PS4 Pro boost mode delivers up to 38 percent performance gain on PS4 games
The boost mode included in the beta of the latest PS4 Pro update delivers up to 38 percent higher frame rates in some games. In particular, games that are known on the PS4 for their mediocre performance work a lot better on the PS4 Pro in combination with the boost mode.
Digital Foundry has done an extensive analysis of the boost mode, which is present in software update 4.5 for the PlayStation 4 Pro. This mode makes it possible to use the processing power of the PS4 Pro even with older games that have not had a Pro patch. Eurogamer’s technical department concludes that the mode can provide significant performance gains on games that don’t run smoothly on the original PS4 hardware.
If games have a frame rate limit of, for example, 30 or 60 fps, the boost mode does not change that. However, the mode can ensure that games are able to maintain that frame rate better. In racing game Project Cars, that yields the biggest profit. That game has a 60fps limit, but on the original PS4 hardware, the frame rate often drops to lower values. On the PS4 Pro in combination with the boost mode, the performance is 35 to 38 percent better in a demanding stress test.
According to Digital Foundry, Assetto Corsa runs stable at 60fps with boost mode, while that is not the case on the regular PS4. There are also significant improvements in Assassin’s Creed Unity. That game has a lot of trouble maintaining a frame rate of 30 fps on the regular PS4. For games that already run smoothly on the PS4 hardware, boost mode has little or no impact on performance.
While all PS4 games will run on the PS4 Pro, games made for the original console that haven’t had a Pro patch currently run in a compatibility mode. In addition, the computing power of the PS4 Pro is limited to the power of the regular PS4, by switching off half of the GPU. Old games therefore do not benefit from the extra computing power. After the introduction of the more powerful console, Sony said it was necessary for older games to run smoothly. With the arrival of the Boost mode, Sony has still found a way to use the computing power for older games.