays multiplats well.

[PyroPotatoe]

The GOW Pro looks nice, i am disappointed in the controller thought

[Mr Marvel]

Absolutely!

[RuleNumber5]

If you have a 4KTV capable of running games like Horizon on it, then hell yes.

[kevnb]

If I didn’t have a pro monster hunter world would frustrate me with low frame rates, the pro frame rate mode plays so much better. The later we get into the gen the more the pro feels needed to me, too many times the performance on base hardware just doesn’t cut it for me.

[traumadisaster]

Then you might consider pc, 60 fps is so nice in all of these console games that only get 30.

[kevnb]

I do game on pc as well, using a 144 hz monitor. However, monster hunter world isnt on pc yet and even if it was I want to play with friends who are on console.

[paintedgamer1984]

I bought a pro on craigslist for 249... so yes 😝

[senorfartcushion]

No, because the ps5 will be out next year.

[Hardiman]

If you don't have a PS4 then yes! While it may not have the most powerful specs third party games like AC Origins, Far Cry 5 and Shadow of War look amazing and amazing is a really great option! Not to mention the amazing first and second party exclusives that can't be found anywhere else!

[Xenophon_York]

A great question.

I'd think if you are trading in a base model PlayStation 4, then yeah, go for it. Or, if you're trading in an XBOX One it's a good move.

On the other hand, unless you don't plan on being a launch day PlayStation 5 adopter—in a little less than two years—I'd wait.

Anyways, dropping three hundred and fifty to four hundred bucks is a lot this close to the end of a console cycle.

[TRwinfrozor]

Answer no, its only about the graphics... and graphics don't make games,

[SethBrundlefly]

"Should You Buy a PlayStation 4 Pro in 2018?"
Haha HELL no, I'm not stupid!

Already own one.

[Xavi4K]

having that all the rumors say that Ps5 will be backward comp...I don't see the need to get ps4pro for myself. I have X1X and I play most third party games there as for Ps4 the only game that I would really wish to experience in 4k is Horizon and I'm wailing to save some money and wait for it until I get Ps5.

[Octo1]

Well in a couple of weeks I hope to own the GoW2018 theme PS4 Pro. I have $230 in hand so I'm hoping to be able to sell my base model PS4 for at least $300 CAD.

[Athos]

When you play BF2 and die because you are sitting there staring at the amazing environments in 4k... yeah its hard to go back.

[spambot0815]

no, you should already own a ps4pro in 2018. ;-)

[Auron]

Id only say YES if you dont own a ps4 yet..
A PS5 announcement seems so close to me..

[Artemidorus]

Only thing going for it is it's cheap and has a library of games worth playing

[Stanjara]

If you have 4k tv and you primarily play on PlayStation than yes. If you game on PC and want to play exclusives than ...yes and no.
If you are the parent than no!

[jznrpg]

Yes if you have a 4ktv or like better FPS for Sony games but if you want to save a few $ just get an OG PS4 . I have a Pro and another on Preorder (GoW) but I still use my OG PS4 with my daughter or when I travel . Oh yeah if you have PSVR Pro is real nice for that too . To all go you people saying your dumb if you buy a Pro or poor if you don’t , either way you get to play great games.

[PUBG]

The PS4 Pro is not powerful enough for 4k gaming and it doesn't even have a 4K Blu-ray drive. With the PS5 rumored to launch in 2.5 years from now, it will surely blow the PS4 Pro out of the water, and will probably have twice the power (8 Tflops). If you don't mind upgrading in 2.5 - 3 years, then go for it I guess.

[Kosic]

Tbh if you're going for 4k visuals on a 4k TV. The pro isn't amazing, I had the standard ps4 and with the TVs upscale techniques the results were great.

The pro does a slightly better job on upscaling. But with fast paced action and sitting across the room. It's not so noticeable.

Upgrading from the ps4 to pro was exciting but that hype wore off really fast for me. I could've stuck with the standard ps4 and most likely been just as happy.

[mmj]

Yes? why not? unless you're obsessive about native 4K (in which case you should have a PC) it will have a far better games catalogue and it won't be abandoned the moment the true next gen hits.

[kevnb]

i think 1440p is quickly becoming the sweet spot on pc, the combination of price, higher frame rates, the typical screen size and the way windows scales the desktop will make 4k gaming a small portion of the pc gaming market.

[kevnb]

I think anyone who cares enough to comment on these forums should already have a pro, unless they cant afford it.