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Even at a meagre 512MB, Fallout 4's new patch has a surprising impact on the console experience - restoring a good chunk of its 30fps performance in places, while other spots still don't flatter. As covered in our initial PlayStation 4 test of the Corvega factory, update 1.02 ratchets up the frame-rate for one of the game's most taxing sequences. But going beyond the factory walls on PS4, just how far-spread are its benefits, truly? And do similar tests on a fully patched Xbox One bear out similar gains? To start, the good news is PS4's improvements aren't limited to one targeted section, but rather, the game at large is now better optimised for Sony's machine. In particular, any combat that puts a strain on PS4's memory bandwidth - via the usual flurry of effects-work - now gets a marked boost on patch 1.02. The gains are remarkable in one early Deathclaw battle for example, going from lengthy lulls at 25fps and under when using the mini-gun on nearby sandbags, to a practically faultless 30fps with the update.
As the PS4's version's primary weakness at launch - particularly in comparison to Xbox One's 30fps delivery in this scene - the frame-rate boost in battles is a big deal. Drops are still an issue of course, and an encounter with Paladin Danse outside the Cambridge police station has PS4 and Xbox One dropping under 30fps. However, it's a clear benefit for PS4 compared to the launch day's patch's mid-20fps delivery. And between the two fully-patched versions, frame-rates are now equal, or in several cases during the Corvega section, much smoother on PS4 in identical tests.
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