PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a video game console from Sony Computer Entertainment. Announced as the successor to PlayStation 3 during a press conference on February 20, 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, and will be launched on November 29, 2013, in Europe and Australia. It competes with Nintendo's Wii U and Microsoft's Xbox One, as one of the eighth generation of video game consoles.
Moving away from the complicated Cell architecture of PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 features a simpler AMD processor, in hopes of attracting a broader range of developers and support for the system. Sony intends more focus on social gameplay, incorporating a "share" button on the new controller and enabling a view of in-game play streamed live from friends. The console enables interactivity with other services and devices through the following methods: Gaikai, a cloud-based gaming service that offers streaming video game content; PlayStation App, designed to enhance gameplay by utilizing smartphones and tablets as a second screen; and PlayStation Vita's design for playing a majority of PlayStation 4 games through wireless Remote Play.

PlayStation 4 Slim It is a revision of the original PS4 hardware and features a streamlined form factor; it has a rounded body with a matte finish on the top of the console rather than a two-tone finish, and is 40% smaller in size than the original model. The two USB ports on the front have a larger gap between them, and the optical audio port was removed.

PlayStation 4 Pro It is an updated version of the PlayStation 4 with improved hardware, including an upgraded GPU with 4.2 teraflops of processing power, and a higher CPU clock. It is designed primarily to enable selected games to be playable at 4K and improved quality for the PlayStation VR. All PS4 games are completely compatible with both the PS4 and the PS4 Pro, but optimized games will have improved graphics performance on the PS4 Pro. Although capable of streaming 4K video, the PS4 Pro does not support Ultra HD Blu-ray. Additionally, the PS4 Pro is the only PS4 model which can Remote Play at 1080p, with the others limited to 720p.

Notes:

• The PS4 cannot play Blu-ray movies without an internet connection.
  • The PS4 can play HD and 3D, but not 4K UHD Blu-rays.
• Both, the standard PS4 and the PS4 Pro are packed with USB 3.0/3.1 ports.
  • The USBs need to be formatted to FAT32 or exFAT.

Common problems/faults with the console:

• C-Bomb: When the cmos battery dies (average lifespan 10 years, ERROR CE 34878-0 or 30392-7) or is replaced, the system will need to check in with the PSN to confirm the correct time. The PS4 runs the check for both digital and physical games.
  • When the PSN servers go down in the future it will render digital and physical disc games unplayable.
  • Sony could prevent this by changing how PS4 handles validating trophies in a firmware update, and failing that, a jailbroken console may avoid the problem.
• Headphone Popup: Updates have caused random notifications to popup. Other-times it appears when an old controller charging cable is moved.
• V2 Controller - Can break within a month of use. Drift and disconnection issues are common.
• Install Corruption - The PS4 may corrupt data while installing a game, resulting in a permanent "Waiting to Install" or "Ready to Install" notification. Sony has also put out official updates that bricked consoles, most notably update 9.00.