Entertainment Awaits | The Evolution of PlayStation Console Series (Part2)
In the previous blog [Part 1], we wrote about the PlayStation console series from 1994-2004. In Part 2, Flidbe will continue its blog with a glimpse at PS3 & PS4 era.
Playstation 3
Playstation 3 officially was announced at E3 2005 and was released at the end of 2006 and sold more than 80 million units around the world and competed against Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. It became Sony’s most expensive game console to date. This console was released in two versions; a PS3 with a 20GB hard drive retailed for $499, and the 60GB model was priced at $599.
PlayStation 3 was the only gaming console that offers a Blu-ray high-definition disc drive, while both the Xbox 360 and Wii operate off of older disc technologies. The advantage of Blu-ray disk is that it holds more data, so the PS3 requires fewer discs for games. More importantly, the PS3 supports 1080p video, upconverts regular DVDs to look better on your HDTV, and has an HDMI output port necessary for the highest quality HD signals.
If we put PlayStation 3 next to the Xbox 360 and the Wii beside each other, we will realize that the X360 looks more like a computer product than a consumer electronics device. In contrast, both the PS3 and the Wii are finished in glossy plastic. Sony introduced PlayStation Network, which allowed users to connect to the internet, download games, and watch Netflix and YouTube. Besides, the company introduced Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service, which provided gamers with early access to betas and game discounts.
Sony designed the PS3’s processor in partnership with Toshiba and IBM. The CPU became problematic among developers due to how difficult it was to program. The chip featured seven cores and was clocked at 3.2GHz. The PS3’s graphics used Nvidia RSX GPU Synthesizer, which featured 256MB of VRAM and clocked in at 550MHz. Initial versions of the console were backward compatible with PS2 games, including PS2’s hardware in the new console. But, Sony removed this feature shortly after its launch.
PS3 featured Nvidia RSX GPU, Wi-Fi connectivity, HDMI output, plus 1080p resolution. The problem was the complex processor architecture and the lack of quality games, but that was praised for its Blu-ray capabilities. The console lacked great games in the first few years, and the price was high.
PlayStation 3 introduced the DualShock 3, the first wireless version of Sony’s long-running controller, which featured motion-sensing technology. Their first generation of controllers lacked vibration owing to a lawsuit by Immersion. To mention some of its great hits in video games, we could name Uncharted 2&3, The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto IV&V, LittleBigPlanet, God of War 3, Metal Gear Solid 4.
Playstation 3 Slim
Lighter and thinner than the original console, Playstation 3 Slim features an upgradeable 120 – 320 GB hard drive and is smaller, lighter, and consumes less power than PS3. It was released the PS3 Slim in September 2009. Cell microprocessor has moved to a new 45nm manufacturing process, and the power switch on the back of the console was removed.
The console also featured a new logo of PS3, with Sony moving away from the original model’s font. Moreover, after the backward compatibility was not featured on the Slim version, the company announced a new series of PS2 remasters, called Classics HD, including PS2 and PSP titles remastered in HD.
Playstation 3 Super Slim
In 2012, Sony released a hybrid between the Slim and the original PlayStation 3. That was Playstation 3 Super Slim. This console came out on the market with the availability of a 250 GB or 500 GB hard drive. The company removed the front slot-loading disc tray. So, the chassis was redesigned to incorporate a sliding lid that covered the optical drive. And that had to be accessible from the top of the console. Not only was the console thinner & slimmer than the previous model, but also at 4.3 pounds, it was three pounds lighter.
Playstation 4
PlayStation 4 is a sleek, powerful game console with an excellent controller and plenty of compelling titles. It has had a long & healthy life on the market. It was seen as part of the 8th generation of games consoles and a competitor of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Nintendo’s Wii U. In 2013, it was launched at a $399 price tag and opted for largely conventional hardware. It was the first Sony console with an x86 instruction set CPU, which is the same processor architecture that gaming PCs use.
Playstation 4 featured an 8-core AMD x86-64 Jaguar CPU clocked at 1.6GHz, custom AMD graphics, and 8GB of GDDR5 memory. This was mainly similar to the Xbox One, but Sony’s console offered more impressive AMD graphics and faster RAM. DualShock 4 controller came with the new console, and they featured a light strip on the back of the gamepad and a Share button to share screenshots and videos quickly. Also, DualShock 4 received an ergonomic overhaul and added headset and mic ports.
Unfortunately, the PlayStation 4 is not compatible with any game of the older PlayStation consoles. But, Sony has sold over 110 million units and about 1 billion games for the PS4. Users need to buy a PlayStation Plus subscription to play most paid games online. This was in line with arch-rival Microsoft’s long-standing policy. Alongside the console, a Playroom live-streaming app was launched. This feature is allowing users to stream video with the included PlayStation Camera to the likes of Twitch.
The company released three significant new versions of Playstation 4; the original PS4, PlayStation 4 Slim, and an upgraded Playstation 4 Pro aimed at the pro gamers. PS4 Slim continues Sony’s attitude of releasing smaller, lighter variants. It featured 5GHz Wi-Fi, UHD Blu-ray drive, Bluetooth 4.0, and USB 3.1 support. The eject & power buttons have been replaced with physical buttons.
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Playstation 4 Pro launched in 2016. It was based on AMD’s Polaris graphics and feature 4.2 teraflops of GPU performance, more than double the original PS4’s 1.84. Additionally, PS4 Pro will support 4K gaming capabilities. Also, the console is entirely backward compatible with the PS4, and Sony claimed developers could use the extra processing power to run graphical fidelity of games at 1080p.
Despite the PS4 being superseded by more upgrades & robust systems, the PlayStation 4 remains a top-draw gaming console by vast and varied games library. PlayStation 4 delivers an attractive, compact design, Large games library, Decent AV performance, Great streaming support, and Many other features.
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