Any gamer looking to buy the latest gaming console from Sony is sure spoilt of choice. The most recent Sony gaming console comes in three versions; the original PlayStation 4, the slim PlayStation 4, and new PlayStation 4 Pro. So which PS4 console should you get?
That’s a somewhat complicated question because the answer would be; it depends on what you are looking for. That said, let’s dissect each of the three gaming consoles and see what lies under the hood. From there, you will be on better grounds to make your decision.
| Category | Original PS4 (2013) | PS4 Slim (2016) | PS4 Pro |
| GPU | AMD Radeon (1.84 TFLOP) | AMD Radeon (1.84 TFLOP) | AMD Radeon (4.2 TFLOP) |
| CPU | AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64) | AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64) | AMD Jaguar 8-core (x86-64) |
| Storage | 500GB/1TB | 500GB/1TB | 1TB |
| Optical Out | Yes | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 10.83inx12.01inx2.08in | 10.43inx11.34inx1.54in | 11.61inx12.87inx2.17in |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) | 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz+5GHz) | 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz+5GHZ) |
| AV out | AV/HDMI 1.4 | HDMI 1.4 | HDMI 2.0 |
| Power consumption | 250w | 165w | 310w |
| 4K Streaming | No | No | Yes |
| USB | 2 USB 3.0 | 2 USB 3.0 | 3 USB 3.0 |
| PSVR support | Yes | Yes | Yes (Enhanced) |
| Price | $259 | $269 | $399 |
Original PS4 vs. PS4 Slim
According to Sony, the biggest difference between the original PS4 and the PS4 Slim is the power consumption. The company claims the latter draws a maximum of 165 watts, but independent reviewers claim the original PS4 draws (on average) maximum power of 150w. That is at its heaviest gameplay sessions.
Original PS4 vs. PS4 Pro
Sony fitted the CPU and GPU a little more than twice in performance in the PS4 Pro. The console also comes with an updated HDMI standard in the PS4 Pro. However, there is not much difference in performance to write home about; though games that struggle to maintain 30fps or 60fps on the original PS4 will run smoothly on the PS4 Pro when the console is set to ‘boost mode.’
PS4 also comes with 4K video streaming and improved graphics on supported titles. That means game developers will start issuing two version of the same titles; one for the high-quality graphics for PS4 Pro gaming. Such titles will bear the PS4 Pro Enhanced logo on their box.
You may be interested to note that not only are most new PS games being made to support the Enhanced ability for PS4 Pro, but older titles are being upgraded and released to look better on the new console.