Sony has revealed the first details on its next generation PlayStation console. The console will support 8K resolution rendering and also features backwards compatibility with PlayStation 4 games.

As with previous PlayStation hardware, it will once again feature custom components. The console is said to feature a custom octa-core AMD Ryzen 7nm Zen 2 CPU and a custom AMD Navi GPU. The GPU will support raytracing, a technology that has just recently been established on the PC market.

Sony revealed the specifications of the next generation console in an exclusive conversation with technology website Wired. In the interview the company stated that it had already been working on the new hardware for roughly four years and that it would not release in 2019.

Mark Cerny, the lead system architect for Sony's next generation console also confirmed that the system will have fast high-end SSD storage built-in. The SSD is said to be a faster solution than any currently available for the PC. For instance, fast-travel loading times are expected to be at least 19 times faster on the new hardware, compared to the current PlayStation 4 Pro hardware.

Additionally, the next-generation PlayStation will support native 8K resolution rendering. The console will also be fully backwards compatible with at least PlayStation 4 games, a feature that has been demanded by PlayStation users but has been missing ever since the PlayStation 3 console. The current PlayStation VR headset will also be fully compatible with the new system, but Cerny did hint at a new iteration of the hardware.

Lastly, the new consoles' custom AMD hardware will allow for 3D audio that is said to be a huge upgrade over the current audio solution, although the company didn't go into further details about this. It will also still be possible to "insert" discs into the next console, so it will indeed not be a digital only system.

While Sony did not want to confirm the name of the new console just yet, it is safe to assume that it will simply be called PlayStation 5. The company will release more details when it is closer to a release.