The PlayStation 4 Pro is currently available and one of its selling points is its 4K resolution output. But is it still a good gaming investment even if you don't have a 4K television?
PlayStation 4 Pro on Standard HDTV
Playing games or watching video on the PlayStation 4 Pro will certainly look good on a 4K television, a High Dynamic television or a PSVR headset. But if you have neither of these accessories, it's better to stick with the old regular PS4 if you have one already. Those who have HDTV that features a 1080p resolution or lower can experience a slight improvement but not enough reason to exchange the old PS4 with a new PS4 Pro.
On the other hand, the PlayStation 4 Pro can really make games and video look good on the HDTV. A 900p resolution can turn into an impressive 1800p display thanks to the Pro's processor engine, according to arstechnica. Video games could also use the PS4 Pro's computing muscle to improve its resolution via supersampling. The rough edges and lines can also be refined by the Pro through a process called anti-aliasing.
PlayStation 4 Pro on High Dynamic Range (HDR) Colors
Aside from 4K resolution, the PS4 Pro can shine on HDR colors. However, user should have an HDR display that is HDR10 compliant. If you have the Dolby HDR version, then you're out of luck since Sony does not support that.
Interestingly, Sony announced a PS4 support for the HDR. This means that there is much life left for the current generation of PlayStation 4 and no reason to upgrade to the PS4 Pro just yet. However, for those who do not own a PlayStation and wish to buy one now, then the PS4 Pro is a good investment made much better if you can connect it to a 4K display.
