What an absolutely terrible time for the consumer this is. Consoles not even three years old and will already be technically obsolete.
it is simply a 4K alternative.
Except that isn't all it is, the leaks suggest it will also improve performance and visuals at 1080p res also. 4K doesn't even seem to be that much of a priority bizarrely, given that they only talk about mostly upscaling games and no talk of a 4K BR drive.
It's very possible we'll see a game on the new model with a rock solid 1080p60 and 1080p60ish on the current model, for example. Now you might say "Well the normal one would've been like that anyway" and you might well be right, but it could also be the case that where a developer might have pushed hard for that performance on the original but now they have the Neo it's an easier way to achieve the target, and won't bother as hard as they would've on the original.
It is an option, no doubt about that, but I still also agree it should have been an option from the start. Early adopters did not have that direct choice, something PC players do have whenever they go out to buy new hardware. They may not be able to afford the best CPU or GPU but the option is always there when they go shopping. For initial PS4 adopters the option wasn't there. They can buy it now of course but with some of the cost of the original on top, depending how much they sell it/trade it for.
I would assume if this way of doing things is a success we will be seeing multiple day one options next gen but they'll still have to be very careful about how they go about it.
But people who already have one don't need to. I have a 1080p TV, most games reach that, so someone like me has absolutely no need to buy a neo. I think this seems to have really gotten under people's skins but actually it's just a non issue really. Ok so some games might have slightly more stable frame rates, great. The main benefit will be 4K, they haven't spoken much about it because it is a given, the name says it all. Sony have said in the document leaks that games must target at least 1080p and that the frame rates must be the same, or better on the neo. Given most people can't distinguish above a certain fps anyway it's a non issue.
4K is the way forward and this is just sony giving 4K TV owners a reason to own one.
But people who already have one don't need to. I have a 1080p TV, most games reach that, so someone like me has absolutely no need to buy a neo. I think this seems to have really gotten under people's skins but actually it's just a non issue really. Ok so some games might have slightly more stable frame rates, great. The main benefit will be 4K, they haven't spoken much about it because it is a given, the name says it all. Sony have said in the document leaks that games must target at least 1080p and that the frame rates must be the same, or better on the neo. Given most people can't distinguish above a certain fps anyway it's a non issue.
4K is the way forward and this is just sony giving 4K TV owners a reason to own one.
A far better incentive for 4k Premium customers would be the inclusion of a UHD bluray optical drive who, at this point at least, is not confirmed.
which arguments do console users have left now to not go PC gaming?:
The thing is... that upscaling costs processing power somewhere in the chain. 4k TVs have upscale capability so that upscaling might as well be left to the TV.
....Oh, that one's easy: console-specific exclusives. Last time I checked, only way to play a Mario game on a PC is to illegally emulate it, ditto for Uncharted and.... Gran Turismo. Plus the others.
Xbox is bringing most of it's exclusives (Forza, Quantum Break, Gears Ultimate Edition) to PC under UWP, so that argument goes out the window.
Basically this is a bad time to be a gamer at the moment.
Face it, they released both PS4 and Xbone underpowered. Didn't want to bother selling high end tech again, so they went for the easy route with standard specs and sold millions of units anyway. Now less than 3 years later it turns out most of the newest games can't run on them in full glory anymore.
You've been scammed, you basically bought a medium spec PC and now both Sony and MS are already pushing out a new console disguised as an upgrade so you can lay down 400 bucks once again... And a lot of punters are going to be happy to do so even it seems
Like Rich says, which arguments do console users have left now to not go PC gaming?:
True, thats about the only thing consoles have left that you could see as a + i suppose. Works both ways though....Oh, that one's easy: console-specific exclusives. Last time I checked, only way to play a Mario game on a PC is to illegally emulate it, ditto for Uncharted and.... Gran Turismo. Plus the others.
I can understand why people aren't happy about upgraded versions of the PS4/Xbox One coming out, but what's so bad about Xbox games coming to PC?Xbox is bringing most of it's exclusives (Forza, Quantum Break, Gears Ultimate Edition) to PC under UWP, so that argument goes out the window.
Basically this is a bad time to be a gamer at the moment.
True, thats about the only thing consoles have left that you could see as a + i suppose. Works both ways though
Also, until Sony say something official, which they haven't, it's all speculation anyway. But at least speculate properly.
Well the plot thickens.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...gn-wins-point-to-new-console-hardware-in-2016
If it got any thicker it would become a glue instead.
AMD boss lady says three new consoles, by 2017. PS4 "Neo", Xbox One.2, and Nintendo NX.
Might as well call them PS5, XB-2, and uh, Wii 3?
But hey, why go by what we have? Let's just make some bs up instead.
....Oh boy.
New Console Launches Could Be "Imminent," GameStop Exec Says.
Does this mean PS4K is indeed coming? Or is he just (hopefully) inferring to "slim" PS4/Xbone?
I got a bad feeling...
GameStop CEO did out PSVR's launch window a month before its announcement at GDC, so as far as the record goes, he/they have form.
My argument has been with everyone who is talking about it being PS5
And who's to say the third console isn't the handheld portion of the NX to enable a seamless experience across console and handheld?
The decision is simple, if you don't have or don't plan to buy 4K tv anytime soon, don't get PS4 NEO, keep your PS4, if you will buy PS4, get the normal version.
Again, based on the leaked specs, I don't believe this to be true. If the new model is going to also give better performance at 1080p surely it's the better buy for anyone, not just 4k owners?
Better buy for players who cared much about fps or have games that they find lacking in fps performance. Most PS4 games are locked 30fps or 60fps, but the actual performance on some games may fluctuate, from what Sony leaked docs said, NEO will maintain the target fps on 1080p as before to maintain parity with normal PS4, the only difference is when the normal PS4 fluctuates and NEO will be more solid.
If I have MGS V with normal PS4, I won't really see any difference playing it on PS4 NEO, as MGS V could maintain solid 60fps. While if I have Alien Isolation, the NEO PS4 might perform a lot better on certain part of the game that sees PS4 dips below 30fps.
The question is, do all players with normal PS4 and 1080p tv willing to trade these enhancement by buying a new console and selling the old one ?
Also, the enhancement in 1080p mode may not be an instant boost, devs would need to provide patches to cater PS4 NEO 1080p mode on older games released before the NEO hit the market. From what I read that devs needs to develop for 2 hardware with specific hardware limit and Sony imposing strict requirement on both, I see that older pre NEO games will have to have special patch to unlock the NEO enhancements other than 4k upscale. Not all devs would spend money to make a patch available for specific NEO enhancement for already released games in 1080p mode.
I wonder if SMS will release such patch when NEO hits the market, it may help with fps stability in high grid races.