I always thought this should have been a launch feature, but not to worry, it’s available now thanks to the latest PlayStation 4 firmware update.
If you have a PlayStation 4 Pro, and you’re playing one of those pesky games that haven’t been patched for PRO PERFORMANCE, you can now activate ‘boost mode’ to make them perform better.
You fix it up here, and as seen in the image, it results in improved frame rates across the board. Pretty nifty.
The 4.50 PlayStation 4 firmware update is a sizeable one in general to be honest, to the point where Boost Mode is sandwiched halfway down Sony’s list of new additions.
Other cool things…
— The ability to download and store games on an external HDD
— Improvements to the PS VR experience
— Voice chat for remote play
It’s all very exciting but, for people with PlayStation 4 Pro, it’s a real game changer. For those without, it’s a decent reason to consider picking one up.
Comments
25 responses to “The PlayStation 4 Pro Just Got Its Boost Mode”
The PS4 Pro having a BOOST MODE just reminds me of how older Windows 95 era PC’s would often have a TURBO button.
http://telkomgaming.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/525725_522823991087366_1674048679_n.jpg
Not many things make me feel old, but somehow seeing and remembering that did.
I remember when math Co processors were an add on. Fear my dx over your sx.
Like many, I never knew having it on actually slowed the computer down.
I wonder till this day how much better my 486 would have been if I just turned it off.
The Turbo button is a lot older than Windows 95.
The update is not available yet. Should be out sometime later tonight.
its out. got mine at 6am
Premature article? My PlayStation is up to date on 4.0.7
It’s live now.
And there’s the caveat ‘turn off if you experience unexpected behaviour’. Unfortunately the way games are programmed for consoles, that’s almost certainly likely going to be the case with quite a few games.
Pity it’s a universal setting that you’d have to go in and toggle each time you wanted to play an affected game.
It would be nice if you just go to the game, press the options button and have some kind of “start in normal mode” option to quickly launch the game without boost mode instead of having to go into the settings to turn it off, play the game, then go back in to the settings and turn it back on again.
Digital Foundry have been playing with it for a while. Consensus seems that on most titles it shows an improvement performance – usually in higher minimum FPS/smoother performance. Not aware of anything that was actually broken by it.
Might put one of these on layby this week. Missing my Xbox One, gave it to my brother to use because I hadn’t played it in months, now I’m getting back into gaming
LOL, you just wanted to get rid of your Xbone! Come on now, fess up 🙂
haha, nah, it was gathering dust, partially because no games where interesting me but I had no desire to play games for like 6 months. It’s only been in the last few weeks I have started playing again, thankfully I have my PC
Does boost mode give it an extra 2 Tflops? not interested
Honestly the Pro feels a half effort and a wasted opportunity.
Yes, yes, very nice…
…but does it improve Bloodborne?
No.
Bloodborne cannot be improved 😛
Digital foundry have started testing both Pro enhanced and standard versions of the same game, while also reviewing games without pro patches that have been known to suffer from dropped frames/performance, like bloodborne. From memory based of the 4.50 beta bloodborne was slightly improved but not fixed.
This is basically what I came to the comments for! Bloodborne is way up there for me, but even the most hardcore fans can admit the framerate got a bit jank at times.
Boost is nice but I’ve been loving my 4TB external hooked up to my Pro. About time Sony!
Surprised that it wasn’t a launch feature like Wii U.
Goddamn got all excited! Just tried updating, still no update available 🙁 🙁
Will games actually run of a external hard drive or does it need to be transferred over … if so what are the load times gonna be like
Ability to download games and store them in an external HDD, couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I was planning to upgrade. This saves me money.