The PlayStation 4 isn't that old. In fact, in console gaming years, the PS4 still has plenty of years left in its life cycle.

Regardless, rumors about the PlayStation 5 continue to spread online, especially with the latest tidbits teasing a new chipset and possibly an earlier-than-expected release.

The current PlayStation 4 is barely just two years old since its launch in November 2013. Console generations usually last for five to seven years with an extended shelf life of another three to five years. So, if anything, the PS4 has plenty of life left in it. Rumors, however, suggest that the PlayStation 5 may be released within the decade.

It's not only the PlayStation 5, but the next Xbox is also rumored to come earlier than normal. Considering the end of the decade will be marked by 2020, both consoles may just as well look out of date by then, especially with the growing acceptance and adoption of 4K video and virtual reality.

That being said, AMD is allegedly appealing to both Sony and Microsoft with its next-generation chipsets that can handle both 4K and VR gaming with ease. Right now, the PS4 already uses a custom AMD APU based on the Jaguar microarchitecture. This has allowed this generation's consoles to move to the x86 architecture which, in turn, enable them to have backward compatibility with previous console's games.

That would be just one benefit of sticking to AMD's hardware. The other added benefit is that AMD's latest custom chipset would offer the future PlayStation 5 five times the performance per watt than what the PS4 can currently handle. This much power under the hood could allow the PS5 to support 4K graphics and virtual reality by the time those two technologies become mainstream in 2020.

Of course, rumors are just rumors, but they are good ones. At the end of the day (or end of the decade rather), Sony could decide to use something else to power the PS5. Nonetheless, AMD does provide compelling selling points with 4K backward compatible gaming.

Photo: Ian Muttoo | Flickr