Some gamers out there don’t even have a PS5 yet and Sony may already be working on a Pro version of the console which could release in the middle of its lifecycle. A patent filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment details a new “scalable game console” with not one but two graphics cards built into it and an emphasis on cloud gaming.
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According to the patent, the second GPU is coupled with the first GPU and the system is described for “home console and cloud gaming use”. However, the details reveal more information about this possible PS5 Pro. It notes that that “plural SoCs (system on a chip) will be used to provide a “high-end” version of the console with greater processing and storage capability”. The hint at extra storage also means more RAM and a larger emphasis on cloud-optimised gaming.
The patent describes how single-chip SoCs, while being powerful, are limited due to semiconductor scaling challenges and yield issues. Multiple smaller chips can be linked by high-speed coherent busses to form big chips. While such a scaling solution is slightly less optimal in performance compared to building a huge monolithic chip, it is less costly.
The patent describes how the two GPUs in the PS5 Pro will work together to render and produce the image;
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”#334BFF” class=”” size=”21″]In some examples, each GPU is programmed to render all of some, but not all, frames of video different from frames of the video rendered by the other GPU to provide a respective output. The outputs of the GPUs can be combined to render the video. In other examples, each GPU is programmed to render all of some, but not all, lines of a frame of video, with lines of a frame of video rendered by a GPU being different from lines of the frame rendered by the other GPU to provide a respective output. The outputs of the GPUs can be combined to render the video.[/perfectpullquote]
There is a lot to chew on in this patent. Much of it describes the advantage of a multi-chip console and how the “high-end” system can also contain more RAM and other features. Sony keeps mentioning ‘cloud gaming’ in the patent which also hints that the company might use the console not only for downloading games but also GPU-accelerated cloud gaming.
Of course, the big news here is that the PlayStation 5 Pro may indeed include two GPUs. These will no doubt be custom-made AMD chipsets that will be designed to work together to enhance the gaming experience. Perhaps the PS5 Pro may be Sony’s first step into 8K gaming? The hardware won’t see the light of day for a few years.
The PS4 Pro only released three years into the PS4’s lifecycle so don’t expect the PlayStation 5 Pro any time soon. You can read the full patent here.
