Sony is currently rolling out the beta preview of its upcoming 4.50 update of PlayStation firmware. While the update adds support for external hard drives for all PlayStation 4 models, as well as some newly redesigned menus, the biggest feature is a new Boost Mode.
The Boost Mode option is available in the settings menu after you’ve installed the preview update. Furthermore, it is only available to the PlayStation 4 Pro consoles. When activated, Boost Mode lets the PS4 Pro run at a higher GPU and CPU clock speed in order to improve gameplay on some PS4 games that were released before the launch of PS4 Pro. As a result, games that have a variable frame rate may benefit from a higher frame rate, and load times may be shorter in some games too.
However, not all games will suddenly see FPS boosts on the PlayStation Pro. The Boost Mode is merely meant to give PS4 Pro owners an extra nudge in terms of power. Meanwhile, multiple users are posting on forums about how the new feature affects games. One user has claimed that Just Cause 3 feels like a different game after enabling the feature. However, reports are not uniform and there is some unexpected behaviour to be expected.
The Boost Mode, 4K gaming and HDR is sure to incentivise consumers to upgrade to a PlayStation 4 Pro. It should be noted that the early preview build is only available to those in the Beta program, which is currently closed to new applicants.
