Is it worth buying a PS4 Pro now or wait for PS5 release?

[Dyepoy]

I've been reading news around the web and I've seen that the upcoming PS5 might support backwards compatibility with PS4 games. Is it worth waiting for it or buy a PS4 Pro now? 

[Semper]

I wouldn't expect the next generation to release until somewhere around 2021.

Expect some time around two to two-and-a-half years from now.

Base your judgement upon that assumption, all we have to go with for the release of any of the next gen consoles is assumptions based upon educated guesses (of an average life cycle of ~eight years for modern console generations).

[Princess Luna]

It's still going to take a while for the PS5 to release, it probably won't be this year... so if you're on a hurry might want to jump on it already.

 

Another way around might be get the first gen PS4 second hand to save up with the idea of "upgrading" to the PS5 when it comes out... just play the less demanding games first?

[tatte]

Since you'll more than likely choose to subscribe to PS+, I think it's worth to jump in already. Get a second hand PS4 and enjoy whatever it is you're considering a PS for. There'll be more great games, so passing on because "right now I wouldn't get the best possible experience" is just silly. If you have the money, enjoy life now. Sony's great effort with exclusives will likely help PS4 maintain a decent resell value even after PS5 comes out, combined with more than likely BC, your investment on the console might end up being only a few tens of dollars. So I'd say go for it. 

[PlayStation 2]

The PS5's some ways off. If you like the games that you can get on the PS4, might as well take a stab at the Pro.

[Stefan Payne]

14 hours ago, Dyepoy said:

I've been reading news around the web and I've seen that the upcoming PS5 might support backwards compatibility with PS4 games. Is it worth waiting for it or buy a PS4 Pro now? 

Do you want to play the games now or in a year or two??

Sony announced that the PS5 will have Zen2 CPU Cores and NAVI GPU.
Navi isn't released yet...

And they say that it won't be released within the next year....

 

A new Console would be nice but its still far far away.

[SteveGrabowski0]

The PS5 has been officially announced to have PS4 backward compatibility by Mark Cerny in that interview with Wired. It's probably not coming until around October 2020 though. If you do want to buy a PS4 you might get $50 to $100 off MSRP in the Days of Play sale that usually happens in about a month. Last year they kept the PS4 Slim at $300 MSRP but it was a blue limited edition model while the Pro was discounted to $350. The year before the Days of Play Sale had a gold PS4 Slim for $250 but the Pro stayed at $400 MSRP.

[SteveGrabowski0]

On 4/26/2019 at 7:26 AM, Princess Cadence said:

It's still going to take a while for the PS5 to release, it probably won't be this year... so if you're on a hurry might want to jump on it already.

 

Another way around might be get the first gen PS4 second hand to save up with the idea of "upgrading" to the PS5 when it comes out... just play the less demanding games first?

It absolutely won't be Spring 2020 or earlier according to this tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal:

 

 

Late 2020 is probably the best guess for when PS5 comes out. I guess 2021 could be possible but they'd be ceding a lot of market share to XBox in the US if they do so because no way Microsoft isn't releasing in 2020.

 

Damn if they're projecting to sell 16 million PS4 in the next 12 months they must have some big discounts coming for the Days of Play sale, the Black Friday sale, and probably also Christmas 2019. I can't remember if they ever discount hardware or if it's only software in their annual big Mid-Year Sale in July.

[SteveGrabowski0]

Personally I don't see a lot of value in the Pro for $400 if the Slim gets slashed to $200 on sale. You'll usually get 1440p or 1800p rendering and sometimes unlocked framerate modes on the Pro vs locking to 30 fps on the Slim, though personally I think a variable framerate that averages out to 45 fps looks awful on a 60 Hz screen; worse than a locked 30 fps IMO. You still have that weak ass Jagaur core cpu holding you back either way.

[Totallycasual]

20 hours ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

Personally I don't see a lot of value in the Pro

 

Can get them on sale at different times too, i like that they often offer the opportunity to run older games at 60fps, stuff like The Last of Us i believe you could play at 4k 30fps or 1920x1080 @ 60fps. 

[SteveGrabowski0]

6 hours ago, Newenthusiast said:

 

Can get them on sale at different times too, i like that they often offer the opportunity to run older games at 60fps, stuff like The Last of Us i believe you could play at 4k 30fps or 1920x1080 @ 60fps. 

The OG and the Slim play TLOU at 1080p60. I think Pro does 1800p60. I only said I don't see the value in the Pro at $400 at times when the Slim is sold for $200, which has happened probably three times since they launched and is possible again for the Days of Play sale next month. In last year's Days of Play Sale when the Pro was $350 and the Slim $300 then obviously the Pro was the far superior buy.

[Ertman]

As others have said its either you want to play now or at the end of 2020. If you would rather wait, then theres your answer, but if you want to play now, you really have only one choice.