March 9 is a big day for all PlayStation 4 owners, as Sony will finally roll out update 4.5. The firmware update is expected to bring in new features to make gameplay even more engaging, and users of the Ps4 Pro will finally get to experience what the Boost Mode is. Additionally, 2D images for the PS VR will be improved. What players see now when they go to the home screen while exiting VR mode is a resolution that’s lower than the usual; the fresh update should fix this irregularity.
PS VR’s Cinematic Mode will see more enhancements as well. According to Sony, once a user adjusts the screen size to either medium or small, its frame rate on Cinematic Mode will be spiked to 120HZ, compared to the previous 90HZ.
PS4 update 4.5: supportive of friendships
Sony is surely keeping an eye out on details, as minor improvements for knowing a friend’s availability is going to be seen as well. When the PS4 4.5 update arrives, a small smartphone icon will appear if a user online on PSN through PS Messages and the PlayStation App, even when away from the PS4 system itself. Bringing in more perks, Remote Play for Mac, Xperia devices and PC finally has the Voice Chat feature. To do so, players merely need to turn on their microphones via the Remote Play app’s toolbar.
Turn up the PS4 Pro to Boost Mode
While the fresh features brought in by the PS4 4.5 update targets regular PS4 owners, those who own the mighty PS4 Pro are in it for a treat as well, of course.
Available solely for the Pro, the Boost Mode is set to benefit legacy games that haven’t been patched. This feature should make older games take full advantage of the console’s remarkable CPU capacity.
According to John Koller, VP of PlayStation’s brand marketing, Boost Mode will provide frame rate stability for some games running at 30HZ or 60HZ.
“Depending on the game, the increased CPU speed may also result in shorter load times,” the Sony exec said.
A caveat stands, however – Boost Mode is not guaranteed to work with all PS4 Pro games, and players can activate/deactivate this feature by tweaking the settings. Sony makes up for it though by adding external HDD support. Soon, users will be able to plug a USB 3.0 HDD (up to 8TB) into the system for additional storage.
