When we do the math, the PS4 is one of the longest running and oldest consoles in history. This system has been on the market since the end of 2013, which means He is already 10 years oldand that its hardware has been widely surpassed in the PC world. If we talk about generations of consoles, the PS5 became its real successor, although we must not forget that the PS4 Pro came before it, which offers more powerful hardware than the original model and is therefore able to move its games in a higher resolution.

Sony has had a lot of success with the PS5 and it is clear that the Japanese company is not willing to reduce the price of the said console permanently, only in specific offers and in a very specific way. It’s been more than three years since it hit the market and The PS5 is now 50 euros more expensive than in 2020with regard to it regarding to it it costs 549 euros in the version with an optical drive and 449 euros in the version without an optical drive.

This situation caused more and more people are considering buying a PS4 or PS4 Pro, but is it really worth doing now that both are at the end of their life cycles? It’s a very interesting question and I think it’s worth devoting an article that dives deeper into this topic, because I know that some of our readers have also thought about taking the opportunity to buy this console and enjoy the Sony exclusives that they could not play at that time.

First of all, I want to make it clear that everything we will see in this article is not based on a simple opinion, but rather part of the current reality that the world of video game consoles is experiencingand also I am based on my experience gaming on PS4 for over seven years since I bought the Slim model in 2016 in a bundle that included Call of Duty Infinite Warfare and a 1 TB HDD, all for 299.99 euros.

Buying a PS4 in 2024 is hit or miss It depends on the price you find it for.

Right now the price of new PS4 units that are still in stock is excessively high, as it even exceeds the price of the Xbox Series S, a current generation console that is much better at the hardware level. So they are a bad buy because they force us to pay an absurd price for a console that has become obsolete, and because with this money we could buy an Xbox Series S.

However, if we look at the used market, we can find PS4 Slim units at much more interesting prices. Buy a unit for between 120 and 130 euros, maximum, that would be a good choice, if the console is in good condition and working properly. I recommend getting the version that includes a 1TB HDD as this will prevent you from frequently deleting and reinstalling games.

PS4 Pro price It is also inflated on the second-hand market, and that makes it hard to find a worthwhile unit. I am not exaggerating, the average is between 200 and 220 euros. If we find a unit For 160 euros it would be worth it pay extra because this console works with more often upscaled 1440p and 2160p resolutions, which improves the sharpness of games.

We can’t forget the PS4 Pro It also improves games that have not been optimized for her thanks to the “boost” mode. Bloodborne is the best example, as although it maintains the resolution and frame rate of the said console (1080p and 30 FPS), it shows a more stable operation and reduces tearing and stuttering.

Reasons why it might be worth spending that money on a PS4 or PS4 Pro

1.-It has an enviable catalog of games

Buy a PS4 for 120 euros opens the door to an excellent catalog of games, where we can also find a huge number of exclusives that have not yet reached the PC. I could give you many names, but the most notable ones include The Last of Us Remastered and The Last of Us Part II, God of War: Ragnarök, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Bloodborne, Ghost Of Tsushima, Horizon Forbidden West, and Marvel’s Spider-Man .

In addition to having access to this huge catalog of games, which includes current high-rated cross-platform titles, we will also have the peace of mind that they will all run smoothly on this console. Of course, the experience we gain will be limited 1080p and 30 FPS and the quality will be very tight due to the shortcomings of this console’s hardware, but For 120 euros, we can’t ask for more.

2.-The price of games has dropped a lot

And many of them can be found for a few euros on the used market. Depending on the title you’re looking for and its age, we can find games with a price between 5 and 20 eurosand with the “PlayStation Hits” series, we can also buy them new at very affordable prices.

Best of all, the list of titles available in “PlayStation Hits” It’s not just limited to second-hand games, quite the opposite., in it we can find gems like Bloodborne, The Last of Us Remastered, Killzone Shadow Fall, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Resident Evil 7, God of War and many others. Other very popular games have also become much cheaper, for example Resident Evil 2 Remake, which can be purchased for 19.95 euros.

3.-It is a mature and stable console that usually does not cause problems

And that makes it a recommended choice for those who don’t like to hustle and just want to enjoy a peaceful experience and their favorite games without having to earn money. The PS4 Slim has mature and absolutely reliable hardware which overcame the problems of the original model of the aforementioned Sony console and is already completely polished at the level of the operating system.

However, if you are going to buy second hand I strongly recommend that you try it first and be very careful for any possible symptoms of problems such as excessively loud fan noise and minor graphical artifacts or image glitches. Buying in store will give you a guarantee, but in this case the price will not usually fall below 170 euros for a PS4 Slim with 500 GB HDD, so keep that in mind.

4.-You will still receive new games

It is true that the PS4 has practically ended its life cycle, but its user base is so huge that it still has support from some developers. One of the most important and recent A-type games to hit this console was Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and I’m sure there will be many more games coming to this console in 2024.

If you buy a PS4, you won’t be limited to the existing catalog of games, This will be restored and you will be able to enjoy the new titles, though you should be aware that big triple-A releases from Sony studios will no longer come to this console and will be exclusive to PS5 (some will also come to PC to ease development costs).

5.-PS4 games work on PS5

You can also consider buying a PS4 as an interim step while you wait for the PS5 price to drop. This way, you can enjoy a huge amount of games with minimal investment, and when the PS5 is available, you can sell your PS4 and keep the games to use on your new console with graphics and/or performance upgrades.

There are cases when we can update PS4 game to PS5 version and enjoy the improvements this generation has introduced. It can’t always be done for free (it depends on each specific game), that means in some cases we will have to pay for the mentioned update. All in all, it won’t stop you from continuing to play the original version on PS5. The transition from PS4 to PS5 will also be very easy.

Are there reasons not to buy a PS4 in 2024?

Well yes, there are also reasons why we should look elsewhere and avoid this console, even though we already have It will depend on the ambitions and the budget we have.. If we have little money and are not demanding on the quality of graphics or performance, the PS4 will be a good choice, but if we can spend a little more and want to enjoy an experience closer to that of at least the current PC, we should go for it. Xbox Series S

Xbox Series S is available from 239 euros, and in the store we can buy it second-hand and with a warranty for approx 170 euros. At this price, it’s almost directly comparable to the PS4 Pro and offers excellent value compared to it and the PS4. On a hardware level, it is far above both in every sense and is able to offer a gaming experience on a different level thanks to its Zen 2 CPU with 8 cores and 16 threads at 3.4 GHz, RDNA 2 graphics, 10 GB GDDR6 and a 512 GB SSD that runs at 2,400 MB/s.

For comparison purposes, the PS4 has a 1.6GHz 8-core Jaguar processor, 8GB GDDR5, GCN 2.0 graphics and a 512GB 100MB/s HDD. As you can see, The differences between the two at the hardware level are huge, and of course it is evident in all the games available for these two consoles.

We have a very clear example in Cyberpunk 2077, which is a disaster on PS4, and yet works much better on Xbox Series S. This is a current generation console so it will have a longer lifetime and you get more games. On the other hand, it is also compatible with games from previous Microsoft consoles and gives us the opportunity to sign up for Xbox Game Pass, a service that will give us access to a huge number of games for only 9.99 euros per month.

I understand that for some Sony exclusives the difference will be too important and that being able to play the PS4 catalog by buying a console from 120 euros is a real “candy”, in fact I bought the console then just to be able to play Bloodborne. However today A used Xbox Series S is a much smarter purchase Clearly, if you don’t treat your PS4 purchase as a step up to PS5, or if you get a lot of exclusives from said console.

In my case, and taking into account everything I was enjoying at the time from games like Bloodborne, Days Gone and other exclusives, I would choose to buy a PS4 and save up to upgrade to a PS5. On the other hand, a person who is not interested in Sony franchises or spending money on PS5 should opt for Xbox Series S as this console will allow him to enjoy an excellent gaming experience. all the innovations introduced by the new generation. In terms of price and performance, this console continues to offer excellent value, especially when combined with Xbox Game Pass.