Sony released the PS4 Pro as a mid-cycle refresh for the console that wasn't meant to be a next-gen upgrade but rather a moderate upgrade with better performance and 4k support. It was also supposed to upend the incoming release of the Xbox Scorpio later this year. So with Microsoft claiming to have the most powerful console this generation with the Scorpio, it's Sony's turn to create something better and it's likely the release of the PlayStation 5.

There's no doubt that 4k at 60 fps is the new gold standard in gaming in which everybody is aiming for. Furthermore, 4K is slowly but surely taking over as the mainstream video format. Meanwhile, the Xbox Scorpio claims that it has achieved that lofty standard. But for the PlayStation 5 to surpass that, the new console must do it on a more consistent basis.

But ultimately, the Xbox Scorpio may be bending the truth a bit here. Current PC hardware can't even achieve that those frame rates. And as such a console with cheaper hardware will not be able to do the same. The PlayStation 5 can let the technology advance and mature to release a console that delivers on the gold standard.

On one hand, the PlayStation 5 could see a launch date as early as next year according to analyst Damian Thong. The analyst correctly predicted the release of the PS4 Pro and the Xbox Scorpio. But even if the analyst did predict something right, it doesn't mean that his next forecasts will also be true.

But if Sony is aggressive enough to trump Microsoft, 2018 is an ideal time to release the PlayStation 5. But with only a year separating the two consoles, the jump in performance may not be enough to achieve a consistent 4K 60 fps experience.

One option for the Playstation 5 is to treat it similarly to the PS4 Pro. While it may not be a big of a boost in performance, a subsequent mid-cycle release should provide a more substantial upgrade.

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