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The Sony PlayStation 5 gained quite the hype when it was released back in  2020, but for those who didn't give into peer pressure and Sony's intensive marketing, you may be wondering if it's worth retiring your PS4 for the next-gen model.

We're taking a deep dive into the PS4 vs PS5 battle to find out what the differences are and if they're really worth upgrading over. Keep reading to find out the difference between PS4 and PS5 models!

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In this blog:

• PS5 vs PS4 specs
• PS4 vs PS5 graphics and performance
• PS5 vs PS4 games
• PS4 vs PS5 storage space

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PS5 vs PS4 specs

We'll be getting into the nitty gritty details regarding the performance, graphics, games and storage space of the PS4 vs PS5, but if you want to scan over the general specs to make a quick decision, we've got you covered too. Here's the PS5 vs PS4 specs, including the PS4 Pro model:

Spec	PS5	PS4	PS4 Pro
Disc drive	Ultra HD Blu-ray	Blu-ray	Blu-ray
Internal storage	825GB NVMe SSD	500GB or 1TB HDD	1TB HDD
External storage	NVMe SSD slot, USB HDD	2.5-inch HDD, USB HDD	2.5-inch HDD, USB HDD
CPU	8-core, 3.5Ghz	8-core 1.6GHz	8-core 2.1GHz
GPU	36 CUs at 2.23 GHz, 10.3 TFLOPs	18 CUs at 800Mhz, 1.84 TFLOPS	36 CUs at 911 Mhz, 4.2 TFLOPS
Ports	3 USB-A, 1 USB-C, 1 HDMI	2 USB ports, 1 HDMI, 1 AUX port	3 USB ports, 1 HDMI, 1 Optical, 1 AUX port
Memory	16GB GDDR6	8GB GDDR5	8GB GDDR5
HDMI out	4K at 120Hz, 8K	1080p at 60Hz	4K at 60Hz

 

PS4 vs PS5 graphics and performance

Let's get straight into it – the PS4 compared to the PS5 is clearly miles behind in terms of graphics and performance. The PS5 is capable of playing games at 4K resolution and offers new visual technologies like ray-traced lighting.

Sony's newest console also boasts additional features that the PS4 doesn't offer, such as Tempest 3D Audio, which creates a spatial surround sound effect when playing supported titles with headphones.

The PS5 can also output video at up to 120 frames per second, while the PS5's DualSense controller features more detailed rumble effects with haptic feedback for increased sensitivity. Both of these upgrades give the PS5 the edge, as it leads to smoother animations and more responsive controls.

Now when you compare the PS4 vs PS5, you'll notice that the standard PS4 is limited to 1080p output and a mere 60 frames per second. While the PS4 Pro can output some games in 4K, it doesn't have ray tracing and is unable to run most games beyond 30 frames per second.

PS5 vs PS4 games

If you're worried about missing out on the latest games, don't be. It's been three years since Sony introduced the PS5 and while usually this would signal the end of development for the previous console, PS4 games are still going strong.

In fact, there are currently only a handful of games that are exclusively playable on the PS5, so if you choose to stick with the PS4 you won't be missing out too much. For those that don't want to miss out on the selection of PS5 exclusive games though, you'll be glad to know that the PS5 is backwards compatible with PS4 titles.

But we know that it's not just about the new games, so if you're more concerned about getting better game performance, the PS5 is your winner.

PS4 vs PS5 storage space

The PS4 compared to the PS5 and its internal storage just doesn't compare. The PS5 has an incredibly fast solid-state drive that starts at 825GB, compared the the PS4 and PS4 Pro's much slower 1TB hard disc drives. And if you've got an old PS4, there's a chance that you could have a 500GB drive instead, as the PS4 originally shipped with a smaller drive before it was scrapped for the larger drive.

You'll likely get more out of the PS4's storage as PS5 games often take up more space, but you can upgrade the internal drivers or use external storage on both consoles. Be wary though, as you can't save PS5 games on external drives.

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