The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) in the PlayStation 5 is more powerful than the one in the PlayStation 4 Pro. The PlayStation 5 uses a custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU, which is capable of delivering up to 10.28 teraflops of processing power, compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro’s AMD Polaris GPU, which is capable of delivering up to 4.2 teraflops.
The PlayStation 5’s GPU also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which allows for more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows in games. The PlayStation 4 Pro does not have hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
Additionally, the PlayStation 5’s GPU is capable of supporting 4K gaming at 60 frames per second, while the PlayStation 4 Pro can only support 4K gaming at 30 frames per second or 1080p gaming at 60 frames per second.
Overall, the PlayStation 5’s GPU is a significant upgrade over the PlayStation 4 Pro’s GPU and allows for more advanced and immersive gaming experiences. Here we take a closer look at the differences in the graphics power of the two consoles:
Features PS5 PS4 Pro PS4 Slim
GPU Name Oberon Neo Liverpool 16nm
Architecture RDNA 2.0 GCN 2.0 GCN 2.0
Foundry TSMC TSMC TSMC
Process Size 7 nm 16 nm 16 nm
Transistors 10,600 million 5,700 million unknown
Die Size 308 mm² 322 mm² 209 mm²
GPU Clock 2233 MHz 911 MHz 800 MHz
GPU Memory Clock 1750 MHz
14 Gbps effective1700 MHz
6.8 Gbps effective1375 MHz
5.5 Gbps effective
Shading Units 2304 2304 1152
TMUs 144 144 72
ROPs 64 32 32
Compute Units 36 36 18
L2 Cache 4 MB – –
By comparing the graphics power of similar cards in personal computers, we can get an approximate comparison of the graphics power of consoles, which can be seen in the chart below:
As you can see, the graphics power of PlayStation 5 is about 2.5 times more than that of PlayStation 4 Pro.
3- RAM
The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 Pro have different RAM configurations, with the PS5 featuring newer and faster memory technology.
The PS5 is equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 memory, while the PS4 Pro has 8GB of GDDR5 memory. GDDR6 memory is the successor to GDDR5, and offers higher bandwidth and faster data transfer rates.
The PS5’s GDDR6 memory has a bandwidth of up to 448GB/s, which is more than double the PS4 Pro’s GDDR5 bandwidth of up to 218GB/s. This means that the PS5 can transfer more data at a faster rate, resulting in better performance and faster loading times.
Additionally, the PS5’s memory architecture is designed to allow developers to take full advantage of its capabilities, with features like a custom I/O complex and a high-speed SSD for even faster data access.
Overall, the PS5’s RAM configuration offers significant improvements over the PS4 Pro’s, allowing for more advanced graphics and faster game performance.
Features | PS5 | PS4 Pro | PS4 Slim |
---|---|---|---|
Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
Total Memory | 16GB | 8 GB | 8 GB |
Main Memory | 16 GB / 256 bit (448GB/sec) | 8 GB / 256 bit (218GB/sec) | 8 GB / 256 bit (176GB/sec) |
System Memory | – | 1GB of DDR3 | – |
Reserved memory | – | – | – |
Regardless of the RAM capacity of each of the consoles and simply by comparing their speed, it can be seen that the speed and performance of the PlayStation 5 RAM is more than twice that of the PlayStation 4 Pro.
5- Storage
The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 Pro have different storage specifications.
The PS5 comes with a custom 825 GB solid-state drive (SSD), while the PS4 Pro comes with a 1 or 2 TB hard disk drive (HDD). While the PS4 Pro has more storage capacity, the PS5’s SSD offers much faster data transfer speeds, resulting in quicker load times for games and a smoother overall user experience.
The PS5 also has an expansion slot for additional storage, allowing users to install a compatible NVMe SSD for even more storage capacity. The PS4 Pro, on the other hand, does not have an expansion slot and relies solely on external hard drives for additional storage.
Features | PS5 | PS4 Pro | PS4 Slim |
---|---|---|---|
Type | PCIe 4.0 NVME Solid-State Drive (SSD) | 2.5-inch SATA HDD | 2.5-inch SATA HDD |
Capacity | 825GB | 2048GB | 1024GB |
Raw Speed | 5.5 GB/s | 140MB/s | 140MB/s |
Compressed Speed | 9 GB/s | 140MB/s | 140MB/s |
As it is clear in the table, the data transfer speed in the storage systems of the two consoles is not comparable in any way, and in this regard, we can see a significant improvement in the PlayStation 5 console.
6- Multimedia & Connections
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) and PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro) have different multimedia connection options. Here are the main differences:
HDMI: Both the PS5 and PS4 Pro have an HDMI port that supports 4K HDR output. However, the PS5’s HDMI port supports HDMI 2.1, which allows for higher refresh rates and other advanced features.
USB: The PS5 has two USB Type-A ports on the front and two USB Type-A ports on the back. The PS4 Pro has two USB Type-A ports on the front and one USB Type-A port on the back. The PS5 also has a USB Type-C port on the front, which can be used to charge compatible devices.
Ethernet: Both the PS5 and PS4 Pro have an Ethernet port for wired internet connections. However, the PS5’s Ethernet port supports up to 2.5 Gbps speeds, while the PS4 Pro’s port supports up to 1 Gbps speeds.
Wi-Fi: Both the PS5 and PS4 Pro have built-in Wi-Fi for wireless internet connections. However, the PS5 supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), which offers faster speeds and improved latency compared to Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) on the PS4 Pro.
Audio: The PS5 supports 3D audio through its Tempest Engine, which provides an immersive audio experience. The PS4 Pro does not have this feature.
Features | PS5 | PS4 Pro | PS4 Slim |
---|---|---|---|
Optical Drive | 4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive | Blu-Ray Drive (No 4k Discs) | Blu-Ray Drive (No 4k Discs) |
Ray Tracing | Yes | No | No |
USB Port | USB Type-A port (Hi-Speed USB) USB Type-A port (Super Speed USB 10Gbps) x2 USB Type-C port (Super Speed USB 10Gbps) | 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 | 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 |
HDMI | 1x HDMI 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.0 | 1x HDMI 2.0 |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth®v4.0 | Bluetooth®v4.0 |
Network | IEEE 802.3 10/100/1000 | IEEE 802.3 10/100/1000 | IEEE 802.3 10/100/1000 |
Wi-Fi | 802.11ac dual band | 802.11ac dual band | 802.11ac dual band |
SOUND CAPABILITIES | “Tempest” 3D AudioTech | 3D AudioTech | 3D AudioTech |
Resolution | 4K Up to 8K | 4K | FHD |
FPS | 60 FPS Up to 120 FPS | 60 FPS | 30 FPS |
7- Theoretical Performance
The PlayStation 5 has significantly higher texture and pixel rates compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro.
The PlayStation 5 features a custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU that has a texture fill-rate of 322 GTexel/s and a pixel fill-rate of 10.3 GPixel/s. In comparison, the PlayStation 4 Pro has a texture fill-rate of 131 GTexel/s and a pixel fill-rate of 4.2 GPixel/s.
This means that the PlayStation 5 is capable of rendering more textures and pixels per second, resulting in higher quality visuals and smoother gameplay. Additionally, the PlayStation 5’s GPU also has significantly more compute power and ray tracing capabilities, which further enhances the overall graphical fidelity of games on the console.
Features | PS5 | PS4 Pro | PS4 Slim |
---|---|---|---|
Pixel Rate | 142.9 GPixel/s | 29.15 GPixel/s | 25.60 GPixel/s |
Texture Rate | 321.6 GTexel/s | 131.2 GTexel/s | 57.60 GTexel/s |
FP16 (half) performance | 20.58 TFLOPS (2:1) | 8.396 TFLOPS (2:1) | 1.843 TFLOPS (1:1) |
FP32 (float) performance | 10.29 TFLOPS | 4.198 TFLOPS | 1.843 TFLOPS |
FP64 (double) performance | 643.1 GFLOPS (1:16) | – | – |
Conclusion
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) and PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro) are two gaming consoles developed by Sony, and they have some significant differences.
The PS5 has several hardware improvements over the PS4 Pro, including a faster CPU, faster solid-state drive (SSD), and improved graphics processing unit (GPU). These hardware improvements translate into better performance and faster loading times for games on the PS5.
Additionally, the PS5 has new features like haptic feedback in the DualSense controller, which provides more immersive gameplay experiences, and 3D audio, which can make games sound more realistic. The PS5 also supports ray tracing, a rendering technique that produces more realistic lighting and shadows in games.
Overall, the PS5 is a significant upgrade over the PS4 Pro in terms of performance and features. However, the PS4 Pro still has a large library of games, many of which are not yet available on the PS5. So, if you already have a PS4 Pro and are satisfied with its performance, you may not need to upgrade to a PS5 immediately.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for the best possible gaming experience, the PS5 is the way to go. However, if you’re on a budget or don’t feel the need to upgrade just yet, the PS4 Pro is still a solid choice.