The news surrounding a potential upgrade to the PlayStation 4 console continues to swell, and this time a new codename along with specifications have been leaked.
Supposedly, internal members of Sony have been referring to the upgraded Sony console as the NEO. If it is believed that the upgrade is to coincide with the launch of PSVR, this codename makes sense – remember that the virtual reality headset originally held the codename Project Morpheus.
This updated account of the rumored console, along with the believed specs, comes via Giant Bomb who have received a document summarizing the details of the project. Since then, Eurogamer has reported receipt of the very same document. See a breakdown of the specifications (as listed on IGN) for the PlayStation NEO below:
Original PS4 CPU – 8 Jaguar Cores at 1.6 GHz
NEO CPU – 8 Jaguar Cores at 2.1 GHz
Original PS4 GPU – AMD GCN, 18 CUs at 800 MHz
NEO GPU – Improved AMD GCN, 36 CUs at 911 MHz
Original PS4 Memory – 8 GB GDDR5, 176 GB/s
NEO Memory – 8 GB GDDR5, 218 GB/s
The document received by Giant Bomb, and now Eurogamer, states that every PS4 game that ships in October and beyond must have to have a “Base Mode” and a “NEO Mode”. This should reassure owners of the base console–games can still be played on an original PS4, and so far no NEO-exclusive titles have been announced.
As mentioned in previous rumours, the upgraded console will be able to output games at 4K. What’s new is that the upgraded specs will lead to “increased and more stable frame rate and higher visual fidelity, at least when those games run at 1080p on HDTVs.” Giant Bomb notes that just because the NEO versions of games can run at 4K does not mean that the game will be developed natively for that resolution.
The NEO will not serve to divide the community of PlayStation players. Other than upgrades to performance and visual fidelity, the NEO will not present features that are exclusive to NEO owners. The PlayStation Store, PSN ID, and online play will all remain the same. No special features, modes, or unlockables will be given to those who own a PlayStation NEO.
With both Giant Bomb and Eurogamer having received these details about an upgraded PS4, it seem rather likely that the PlayStation NEO is a possibility. The depth of the information also makes it hard to ignore the reality of an upgraded model to Sony’s current-gen console. Let us know what you think, and if you plan on purchasing the new console, if all the rumblings turn out to be true.
Source: IGN via Giant Bomb and Eurogamer