PS4 What PS4 system variant to get?

So my mom goes out and gets me Madden on the PS4 for my birthday...too bad I only have a CFW PS3. As I try to explain this to her, she offers to buy a PS4. The salesperson says they have 3 models - original, slim (more storage), and pro (more storage + better processor). Now I'm going to research this on my own, but first I'd thought I'd ask some basic stuff here.

a. Which one is the best? (pros vs. cons)
b. What are my options for jailbreaking/hacking, if any, and how do I go about it? I'd like to have it as a retro box, like my PS3.
 
Pro versions of course. Until You not care playing in upscalled to 4K in 30fps or 1080p in 60fps. You can bargain a little with seller because Pro are no longer producing. PS5 replaced them in some sense (PS5 is almost fully backward compatible with PS4).

Last hacked version is 9.00. If console is brand new, for sure You will get far below that version.

Nah, scene is in orphanage stage. It will not be a retrobox if You will not go by Linux road (but I'm not an expert what works and what doesn't on PS4 Linuxes on specified models). ;p
 
Pro versions of course. Until You not care playing in upscalled to 4K in 30fps or 1080p in 60fps.

Some quick research suggests that the slim is good enough for me, as I don't have a 4K TV. Are pros harder to hack than the older ones, either now or possibly some time in the future? (like on PS3, as super-slims are harder to hack than some slims and all fats)
 
You don't need 4K TV to play in 1080p in 60 fps instead 30 fps. ;]

No. This doesn't matter at least for current stuff. There is no CFW on PS4, so all models using the same HEN.
 
I think xbox series s would be a better option. PS4 is on life support. of course if you have good internet speeds.

PS4 slims is fantastic, because how small the system is.
 
You don't need 4K TV to play in 1080p in 60 fps instead 30 fps. ;]

Oh, that may change things.

I think xbox series s would be a better option. PS4 is on life support. of course if you have good internet speeds.

Embarrassing, but...I don't have internet access at home, so no Xbox for me. (need online to get past initial setup)

So bottom line, with both PS4/5 (obviously 5 is better, but I don't want to bankrupt my mom :)), it's stay on low FW and hope for better HEN or CFW?
 
Last edited:
If You will buy brand new PS4, then You need to update OFW from factory version to 9.00 (not newer) if You want hack it.

If You do not want hack it, just use it normally with newest possible fw (some around 10.00 actually).
 
Pro versions of course. Until You not care playing in upscalled to 4K in 30fps or 1080p in 60fps. You can bargain a little with seller because Pro are no longer producing. PS5 replaced them in some sense (PS5 is almost fully backward compatible with PS4).

Last hacked version is 9.00. If console is brand new, for sure You will get far below that version.

Nah, scene is in orphanage stage. It will not be a retrobox if You will not go by Linux road (but I'm not an expert what works and what doesn't on PS4 Linuxes on specified models). ;p
Idk probably fat model have less problem now with linux... but is a little problem on pro. Just patch the right driver (wifi/bt and mesa/gpu). Here on my phat belize linux works good. But i can't update mesa without patch it... iam not able i have the preovious patch for fedora 38 mesa. Patch is maked by berobu or a nick like that.
 
Embarrassing, but...I don't have internet access at home, so no Xbox for me. (need online to get past initial setup)

So bottom line, with both PS4/5 (obviously 5 is better, but I don't want to bankrupt my mom :)), it's stay on low FW and hope for better HEN or CFW?

That comparison between XBOX and PS is kind of irrelevant nowadays... You are assuming that only the Series X and S are requiring internet access for initial setup, though I do not recall needing internet just to boot and navigate either of these machines

Actually, the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony have been plagued with certain games that come on disc which feels great to own the physical media and put it in the machine only to get the main menu of a game and find out that it needs to download an "update" to unlock the story mode (Black Ops Cold War) on both PS5 or XBOX X/S

Go for the PS4, maybe get the Pro version because I can promise it definitely outlived my original white model (being someone who binge games at least 2 times a week for 6-8 hour time frames and plays a couple hours most other days as well).
 
That comparison between XBOX and PS is kind of irrelevant nowadays... You are assuming that only the Series X and S are requiring internet access for initial setup, though I do not recall needing internet just to boot and navigate either of these machines

Actually, the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony have been plagued with certain games that come on disc which feels great to own the physical media and put it in the machine only to get the main menu of a game and find out that it needs to download an "update" to unlock the story mode (Black Ops Cold War) on both PS5 or XBOX X/S

Go for the PS4, maybe get the Pro version because I can promise it definitely outlived my original white model (being someone who binge games at least 2 times a week for 6-8 hour time frames and plays a couple hours most other days as well).
Yes. Release a game disc version cant be played on a console is totally unsense... i buy my console i buy my game and i cant play it without download another files? Really? Nintendo for that is better
 
Majority of games on PS4, don't need internet for anything... Whole game can be installed from disc(s) and played. There are some exceptions like eg. Cyberpunk which will not work without day1 patch, making both discs totally useless. But it is true that internet is in some meaning needed because patches almost always fixing shit which devs not delivered on game premiere (it is how business models looks like nowadays...).

And almost all games on XSS/XSX needs internet.
 
The benefits of PS4 Pro is not really 60 fps at 1080p. PS4 does NOT guarantee 60fps at 1080p except on few games. So don't be tempted for 60fps. 4K support is definitely worth it if you have 4K TV. Other benefit of PS4 Pro is SATA 3 port which you can use for installing SATA SSD that will slightly reduce the loading times. PS4 slim & old FAT ones have SATA 2.0 motherboards which won't give you SSD advantage. But that's not a big difference maker. Most aftermarket stores offer old fw JB PS4 which is the most desirable. I think prices of PS4 should be $150-200 right now depending on the package. Make sure you get JB one.
 
So it is not brand new console but used one. If You will check S.M.A.R.T report of this HDD on PC, You can tell how long it was used by someone.

There is no Slims with pre-installed fw 11.02 which BTW appears around week or two ago.
 
So it is not brand new console but used one. If You will check S.M.A.R.T report of this HDD on PC, You can tell how long it was used by someone.

There is no Slims with pre-installed fw 11.02 which BTW appears around week or two ago.
So you're saying if i buy a brand new ps4, it should have a verison inferior to 9:00 and are all hackable???
I thought that sony is updating alll of them.
 
How can they change fw in a console without free electrons, closed in box, and lied on shop shelf? :P

Here are some stock fws, depend of model but very incomplete list of that matter:
https://psdevwiki.com/ps4/SKU_Models

If this Slim be brand new, then came with fw below 9.00. Eventually it was but You've update it... If You didn't change default settings, OrbisOS downloading fw, game patches and apps in the background but in case of fw, even then, user must confirm that he want install it.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Back
Top