Sony is reportedly working on a new “PlayStation 4,5” with an upgraded GPU, 4K resolution support for video and games, and better virtual reality performance, according to Kotaku.

4K-capable PlayStation 4
The new, upgraded PS4 has more graphical power and is capable of running games at 4K resolution, according to several developers. The upgraded GPU would also allow it to better support Sony’s PlayStation VR headset, which will be released in October.


Nicknamed “PS4.5” and “PS4K”, the new version appears to be an upgrade from the current PS4 instead of a next-generation console. Currently, PS4 supports photos in 4K and in theory 4K video. However, it does not have the hardware to deliver 4K video at decent frame rates (no HDMI 2.0) and does not support 4K streaming (no HEVC or VP9 decoding). PS4 does not support 4K games at all. The new “PS4.5” might fix all of those shortcomings.

In order to avoid fragmentation, Sony usually refrains from upgrading the hardware capabilities of its game consoles mid-cycle. However, that could change with PS4.5. Several developers have been briefed on Sony’s plans and Sony has reportedly held meetings with developers during the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco. It is not clear if all future games would continue to work on the current PS4.

It is of course entirely possible that Sony will never release the PS4.5 but since Sony has started briefing developers it could appear to be a greenlit project.

- Source: Kotaku