PlayStation 4 Pro gets Boost Mode for non-Pro titles

Microsoft’s Xbox One S was notable for more than just its HDR gaming capabilities, as the machine also received a modest GPU speed boost (roughly 8%). This translated to smoother performance in some games. Now, Sony has quietly enabled a PS4 Pro feature, dubbed Boost Mode, that also yields performance improvements.

First spotted by NeoGAF, the Boost Mode is available as a toggle within the system menu, offering performance gains for games that haven’t been patched for the PS4 Pro.

“Experience improved gameplay, including higher framerates, for some games that were released before the PS4 Pro (CUH-7000 Series). Turn this off if you experience unexpected behaviour during gameplay,” reads the description of a screenshot.

However, it appears that users have to be a part of the PS4 beta firmware programme (closed at the time of writing) to receive the function.

The PS4 Pro has received a Boost Mode for unpatched titles, but don’t expect a night and day difference

What about compatible games though? This Gen Gaming reported that a wide variety of titles see improvements, mainly related to smoother framerates, less screen tearing and faster loading times. Don’t expect games locked at 30fps to run at 60fps all of a sudden. Nor should you expect dramatic increases in resolution.

As for specific titles mentioned by This Gen Gaming? These include Just Cause 3, Bloodborne, Batman: Arkham Knight, Battlefield 4, The Evil Within, Project Cars and The Witcher 3.

It’s worth noting that a few titles don’t see improvements or become buggy as a result, with Grow Home, Shadow Complex and Psychonauts named.

Have you received the Boost Mode option on your PS4 Pro? Have you noticed any significant improvements?