Do PS4 and PS5 Game Discs Really Perform Differently on the PS5 Console?

As a passionate gamer who lives and breathes PlayStation, one of the most common questions I’ve been getting from my viewers lately is: "Wait, so is there actually any difference between using my old PS4 game discs versus brand new PS5 ones when playing on my spanking new next-gen console?"

It’s an interesting query, and the answer might surprise you! While both generations of discs are fully supported by the PS5’s handy backward compatibility, they’re definitely not created equal. From visual enhancements to exclusive experiences, those physical discs can vary more than you’d think…

Let me break things down for you based on my own hands-on research!

Backward Compatibility – Play the Vast Majority of PS4 Discs

The first thing to clear up is that yes, you can absolutely pop tons of PS4 discs straight into that gorgeous PS5 console of yours and enjoy away! This is thanks to Sony enabling backward compatibility on their latest machine.

A whopping 99% of PS4 games are supported based on Sony’s recent numbers. We’re talking over 4000 titles from previous generations that you’ll have instant access to on day one!

As someone who’s amassed quite the PS4 game library collection over the years, this backward compatibility is a godsend. All of those great single-player adventures and epic online memories I invested in remain playable for years to come. Love to see it!

However – and this is super important to note – while exceedingly rare, there are in fact a handful of last-gen games that the PS5 flat out refuses to play nicely with…

A shortlist of PS4 games not supported on PS5 consoles. (Source: Gamespot)

Yup, as you can see in Sony’s official compatibility list above, a couple dozen older PS4 titles simply crash out when loaded up on the new hardware. We’re talking obscure stuff from 5+ years ago that clearly has issues gelling with the PS5’s fancy custom processors!

What’s the deal here? Well from what I’ve researched, it largely boils down to sloppy coding or reliance on proprietary PS4 tech that no longer exists. Thankfully, legendary system-sellers like The Last of Us remain untouched and ready for replay!

But still, it stings to see the odd game left stranded. You will be missed, Lara Croft: Temple of Osiris cooperative adventures… 😢

Visual & Performance Upgrades – PS4 Discs Receive Next-Gen Enhancements

Okay, putting compatibility quibbles aside, here’s where things start to get really interesting.

Load up one of your existing PS4 discs and not only will it work right off the bat, but a good chunk of popular titles have also received fancy PS5 upgrade patches totally free of charge!

I’m talking visual improvements like higher native resolutions and slick 60 FPS frame rates. We’re even seeing last-gen titles enabled with cutting-edge features like ray tracing, 3D spatial audio, better textures, reduced loading times, DualSense support, and more!

All of these go a long way towards making your PS4 library shine bright on new hardware.

Some Fan-Favorite Examples of PS4 Discs Getting PS5 Enhancements:

Suffice to say, there are some serious improvements on offer here that long-time PlayStation fans like yours truly are geeking out over! It makes replaying through my favorite PS4 adventures feel wonderfully fresh this generation.

However, do keep in mind these visual/performance upgrades aren’t activated by default – you’ll have to download accompanying PS5 patches individually to benefit. But hey, only takes a few minutes and that minor inconvenience is a small price to pay!

The crucial takeaway? While PS4 discs grant basic backward compatibility, many also provide premium upgrades that genuinely take advantage of next-gen hardware!

Exclusives – Upcoming PS5 Discs Won‘t Play on PS4 Consoles

Okay, this last section is where we really drive home why PS4 vs PS5 discs differ fundamentally…

Let’s chat exclusives!

As we charge deeper into the latest generation, we have a slew of mouth-watering new PS5 releases on the horizon that base PS4 consoles simply can’t handle. I’m talking true built-for-next-gen experiences fueled by bleeding-edge graphical tech that would flat-out crash PS4 hardware!

Stuff like:

• Horizon Forbidden West
• Gran Turismo 7
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• God of War: Ragnarok

Behold, God of War Ragnarok in all its PS5-exclusive glory!

These mega-anticipated PlayStation blockbusters are all launching natively on PS5 consoles only. I’m talking mandatory utilization of custom super-fast SSDs, cutting-edge ray tracing visuals, advanced DualSense triggers… stuff current PS4 hardware can’t even approach matching!

Simply put, you won‘t be playing these brand new system-sellers without Sony‘s latest machine hooked up to the TV. While PS4 game discs provide backward compatibility on PS5 consoles, make no mistake – those upcoming PS5 exclusive releases will remain locked solely to next-gen consoles. No sneaky workarounds or compromises to be found I‘m afraid!

But fear not – for committed PlayStation gamers like myself willing to bite the upgrade bullet, it’s a small price to pay for mind-blowing generational leaps that leave aging PS4 hardware in the dust! 😛

So there you have it folks, the complete lowdown on the real-world performance differences between PS4 and PS5 game discs when played on the ultra-powerful PS5 console!

In summary:

• PS4 discs provide strong (if imperfect) backward compatibility
• Many PS4 games receive substantial visual/performance upgrades through PS5 patches
• Upcoming PS5 exclusives require new hardware and won‘t run on PS4 systems

I don‘t know about you, but after doing all this hands-on research, I‘m even more pumped to gradually phase out my PS4 library for glorious new PS5 releases over the coming years! Next-gen can‘t come soon enough baby! 😄

But enough fanboying from me – I wanna hear what you think down below! Got any other PS4/PS5 questions you need cleared up? Let your friendly neighborhood PlayStation expert know!