Sony Unveils Slimmer Models of the PlayStation 5 for Holiday Season

Sony confirms a newer and slimmer model of their flagship gaming console, the PlayStation 5, will be available to purchase in retail markets and is scheduled for a 2023 holiday release.

According to a blog post from Sony, the brand-new model will have significant reductions to the overall size of the unit. The new PS5 will be slimmer and lighter and will have additional features not present in the originally released version of the console back in November 2020.

The new console cycle

Often referred to as the PS5 'Slim', potential users of the new Sony console can enjoy the convenience of up to 30 per cent less volume. It is also lighter by 18 to 24 per cent, depending on which edition of the console is used.

Both the Disc Edition and the Digital Edition of the PS5 will have reductions to their size once they are released. The units will cost $499.99 and $449.99 respectively.

Aside from the size reductions, storage space for both editions will have improvements. Every new unit of the PS5 Slim will now have 1TB of space as opposed to the previous bulkier version that had 825GB.

The PS5 will also go through a design overhaul. It will now have two slits at the side and "four separate cover panels, with the top portion in a glossy look, while the bottom remains in matte", according to Sid Shuman, senior director of Sony Interactive Entertainment content communications. A variety of PS5 Console Cover colours for the new model is also scheduled to be released sometime in early 2024.

A new peripheral will also be introduced for the PS5 Slim Digital Edition. In the same blog post, Sony revealed that a separate, detachable Ultra HD Blu-ray drive for the Digital Edition will be available for purchase at a later date. The peripheral will be priced at $79.99.

Previously, only the Disc Edition of the PS5 included the Ultra HD Blu-ray drives. The drive lets PS5 Blu-ray disc owners play both PS5 and PlayStation 4 Blu-ray discs through backwards compatibility.

More additional features of the PS5 Slim that weren't present in the original version include two new USB-C ports. The previous version only had two ports, one for USB-A and another for USB-C.

While every unit purchased will include a horizontal stand for their PS5 in the new package deal, vertical stands are sold separately. Sony priced these stands at $79.99.

Sony announced that the global release of the new model will be in November in the United States in select retail stores and through the Sony PlayStation direct site.

For Europeans who would like to purchase the console, the new Digital Edition will be sold for €449.99 and at €549.99 with the new detachable drive.

In the United Kingdom, the Digital Edition will go for £389.99 and at £479.99 with the new detachable drive.

A global rollout of the new console model will soon follow. Shuman also remarks that once the current inventory of the older PS5 models is sold, the new PS5 Slim will be the only model in production for the console line.

The announcement of the new PS5 Slim decisively confirms a video leak earlier this year that Sony has been developing the slimmer model since 2022.