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It's the PlayStation 4 Pro feature we've been waiting for. The new boost mode - coming soon in the 4.5 system software upgrade - opens up the power of the Pro to unpatched base PS4 titles. It's available to beta users to test now and we've spent the last few days putting the feature through its paces. The improvements vary from the dramatic to the inconsequential, but by and large, the end result is a highly valuable feature that we think Pro owners are going to love.Going into the tests, we were cautiously optimistic. There are improvements we should expect from boost mode, but equally, we need to be aware of its limitations. Developers define the performance targets of console software, and set the ceiling for in-game frame-rates almost always in the form of a 30fps or 60fps cap. Some titles - for example, Killzone Shadow Fall - can run with an unlocked frame-rate, but v-sync still dictates an eventual 60fps cap.
In short, boost mode will work best in stabilising performance closer to target frame-rates and should prove interesting on unlocked titles, but you can't expect game-changing miracles. Games like Destiny that stick doggedly to their 30fps cap will see no improvement, and titles certainly won't break their performance limits and suddenly run at 60fps. However, there are plenty of games out there that glitch badly or run nowhere near their theoretical limits. In this scenario, boost mode could be revelatory.
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