Since day of release I’ve had a PlayStation 4 (the only time I’ve bought a console on day of release!).

And, for anyone who knows about that first model, you’ll know it sounds like a jet engine when in use and now that the PlayStation 5 is out it was time to look for a faster, quieter life…

So I bought a PlayStation 4 Pro.

Look, there are a number of reasons for me NOT to get a PS5 right now…

1. They’re like hens teeth to get right now
2. They’re expensive and that’s before I’ve added more storage
3. Some of my hardware (inc. my pricey Razer controller) won’t work
4. I don’t own a 4K TV so won’t see a lot of the benefits
5. I have a stack of PS4 games that I haven’t started, so looking for a new console and new games is not the best idea

Why update at all?

1. The noise issue. I actually keep the PS4 in a different room to where I game (think cables through walls) because of the noise but that badly affects Bluetooth connectivity
2. Although I won’t benefit from the 4K advantage with the Pro, it will bring faster frame rates and higher resolutions (most PS4 games don’t run at full HD resolution)

And, the good thing is, people are ditching good consoles to get the latest, shiniest thing. For me that means… profit! I picked up a near-mint PS4 Pro (with 2 year warranty) for an excellent price. I got it home, yanked out the internal drive and shoved in a 2TB SSD (yes, that wasn’t cheap but it was actually good value all things considered). I rebuild the OS, lashed together both consoles with a LAN cable and did a cross-console copy of the content. About 7 hours later and the new Pro had all the content back but now a lot lot quieter and a lot, lot quicker.

And I added a wall-mounting plate behind the TV and that’s where the Pro has gone… on the wall, in the same room as me.

Okay, Modern Warfare really adds the realism of being in a warzone by spinning up the fans to full but that’s a rare game – most are pretty quiet. Indeed, most of the time, the spinning of the optical disc is the noisiest thing.

If you have any questions about this set-up or about replacing the drive, please let me know in the comments.

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