PS1: 320X240, 76800

PS2: 512X448, 229376, +198.67%

PS3: 1280X720, 921600, +301.79%

PS4: 1920X1080, 2073600, +125%

These are the standard resolutions games ran/run at for each playstation. Some games ran/run at lower resolutions, some games ran/run at higher resolutions, but these are considered the norm.

The difference between PS3 and PS4 is the smallest by a considerable amount. You'd probably jump the gun and say that makes it the smallest jump. That would be, foolish. That's because the resolution is being limited by the TV, not the console. If we had 4k TVs by now, the standard resolution could have been 1440p or anything the devs decided on.

It would have the same effect as forcing all games to 20fps when they could have run at 30. The game can either waist this power, or put it back into the system to get better visuals.

Here's a different way to think about it if you are confused. Let's look at God of War 2 vs God of War 3.

Each side essentially is displayed in the same resolution and GOW3 looks much better. However, this is only a 342 by 380 picture per game. The PS3 is rendering 791,640 more pixels than shown. If instead of rendering those extra pixels the power was dedicated to improving what's visible in this comparison, Kratos would like even better. If GOW3 was stuck at 342 by 380 pixels, can you even imagine how realistic it could look?

This is basically what's happening with PS4, except the resolution is limited to 1080p and wouldn't be a blurry mess. Still confused? Ask a question.

Disclaimers:

1. This is not about PS4 VS XBONE. I used PlayStation in this example because of them being around longer with one additional console to compare.

2. I understand in my second explanation the image has super good AA and is using more than 342x380 pixels because it's downsampled. It's not an example, just hopefully a simple way to express what I'm meaning.

3. I also understand the Kratos pic doesn't look that good. Again it's just hopefully a simple way to express what I'm meaning.

4. The standard resolution of the consoles was based off searches and common sense. If you disagree with any of the numbers, please tell me why and include supporting evidence.

5. I'm assuming the raw power leap between each gen is practically the same. PS2 was 10 times stronger than PS1, PS3 was 10 times stronger than PS2, and PS4 is 10 times stronger than PS3. Don't fill this thread about the BS of the power gap being significantly different than this. Moore's law existed back then too. PS3 isn't 1,000 times stronger than PS2 like some people believed.

6. If you have a PC, use it to reply. Don't use it to bring PC graphics into the discussion.

The Playstation 4 isn't fast enough to do 4k or 1440P, You would be dreaming to think otherwise, the Playstation 5 could potentially make it happen.
The Playstation 4 as it stands now doesn't have the memory bandwidth or GPU hardware to pull it off.
Heck, games now are already having resolution/framerate downgrades anyway even on the Playstation 4 and that could be the norm later on in the generation as developers make sacrifices in one area to bolster others for a greater overall improvement in a scene.

I'm sorry but it actually is as far as 1440p. End of discussion. It's late and I'm kinda grumpy apparently so I'm pulling the dev card.

Actually, is the smallest leap ever made in a generation.

Is the jump from PS3 to PS4 as big as the one from PS2 to PS3? As in, are they both 10x faster than their predecessors or whatever?

Anyway, I don't know about the biggest, but seeing things like The Dark Sorcerer or The Order, I think it will be a very noticeable jump down the line.

Can I get a translation for that please? No idea what actually said, if you're refuting or agreeing.

I disagree, having said that I don't know as much on this topic as you. I think we should wait till later in the gen either way. Seems to early at the moment for this kind of talk, especially considering the consoles aren't even out yet!!

because its the cheapest launch price which everybody wants, so don't expect too much...

He is saying the PS4 is well capable of running games at 1440p. We know without question it is at least as powerful as a 7850 which is capable of running most released games at 2560 x 1600 at between 20 and 30fps. Given the ability to optimize further to the locked console hardware and lower level coding abilities, PS4 should be more than capable of running any currently released game at 1440p 30fps.

Take Battlefield 4 for example. Considering it runs at 900p 60fps, taking the same settings and boosting the native resolution up to 1440p it should be capble of running the game at over 30fps. 

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/club3d_radeon_7870_joker_review,17.html

This link shows that an increase in resolution from 1600 x 1200 to 2560 x 1600 typically results in just under a 50% drop in frame rate.

Visual leaps between generations have been diminishing for a long time now.

The 5th to 6th gen leap was smaller than the 4th to 5th.

The 6th to 7th gen leap was smaller than the 5th to 6th.

The 7th to 8th gen leap is smaller than the 6th to 7th.