Sony has announced a slimmer-looking PS5 console on the PlayStation Blog, a smaller revamped version of the 2020 console, features a detachable disc drive and 1 TB SSD of internal console storage when it launches this November.
The newest version of Sony’s console comes packed with the same technology that the original PS5 had but in a much smaller form that’s 30 percent reduced in volume and will weigh 24 percent less now. Plus, it now has four separate panels instead of two. Like the first iteration of Sony’s recent console, the new PS5 will launch with both a disc drive and disc drive-less ‘Digital Edition’ SKUs at $499.99 and $449.99 USD. Sony did add the newest PS5 consoles, which is set to replace the original SKU once the inventory of the initial console design runs out.
“Our engineering and design teams collaborated on a new form factor that provides greater choice and flexibility. There are four separate cover panels, with the top portion in a glossy look, while the bottom remains in matte,” SIE Content Communications senior director,” Sid Shuman said in a blog post
For anyone looking to pick up the digital edition, with the console’s detachable disc drive gimmick, you can play physical games by attaching the disc drive accessory for $79.99 USD. This new console announcement confirms a price increase to the digital version, which is $100 cheaper than the disc drive version. While the new PS5 console comes with a horizontal stand out of the box, Sony charges $29.99 for a vertical stand accessory for those who like seeing their PS5 standing tall.
If you’re looking to save money, it might be cheaper to pick up the disc version for $30 in savings (before tax), as the price increase and the premium price of the disc drive accessory aren’t doing anyone any favours. Check down below for the full specifications of each console.
PlayStation 5 specifications
- External dimensions (excluding projecting parts): Approx. 358 × 96 × 216 mm(width × height × depth)
- Mass: Approx. 3.2 kg
- CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen “Zen 2”, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, Variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz
- GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine, Ray Tracing Acceleration, Variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS)
- System Memory: GDDR6 16GB, 448GB/s Bandwidth
- SSD: 1TB, 5.5GB/s Read Bandwidth (Raw)
- PS5 Game Disc: Ultra HD Blu-ray, up to 100GB/disc
- BD/DVD drive: Disc Drive port equipped with Disc Drive
- Video Out: Support of 4K 120Hz TVs, 8K TVs, VRR (specified by HDMI ver.2.1)
- Audio: Tempest 3D AudioTech
- Input/Output Front of Console: USB Type-C port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps), USB Type-C port (Hi-Speed USB)
- Input/Output Back of Console: USB Type-A port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps) x2
- Networking: Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)Wi-fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Specifications
- External dimensions (excluding projecting parts): Approx. 358 × 80 × 216 mm (width × height × depth)
- Mass: Approx. 2.6 kg
- CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen “Zen 2”, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, Variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz
- GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine, Ray Tracing Acceleration, Variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS)
- System Memory: GDDR6 16GB, 448GB/s Bandwidth
- SSD: 1TB, 5.5GB/s Read Bandwidth (Raw)
- PS5 Game Disc: Ultra HD Blu-ray, up to 100GB/disc
- BD/DVD drive: Disc Drive port
- Video Out: Support of 4K 120Hz TVs, 8K TVs, VRR (specified by HDMI ver.2.1)
- Audio: Tempest 3D AudioTech
- Input/Output Front of Console: USB Type-C port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps), USB Type-C port (Hi-Speed USB)
- Input/Output Back of Console: USB Type-A port (Super-Speed USB 10Gbps) x2
- Networking: Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)Wi-fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
The reveal of the new PS5 console design isn’t so much of a surprise as it’s been rumoured since last year and even came up in Micosoft’s legal documents during the company’s Activision Blizzard acquisition case with the FTC earlier this summer. While Microsoft was right about the slimmer PS5 launching “later this year,” the price was $50 off from the more welcomed $399.99 USD price point in the court document. No specific release date for the PS5 “Slim” was revealed, but it is slated to be released next month alongside PlayStation’s newest headset and earbuds, plus the PlayStation Portal.
