PlayStation 4 Update 4.50 Launches Tomorrow With External Hard Drive Support


External hard drive support, custom wallpapers, PS4 Pro Boost Mode, and more are all coming to the PlayStation 4 tomorrow with software update 4.50. The upcoming system update was announced in February, and after a period of beta testing, is finally rolling out to consoles across the world on March 9. The 4.50 update also includes improvements to the Notification list, the Quick Menu, and more.

With the 4.50 update releasing tomorrow, more details about the software are being discussed on the PlayStation Blog today. The update will allow players to voice chat via Remote Play on certain devices, for instance. Additionally, a number of applications not on the console will be available offline and the Boost Mode option will be available to PS4 Pro owners.

Voice chat during a Remove Play session with certain devices [Image by Sony]

On a Windows PC, Mac, or Xperia device, players will be able to voice chat while using Remote Play to access their PlayStation 4. Remote Play users can turn their mic on and off by simply pressing the microphone image on the Remote Play app overlay. The PlayStation App and PS Messages services let players communicate with those on PlayStation 4 systems, and with the upcoming update, the interface will inform players that they are talking to someone who is not currently on their console. Finally, a new feature specific to the PS4 Pro is also detailed today. Boost Mode is releasing with the 4.50 update giving owners of a PS4 Pro the chance to improve titles that may have not integrated PS4 Pro support. Boost Mode lets titles like that benefit from the console’s improved hardware.

“This can provide a noticeable frame rate boost to some games with variable frame rates, and can provide frame rate stability for games that are programmed to run at 30 Hz or 60 Hz. Depending on the game, the increased CPU speed may also result in shorter load times. You can turn on Boost Mode by going to Settings > System.”

All PlayStation 4 owners can take advantage of external hard drive support and custom wallpapers, though. In the original announcement for the 4.50 update on the PlayStation Blog these features were revealed alongside Quick Menu improvements and a redesigned Notifications area. External hard drive support is probably the most anticipated addition for many PlayStation 4 owners. With games reaching 80 gigabytes in size, the 500-gigabyte standard hard drive fills up quickly.

Access an external hard drive in the Storage menu [Image by Sony]

With the 4.50 update, players can simply connect an external hard drive to the PlayStation 4 to add more storage space to the console. A USB 3.0 HDD is required and the system supports an external hard drive up to eight terabytes in size as noted on the PlayStation Blog. Although game saves cannot be placed on an external hard drive, all games and applications can be saved on an external. Items saved on the external hard drive even show up on the Content Launcher giving player easy access to all their content.

Finally, a small but major feature is also part of the 4.50 update tomorrow. PlayStation 4 owners can customize their home screens with screenshots on their consoles. Screenshots from any game can be used as a background image after the update.

“This update adds the ability to set your favorite in-game screenshot as the background image for PS4’s home screen. Drop-shadows on text, and the option to dim the Function Area, will help keep the system icons and texts on the home screen clearly visible even if the background image you selected is super bright.”

A slimmer Quick Menu with access to more Party functions, the removal of tabs on the Notifications list, and the ability to post on the PlayStation Network feeds are also releasing tomorrow. Not to mention, 3D movie viewing and improved 2D images for PlayStation VR are also included in the 4.50 update. As the Inquisitr reported, PlayStation VR has sold over 915,000 units in just four months and the 4.50 will be a boon for those PlayStation 4 owners as well.

[Featured Image by Sony]

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