PS5 Graphics: What To Expect From Sony?

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Rumors regarding the forthcoming PlayStation 5 are continuing to accumulate, with the PS5 graphics being a particular focus. There is no doubt that the visual display offered by this next-generation console will be central to its success. And Sony will thus be required to deliver something outstanding if it is to retain its lead over Microsoft.

PS5 graphics prediction

Early reports on the console suggest that the PS5 graphics may even exceed those of the Xbox One X. The increasingly prominent Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter suggests that the PlayStation 5 will feature more teraflops than its Microsoft rival. Pachter also believes that there will be strong support for 4K resolution by the time that the next console generation emerges, and that this will have a big impact on the PS5 graphics.

“By the time 4K becomes affordable in 2019, PlayStation will have a 4K device that will have more TFLOPS than the Xbox One X has, because they seem to be in a TFLOPs race,” Pachter asserted. Thus, the analyst strongly implies that the PlayStation 5 will be released in 2019, and we can reasonably expect its launch window to be towards the holiday season at the end of the year.

Pachter also suggests that the PlayStation 5 will be backwards compatible out of the box. Both Sony and Microsoft are expected to place a greater emphasis on this feature in the coming years, as the two major developers are determined not to leave their existing installed user base behind.

240 frames per second

But the PS5 graphics were a particular focus of the comments of Pachter. And the analyst believes that Sony may have something extremely impressive up its sleeve by the time that the PlayStation 5 generation emerges. Pachter suggests that the PS5 may be capable of achieving 240 frames per second when it is released.

The analyst gave no indication of the resolution for this 240 frames per second spec. But it is fair to say that this will not be delivered at 4K resolution. However, even at full HD the suggestion of a console delivering 240 frames per second does seem a little fanciful, particularly as the strongest graphical processing units on the market are only now hitting the 4K at 60 frames per second mark.

Nonetheless, Pachter’s views on the PS5 graphics cannot be easily dismissed given his prominent place in the industry.

“My expectation that is that it’s not coming out in 2018. That is a 2019 0r 2020 but probably 2019. Sony is probably timing it better because they are going to bring out a 4K capable device when the 4K TV market reaches 50% in the USA and 35% in the rest of the world. I think Sony has probably got the next console cycle nailed down already. I think, they already know what they got to do,” Pachter suggested.

If Sony is able to deliver 240 frames per second with the PlayStation 5 at any resolution, it would make the attractive proposition of 60 frames per second gaming at 4K resolution almost a certainty. This would undoubtedly blow away anything currently available on the market, meaning that the next generation console would be by far the most powerful and impressive unit released.

YouTube mock-up

Elsewhere, there are already demos available on YouTube exhibiting how the PS5 graphics may ultimately turn out. One particular video imagines a cityscape not dissimilar from the GTA universe, which is close to delivering photo reality. While this may be a bit of a push in the next 2-3 years, it is still tantalizing to glimpse at this possible future.

Sony has given that little indication regarding whether the PlayStation 5 will emerge at all, even slightly pouring water on the suggestion. Undoubtedly, the corporation is committed to the existing PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation 4 generation, with the company concentrating its resources on upcoming titles for the time being. Gran Turismo Sport, Spider-Man, Days Gone, God of War 4 and many others are all slated for the coming months, providing the console with a powerful new raft of games.

What is certain is that the PS5 graphics will benefit from the HDR technology that is becoming increasingly essential with contemporary TV displays. 4K resolution is becoming a standard in the televisual industry now, and HDR certainly seems to be here to stay.

Hardware evolution

But the suggestion of Pachter regarding 240 frames per second for the PS5 is perhaps not as fanciful as it initially appears. It is notable that the most expensive PC gaming GPUs are delivering twice as much power than just three years ago. Meanwhile, the Xbox One X delivers a GPU around five times more powerful than that of the Xbox One, which was originally released four years ago. If thiese sort of advancements continue to be made then a very strong 4K PS5, possibly delivering 240 friends per second functionality, becomes more plausible.

Yoshida comments

While Sony has yet to explicitly green-light the PS5, comments from a senior executive at the corporation have indicated that such a release is likely. Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony’s Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment, has suggested that a sequel to the PlayStation 4 could bring additional power for a new gaming generation.

“If they still feel that we need more machine power – ‘we want to realise this and that and that, but we cannot do it with the PS4’ – there’s a good reason to have the PS5 so developers can create their vision,” Yoshida commented.

Sony will have to to juggle many variables aside from the PS5 graphics when this machine is being developed. The increasing importance of streaming, suitable support for virtual reality, and new features such as wireless charging will all be on the radar of the Japanese corporation ahead of the console’s release. It is certain that the PS5 will be extremely powerful, and many gamers will already be eagerly anticipating its release.

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