PS4 Pro boosted FPS mode launches tomorrow

With tomorrow's firmware update, Sony's new 4K-ready PlayStation 4 Pro will see tighter frame rates across the board in select PS4 games.

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Sony today announced that System Firmware Update 4.50 will release tomorrow, bringing the PS4 Pro's coveted Boost Mode. Sony is careful to explain that Boost Mode won't affect all legacy PS4 games that haven't been patched with PS4 Pro Forward Compatibility updates, and only a select few will be compatible with the enhanced mode.

Boost Mode will affect PS4 games with variable frame rates the most by affording higher frame rates, and games with specific locks will maintain a more fluid and consistent frame rate cap. For example, Bloodborne won't magically be patched to run at 1080p 60FPS on the PS4 Pro, but the game will maintain 30FPS more solidly with Boost Mode activated.

This new mode is made possible thanks to the PS4 Pro's beefy GPU, which sits a little below a Radeon Polaris RX 470 in raw compute power.

"PS4 Pro gets a new feature in this update called Boost Mode. This feature has been designed to provide better performance for select legacy titles that have not been patched to take advantage of the PS4 Pro's faster CPU and its faster and double-sized GPU.

"This can provide a noticeable frame rate boost to some games with variable frame rates, and can provide frame rate stability for games that are programmed to run at 30 Hz or 60 Hz. Depending on the game, the increased CPU speed may also result in shorter load times. Keep in mind that Boost Mode is not guaranteed to work with all titles. Turning the setting off will allow the game to be played in a mode that replicates the standard PS4," Sony writes on the update.

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System Firmware Update 4.50 will also add a host of additional features including:

Improved 2D Images on PS VR

If you're playing a game in PS VR and you return to the PS4 home screen, you may notice that the resolution looks lower than normal on the TV Social Screen. Following this update, you'll find that the resolution of the system screen displayed on your TV is significantly better when you're out of VR mode.

Also, the resolution of Cinematic Mode on PS VR will improve - if your PS VR screen size is set to Small or Medium, the frame rate of content viewed in Cinematic Mode goes up from 90Hz to 120Hz with this update.

Voice Chat for Remote Play

We're adding voice chat when using Remote Play on Windows PC, Mac or an Xperia device. This is especially useful if you've got a gaming session planned with your friends, but you're away from your system. You can switch your mic on and off via the microphone icon on the Tool Bar of the Remote Play app.

Off Console Availability

We have a variety of off-console apps and features that make communication with other gamers easier, like the PlayStation App and PS Messages. We're adding an icon, shaped like a smartphone, which indicates a player is logged into PSN but away from their system.

PS Messages and Communities app Updates

We're also updating the PS Messages (Android/iOS) and PS Communities (Android/iOS) apps tomorrow with a few handy features.

• When you receive a Party invitation from your friends on PS Messages, now you can respond with a quick reply, "I'll join later" or "Sorry, I can't join," when you want to get back to them ASAP.
• On the Communities app, you can now easily check the PSN service status under Settings > View Status of PSN Services.
• Also on the Communities app, iOS users can tell at a glance if there are any new posts in their community by checking the badge app icon (the number in a red circle at the top-right corner of the app's icon).