Rumour: Upcoming PS4 'Slim' will support faster 5GHz Wi-Fi

Upcoming PS4 'Slim' will support faster 5GHz Wi-Fi

Information surrounding Sony's as-yet-unconfirmed 'Slim' PS4 continues to roll in, with the latest rumour revealing that the upcoming console will be receiving a major boost to its Wi-Fi functionality.

According to PS4Daily, which posted a leaked scan of what is said to be the console's manual, the updated PS4 will support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless frequencies, allowing the console to theoretically receive stronger and faster wireless signals in the less-congested 5GHz band. By comparison, the current PS4 console only supports 2.4GHz frequencies.

The leaked manual states that "this product has been designed to minimise the effect of other devices using the same range," however, it continues to state that "in some cases interference from other devices may reduce the connection speed, shorten the signal range or cause the connection to be terminated unexpectedly."

Though the added connectivity should make for a better Remote Play experience, it should also be noted that the 5GHz frequency is more likely to be blocked by thick walls than a 2.4GHz signal. The leaked manual suggests that users "only use 5GHz band wireless equipment indoors," which should really disappoint all those people that play their games in the back yard...

If your home layout doesn't allow for a clear 5GHz connections, don't worry – the updated PS4 is a dual-band device, so you can still drop back to using the 2.4GHz band in those situations.

Stephen Lambrechts
Senior Journalist, Phones and Entertainment

Stephen primarily covers phones and entertainment for TechRadar's Australian team, and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming in both print and online for over a decade. He's obsessed with smartphones, televisions, consoles and gaming PCs, and has a deep-seated desire to consume all forms of media at the highest quality possible. 


He's also likely to talk a person’s ear off at the mere mention of Android, cats, retro sneaker releases, travelling and physical media, such as vinyl and boutique Blu-ray releases. Right now, he's most excited about QD-OLED technology, The Batman and Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga.