A wise man once said: there are no upgraded console rumours without PlayStation 4K – or something like that. The fact of the matter is that we've heard too much about Sony's hypothetical hardware half-step for it to not resemble some semblance of truth at this point; the question is whether the Japanese giant will actually decide to bring it to market, and what it entails.

The rumours, at this stage, can't seem to settle on a fixed direction, suggesting perhaps that the platform holder is still not entirely sure what path it intends to take either. But we can probably be confident in a couple of facts: it's going to be called PS4K, it will boast a 4K Blu-ray player, and it will probably include some form of nifty upscaler to make 1080p titles shine on a more modern TV.

The biggest challenge is going to rest with Sony's marketing team, who not only have the unenviable task of transforming PS VR sceptics into believers – but may now also have to effectively explain PS4K

What's unclear is whether Sony intends to split its install base by increasing the power of the box as well. This would be somewhat unprecedented in the console space, and leakers can't seem to decide which route the firm will go; an alleged NeoGAF insider claimed overnight that the new device will double the GPU's power, while other speculation has suggested that its innards will be much the same.

This presents a cross-roads for the platform holder: boosting the performance of the upgraded model may irritate early adopters, but it would likely keep the PS4 ahead in the technical race; maintaining the same level of graphics capabilities will ensure a consistent experience across the board, but may lead to the console falling far behind the PC over time. A tough choice all around, then.

Whichever direction Sony adopts, the biggest challenge is going to rest with its marketing team, who not only have the unenviable task of transforming PlayStation VR sceptics into believers – but may now also need to articulate why a hardware upgrade is worthwhile. The one thing we will say is that the name, if it is indeed PS4K, is beyond brilliant – and arguably too good not to use.

But, based on the little we know about the rumoured console so far, would you be willing to stump up the cash for it? It's hard to say when the rumours are so inconclusive, but, as a hardcore PlayStation fan, this author would probably be there day one – irrespective of direction. It'll be interesting, of course, to see just how many of you share that same sentiment.

Time for the ultimate question, then: would you buy a PS4K at all? Which features would best encourage you to consider trading up? Do you think that all of this is a bad idea to begin with? Comment in ultra high-definition below.

Would you buy the rumoured PS4K? (182 votes)

  1. Yes, I’d probably be there day one regardless21%
  2. Hmm, I’d need to know a lot more details first38%
  3. No, I’m not interested in hardware half-steps41%

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Which feature could convince you to upgrade your console? (182 votes)

  1. I’d definitely be tempted by better graphics47%
  2. I like the sound of the 4K Blu-ray player4%
  3. A much smaller chassis may interest me actually2%
  4. Better virtual reality capabilities would be nice16%
  5. There’s nothing that Sony could do to convince me30%

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