WRONG! if the rumours are true they are based on the same architecture for the CPU but on a different, newer GPU and altough it uses the same GCN technology it is based on a different chipset. In PC Gaming even slight changes from Nvidia or AMD can give dissaster outcomes in some games because things just tend to run a little different and do need to be optimized for the new core both in Drivers from AMD and updates for the software.

Obviously because the CPU is the same architecture and the GPU is "simulair" it should be possible to do things withoud to much problems but there are certainly no garantees

Sony's console reign should be disrupted by themselves because of how greedy they are. Oh wait i didn't remember that people allows themselves to be screwed hard by sony, forget my comment.

If they managed to make a 200 bucks slim, people could bite is, specially if OG PS4 stays at 300. And yes, there is time to close the gap. SNES closed a huge gap. PS3 and 360 didn't won, but they did a similar miracle against the Wii (with 2009 numbers, Wii should had outsold both combined, handily). But on both scenarios, I'm assuming that Sony would either screw up current owners or keep a high price on all SKUs. That's pretty much impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if they follow the PS4K at 400 bucks with either a slim PS4 closer to 200 dollar or at least a internal cost reduction on the OG unit to hit this mark. High-end consumers will be happy with the beefier unit while budget-friendly buyers will love the cheaper base unit. Everyone is happy and they make a shit ton of money.

So you are correct, it's a huge, huge gap. To lose this advantage, they would have to do a historical screw up.

This gen will last 7 years, like the last one, so we are mid gen yet. Sony is upgrading the PS4 because last gen the PS3 was getting his was whipped by low end desktop GPUs in 2012-13 and mobile phones were pretty close. With upgraded SKUs (PS4K will pack a bit more of punch than a GTX 960), they can avoid looking so outdated in the final years. Five year gens probably aren't feasible anymore because games can take 5 year to get done. Even with early dev kits, a lot of titles couldn't make this window. PS360 only got a load of big titles around 2009-10 and that was 3-4 years into the gen. I believe that they are rethinking how long a gen should last and that's the way they found to make a longer gen work while keeping the hardware as fixed as possible.

If we consider that PS4K will arrive in 2016 with the NX (maybe X1.5?), there is no way that we will see new consoles in 2018. Unless it's a PS4.7.

Oh yeah, Microsoft is going to sell 20 million Xbox Ones this year now! Lol

We are 2-3 Years of the end of the Gen, Xbox One, is selling over 8 Millions per year, last year PS4, sold over 18 Millions in just 1 year, the Xbox One, just don't have the enought time to take the Lead, would be hard even for PS2, or for the Wii, to take the lead over the PS4.

We will know better what this thing is after the E3,  just 2 Months of suspense.

Update to 1080p.  Not that hard.  It doesn't have to look like freaking FFXV.  It just has to run at 1080p.  Shit I could do it for them if they can't.

even if the GPU is really different it should be strong enough to run every older PS4 game on the same perforamnce and run optimized Neo PS4 games with better performance. It still is way easier than on PC, and most AAA these days are relased on PC @day 1

Or they could just, you know, NOT WORRY about this Neo console at all. 

Or they could simply make exactly the same game for all and be done with it...

Let's not daydream into thinking that there is anything that can change the result of this generation.

But, i do agree that this is a colossal mistake by Sony and all the bad press and pissed off customers will create an advantegous position for microsoft to regain some space next gen. Sony is handing ammo to the competition if this is true, and as i said before this will have long term repurcussions to the early adoption rate of the PS5.

Customers don't react well to beeing tricked out of their money. The possible short term advantages will come with dire long term ones.