The PlayStation 5 was first released back in 2020, but Sony usually releases more than one console in each generation
With slimline versions of the PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 all arriving a few years after the regular one, it feels like a PS5 Slim will be on the way at some point.
And judging by the latest rumours, you might not have long to wait. Here’s everything you need to know about Sony’s next console.
When will the PS5 Slim be released?
There’s no official release date announced at the time of writing; in fact, Sony hasn’t even confirmed it will release a PS5 Slim. But, as this has been the pattern since the first PlayStation launched, we think it’s very likely indeed.
Insider Gaming has reported that Sony is working on a slimmed down PS5 with a detachable disk drive, and that this will launch some time around September 2023, which means the reveal could be very soon indeed.
Even Microsoft has admitted it thinks a PS5 Slim is on the way. In court filings around its acquisition of publisher Activision, the company claimed that a PlayStation 5 Slim is expected “later this year”:
PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point.
For the past few generations, Sony has tended to introduce the Slim edition about 3-4 years after the initial console appeared. We also saw the introduction of a Pro model with the PS4, launching around the same time as the PS4 Slim.
Rumours have already appeared around a PlayStation 5 Pro coming either in 2023 or 2024, so it seems probable that we may see the PlayStation 5 Slim takes its bow then, though Insider Gaming thinks the Pro model will be next year, a while after the Slim.
How much will the PS5 Slim cost?
Along with smaller dimensions, the Slim models also tend to come with lower price tags. With the PlayStation 4 we saw these prices:
- PlayStation 4 – $399/£349/€399 (launch price)
- PlayStation 4 Pro – $399/£349/€399
- PlayStation 4 Slim – $299/£259/€299
So, when the Pro model arrived it took the price points over from the original PS4, with the PS4 Slim getting an effective price cut of $100/£100/€100.
If Sony repeats this with the PS5 Pro and Slim models, then they may look like this:
- PlayStation 5 – $499/£449/€499
- PlayStation 5 Pro – $499/£449/€499
- PlayStation 5 Slim – $399/£349/€399
You’ll note that the $399 price there is exactly what Microsoft expects the Slim to cost too, as The Verge reported, an estimate it based on the current price of the PlayStation 5 Digital, which omits a physical drive for game discs but comes in cheaper at $399/£359/€399.
Whether the digital model would get a further discount remains questionable, but we’d certainly like to see one. To see how they compare, take a look at our PS5 Standard vs PS5 Digital rundown.
What kind of specs and features will we see in the PS5 Slim?
As with the PS4 and PS4 Slim, there’s a very good chance that the PS5 Slim will be almost exactly the same as its bigger brother in terms of features and specs. With the previous generation we did see the smaller variant shed a couple of ports due to size constraints (AUX and Optical), but other than that they were basically the same. Sony did come up with ways to increase the power efficiency of the newer version, allowing a smaller power supply and thus more compact casing, so we might see that in the PS5 Slim.
Obviously, the main change will likely be the design. As mentioned before, the PS5 is a bit of a monster when it comes to size.
Its design is also somewhat divisive – the white, modern finish doesn’t sit well in all people’s homes, especially when it’s such a large device.
But if an August 2023 leak is anything to go by, it’ll be significantly smaller without changes to the core aesthetic. Images on a Chinese forum and video from BwE on X (formerly Twitter) shows a device which could very well be the PS5 Slim:
A follow-up BwE post speculates that the device may not include a disk drive by default, but that the part will be an optional attachment that’s sold separately.
That’s something the earlier Insider Gaming report also suggests, with the disk drive connected via an additional USB-C port on the back. The question then would simply be whether this version of the hardware is just the same as the current PS5 Digital but with an optional external disk drive, or whether the console is actually
In June 2022, one YouTuber decided he didn’t want to wait for Sony to redesign its console, so did it himself, with rather impressive results:
We doubt Sony will go down the steampunk route of copper and water-cooling, but if it does, then Matt from DIYPerks deserves a few pints for his troubles.
Until then, here’s our selection of the best PlayStation 5 games as well as a roundup of the best consoles currently available.
Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.