New rumors have surfaced that claim the PS5 "struggles with 4K games", resulting in what's described as "fake 4K".
AestheticGamer – probably best known for previous leaks about Resident Evil 8 – spoke about the PS5 in a series of tweets. "[...] I've heard from other devs that PS5 struggles with 4k games in particular so you'll see a lot of fake 4k. That doesn't matter to some, but get ready for that too. Xbox X doesn't have the same problem."
(3/3)the less expensive and more powerful console. I used RE8 as an example, but I've heard from other devs that PS5 struggles with 4k games in particular so you'll see a lot of fake 4k. That doesn't matter to some, but get ready for that too. Xbox X doesn't have the same problemAugust 12, 2020
Count this as rumor and little else for now. We've reached out to Sony for comment on this particular tweet and will update if it comes back to us.
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SmartShift and the PS5
Separately, VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb suggested that developers may have problems working with a specific element of the PS5's hardware – the SmartShift tech that Sony has employed for its next-gen console.
Grubb voiced his concerns on the most recent episode of the Basement Radio Arcade Podcast (thanks, wccftech). "[...] I'm not a developer, but this SmartShift tech is worrisome I think. What it does is it moves power between the CPU and the GPU and developers really haven't had to worry about that, especially on consoles, in the past."
"That will get cleared up over time," Grubb continues, "Developers will figure it out, Sony will figure it out and explain to developers 'here's what to do,' but my understanding is they're not doing that yet and that's the issue."
Still, Grubb has since taken to Twitter to clarify that the concerns voiced on the podcast were "just an example of a possible issue", rather than a conclusion drawn from developers working with the SmartShift technology.
OK. This was just an example of a possible issue that could arise. That said, if you are a developer and know anything about working with Smartshift, reach out to me. https://t.co/4bpn0rsO35August 13, 2020
To be honest, we don't think any of this is worth worrying about right now if you're a prospective PS5 buyer. Here's why.
The endless rumor mill
None of us have tested PS5 games yet, and this is firmly rumor for now. In some ways, the talk around 'fake 4K' feels like it's filling a hole when console manufacturers aren't actually revealing any new information about the next-gen consoles.
Until the consoles are fully tested, there doesn't seem to be much point in worrying about rumors around performance that don't feature a lot of detail about specific games.
On paper, the Xbox Series X specs do seem to outstrip the PS5. As ever, though: be wary of next-gen rumors in the run-up to the consoles' release later this year.
