Make waiting for PS5 easier: BOOST your PS4 console with this simple trick

Squeeze the most performance possible out of your PS4 with this free hack, and make the wait for PS5 much easier

PlayStation 5 PS5 Sony PS4 console
(Image credit: Future)

Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X aren't out until the winter holiday season 2020,  meaning most of us probably won't see it until it's wrapped and under the Christmas tree. Many gamers hoped they would see a PS5 reveal in February this year, as had been heavily rumoured, but the month has come and gone with no PlayStation 5 reveal.

And, with 8K support, high frame rates, and a solid state drive making for super speedy load times, the PS5 console is going to be a veritable beast that blows current-gen hardware out of the water when it finally is released — something that makes the wait for any sort of official unveiling difficult to stomach for PlayStation fans.

Luckily, though, PlayStation fans can help pass the time by enjoying their current PS4 or PS4 Pro console to the maximum courtesy of a nifty trick that helps boost its performance to optimal levels.

YouTube channel John Glasscock has shared a method that works for the PS4, the PS4 Pro, and the PS4 Slim that will improve its performance, but don't bother turning your console on, as the first step is to make sure it's off — and no, rest mode doesn't count.

The process is similar to defragging a PC, which you should do with some regularity. Files can become fragmented over time, and this just tidies them up. This PS4 trick will have you boot up your console in safe mode, and rebuild the database for a similar result. And don't worry, your save data and games will all be just fine!

There are also common console issues that pop up that you can fix simply by following the steps in the video. If you're experiencing slow load times, drops in frame rates, or your PS4 is struggling to read discs, it's a sign that you need to clean house.

Take care when you're in safe mode not to hit “Initialize PS4” instead of “Rebuild Database” or you will actually wipe all of your data. But it's very straightforward and unless you have butter sticks for fingers, it can't really go wrong.

The rebuild process can take some time, and you can't (or shouldn't) turn your console off while it's in progress, so make sure you carve out a time to do it when you're not going to be using it.

Once it's complete, your PS4 will hopefully be running more smoothly and efficiently than it was before. Keep up with this maintenance every couple of months and you wont even need a PS5!

Source: YouTube (John Glasscock)

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.