On November 10, 2016 Christmas came early for me, PS4 Pro arrived. But unlike the young impatient kid on Christmas morning I once was I left the PS4 Pro in its box. I didn’t tear it open right away and cry awkwardly through my excitement. I didn’t immediately set it up and say goodbye to my “average” original PS4. In fact my PS4 Pro is still right here in front of me, on the kitchen table, tucked away all nice and cozy in its box. You might be thinking, “Why the hesitation?” My answer, I don’t know, maybe it’s a number of reasons. Maybe I’m too attached to my original PS4, we have a history together. Maybe I’m too lazy to transfer my games from one system to the other. Maybe I’m afraid the PS4 Pro is like that ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend that says they’ve changed but the only thing noticeable is they got a Boob Job or spent the last 6 months in the gym. Whatever the reason or reasons may be we’re going to walk through this journey together. Today is the day that I lose my PS4 Pro virginity.
“What’s in the Box?”
Why am I so nervous? It’s not like I haven’t seen one before. Is it because I’ve never handled one. What if I get too excited and drop it? I’m slowly opening the box to be greeted by another box. The second box is opened and I’m greeted with even more boxes. What kind of sick joke is this? I’ve opened all of the boxes, I’m panting and sweaty but what lays before me is glorious:
- Playstation 4 Pro System
- DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller
- Mono Headset (Ear Piece/Mic)
- HDMI Cable
- AC Power Cord
- USB Cable
- Printed Materials (This includes (for new customers) Free Trials for Playstation Plus, Playstation Now, Spotify and Playstation Vue)
The PS4 Pro is just smidge taller than the original PS4 and about an inch wider. After connecting the PS4 Pro to my TV I immediately logged in and could see a brighter difference. The PS4 Pro walks you through the “Set Up” process. Once you log into your Playstation Account the PS4 Pro gives you the option to transfer your data. Being the gamer that I am, proud of my accomplishments, I find a LAN cable and connect my PS4’s and start the transfer. TWELVE HOURS!!!!!! No thank you! Luckily a good friend of mine had saved a backup of my PS4 to an external hard drive. So I cancelled the LAN transfer and connected the external hard drive and now I only have to wait about an hour and a half.
“Do mine eyes deceive me?”
Once I finished downloading my PS4 backup from my external hard drive the PS4 Pro asked to install and update. Luckily, this took no time at all. Immediately I could see the difference in color, clarity and brightness on the “Home” Screen. To get the full potential in your video output I went to the “Sound and Screen” under “Settings” and then proceed to “Video Output Settings.” I then scrolled down to “HDR” and flicked the switch from “Off” to “Automatic.” Now it’s time to take this new machine for a test drive.
As I’ve said, I noticed the improvements on the Menu Screens but I needed to see the visual differences in a PS4 Pro ready game, so instantly I went into Paragon. I found Paragon in my Game Library and started it up. Previously with my original PS4 the loading screen combined with the account verification/authentication screen took about 45 seconds to a minute. This isn’t too bad but with the PS4 Pro’s solid state drive that time was reduced to about 25-30 seconds.
Game play was even more rewarding. The world of Agora is even more beautiful with the PS4 Pro. In the video below you’ll see Agora through the eyes of the original PS4. Agora is a little more muted and soft and not as bright and vibrant as Agora in the PS4 Pro.
In the video below you’ll see Agora through the eyes of the PS4 Pro. The world is more crisp and clear. It’s brighter and more detailed. I also didn’t notice any loading in the world as I progressed through the map. Everything was there waiting for me in all its glory.
“Go Pro or Go Home!”
I’m a Sony fan boy, simply out of preference. Sony produces products that fit my needs and wants and I love their products. I’ve already written two articles about the PS4 Pro; PS4 PRO: Specs to get you ready and PS4 Pro: Available Games. I was looking forward to November 10, 2016. And when delivery day arrived I hesitated. I didn’t open my new PS4 Pro. Why? Because, I was replacing a dear friend with a newer, faster version of my existing war buddy. The original PS4 and I have been through hell and back with 16 hour gaming sessions, little glitches and sometimes endless updates and the endlessly humming fan. By the way the PS4 Pro is as quiet as Church.
The PS4 Pro offers a slicker design, at least I think so. It processes data faster and delivers a clearer and brighter picture. It’s an amazing console to begin with if you’re starting console gaming. For the cost of $399 you get the best console (my opinion) for its price. I hope this sells well for Christmas. I would choose the PS4 Pro over the PS4 Slim any day. Now, for the every day gamer that already owns a PS4 I would suggest you wait until the price drops. But if you’re the type of technophile that always wants and has to have the new product the day it comes out then by all means pick up the PS4 Pro, a 4K TV, the Playstation VR Headset and a new surround sound system. And with that being said I must disclose that I received this PS4 Pro as a gift. Yes, you read that correctly, I did not pay for this product. And had the PS4 Pro not been a gift I would have been perfectly fine without it on my original PS4.
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Reblogged this on Media By Vox.
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