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Want to test the latest PlayStation 4 software update? Go sign up right now

PlayStation 4 Pro review
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The PlayStation 4’s next major software update, 4.5, will soon be available to the general public, but if you want to try out its new bells and whistles in advance, Sony is giving you the opportunity to sign up for a beta test.

By signing up on the PlayStation website, you’ll be entered for a chance to receive a voucher code giving you access to the “beta trial” for System Software 4.5. Your PSN account must use a valid email address for you to be eligible for beta access, and signing up will not automatically guarantee that you’ll be selected.

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PlayStation 4’s last major update, 4.00, released last September, introduced a number of new features to improve and streamline the user experience. From the “quick menu,” users are able to choose music to perfectly suit the game they’re playing, and a folder system allows users to sort their favorite games for easier access. The update also added PlayStation 4 Pro enhancements and HDR support, as well as the ability to do a complete system transfer between consoles.

The beta test for 4.00 began nearly a month before the update rolled out to the rest of PS4 users, and signups for the test began nearly a month before that. As it stands, we expect to see 4.5 release sometime in March — just as the spring wave of major titles hits, including Mass Effect: Andromeda, Ghost Recon: Wildlands, and Nier: Automata.

Given the trouble users have experience trying to get HDR to work with their PlayStation 4 consoles thus far — particularly when paired with Vizio televisions — we wouldn’t be surprised if the next system update introduces a simpler setup method.

What features are you hoping to see included in the latest PlayStation 4 system software update? Let us know in the comments!

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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