PS5 vs PS4: Should you upgrade?
The next generation of consoles is upon us, but should you upgrade?
After what feels like forever, the day that technology fans can get their hands on the latest, next-generation console is nearly here and those who want to but the PlayStation 5 will be able to do so on November 19th in the UK.
But while many will be ready to hit that pre-order button as soon as sales go live, others may be on the fence about whether to upgrade - as well as those who are looking to dip their toes into the wealth of PlayStation exclusive games for the first time.
If you are one of those who cannot decide between the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation 4, here are some details about both that may help you make up your mind.
PS5 v PS4 price
We now know that the Playstation 5 price to be £449 over here with an American cost being $499. This lines up exactly with how much the Xbox Series X will cost which makes sense as the consoles have a history of being similarly matched when it comes to launch prices. As for the digital-only version, that comes in at £349.99/$399.99.
So, if you are new to the PlayStation world, it will definitely be cheaper to go for the Playstation 4. You can currently get a PlayStation 4 on Amazon for £249 while the enhanced pro edition is listed at £409. And with Black Friday and Christmas sales on the horizon, look for those prices to drop even further, especially when the PS5 launches and leads the way for Sony consoles.
PS5 v PS4 Specs
For all you technically minded people out there, here are the specifications of the upcoming PlayStation 5:
CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)
GPU architecture: Custom RDNA 2
Memory interface: 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit
Memory bandwidth: 448GB/s
Internal storage: Custom 825GB SSD
Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot
External storage: USB HDD support
Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray drive
Comparing this to the Playstation 4 shows just how superior this latest console is- truly a next-generation machine. That being said, the PS4 is powerful in its own right, even though it, obviously, falls some way behind the latest version.
CPU: Consists of two x86-64 quad-core modules for a total of eight cores at 1.6 GHz.
GPU: 1,152 cores (64 cores per CU), that produces a theoretical peak performance of 1.84 TFLOPS.
GPU architecture: AMD's GPGPU-capable Radeon GCN
Memory interface: 256-bit wide GDDR5
Memory bandwidth: 176 GB/s
Internal storage: 500GB
Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot
External storage: USB HDD support
Optical drive: Blu-ray drive
It is worth noting that there is also the PlayStation 4 pro that is an upgraded version of the original release.
PS5 v PS4 Design
The PlayStation 5 is without question the sleeker design out of the two with the new console looking just as much at home sitting upright than it did with consoles of the past - something that helps with the space that they can take up. The white colour addition is a new and welcome change and the blades on either side of the console will allow it to stay cool and remain much quieter than the noise that the PlayStation 4 makes, something we are very happy to hear.
PS5 v PS4 Games
While all previous PlayStation 4 exclusives will be able to be played on the new console, any future ones will only be playable on the PlayStation 5. So games like Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will not be available if you opt for the older generation PlayStation.
That being said, third party games such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla or the latest in the FIFA series will still be made for both consoles for the foreseeable future, but they will certainly look a heck of a lot better on the next-generation platforms that on the current ones.
Should I buy the PS4 or the PS5?
In conclusion, it really is up to the individual. Sony is the front-runner in creating brilliant exclusive games and Microsoft have been struggling to catch up for years. So, if you are looking to see what everyone has been raving about, there are more than enough games to keep you busy on the PlayStation 4 for quite some time.
That being said, if you want to be able to play the latest exclusives, you will need to invest in the new console. And if you already own a PlayStation 4, the chances are that not being able to get your hands on the latest exclusive games will be a tough pill to swallow.
It depends on your home entertainment set up too. Whilst the PlayStation 5 is faster and will look better regardless of what TV you own, there may not be much point in going for the latest PlayStation if you are not 4K ready. Playing games on the PS5 with a 4K HDR set up will look incredible and if you don't have a TV that can perform to this level, it may well be worth investing in one of these first. If you do own a 4K Tv though, it would be a shame not to see just how glorious these next-generation games will look.
PlayStation 4 deals
As we still do not have a release date for the PlayStation 5, we are not able to point you in the direction of any deals for that, but we can help with the PlayStation 4. Here are some of the best PS4 deals we have found for both the original and its Pro counterpart.
- PS4 500GB console £249.99 at Argos
- PS4 500GB with Death Stranding and Marvel's Spider-Man £279.99 at Very
- Glacier White PS4 Pro 1tb with Destiny 2 and expansion pass bundle £334.99 at Game
- PS4 500GB with 3 PS Hits Game Bundle £254.99 at Amazon
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