The PS5 is over two years old now, and rumours are afoot that a new model is in the works. Two new models, in fact. Because as well as the PS5 Pro that's been tipped, there's talk of a new PS5 Slim breaking cover soon.
So what would a PlayStation 5 Slim offer over the standard model? Will it be easier to find than the PS5? How much would it cost? And when could it launch? Let's run down the latest rumours regarding the PS5 Slim.
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Will there be a PS5 Slim?
It looks that way. While Sony is staying tight-lipped – as it usually does when it comes to future launches – it doesn't take a games industry scholar to work out a slimmed-down PS5 might be coming. Look at the facts.
The PS5 will be three years old towards the end of this year. That's generally accepted to be mid-life territory for a modern console, even one that's rumoured to have "at least" a seven-year lifespan. But rather than buy its consoles a cardie and a pair of slippers once they enter middle age, Sony prefers to give them a new lease of life with one or maybe two new models. Think of it as the console equivalent of a midlife crisis.
That's what it did with the PS3 and PS4. The 2006 PS3 was followed by not only the PS3 Slim in 2009, but the PS3 Super Slim in 2012, while the PS4 (2013) was followed by the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro (both in 2016). So it's odds on that Sony will take the same approach with the PS5.
PS5 Slim release date rumours
But don't just take our word for it – plenty of others think likewise. Last year, TV maker TCL predicted that Sony would launch a new model of PS5 in 2023. It said the console in question would be a PS5 Pro, rather than a PS5 Slim. But Sony could always announce both at once, as it did with the PS4 – both the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim were unveiled on the same day, 7th September 2016.
And it's not just other device manufacturers who have gone public – we have had murmurings straight from the horse's mouth. In a recent interview with Famitsu (via Insider Gaming), Sony said that 2023 will be a "very important time" for the PS5. Considering how tight-lipped most firms are about their future plans, that's a very big hint indeed.
Want something more specific? Inside Gaming's sources say the new console will launch in September, just in time for the busy Christmas period, while The Leak seems to affirm that with an expected release in the third quarter of 2023. If our experiences with the original PS5 are anything to go by, expect to be able to buy one around November 2025.
PS5 Slim expected price
Now, price. How much will you have to pay for a PS5 Slim?
Hopefully, not that much. The PS4 Slim launched at the same price as the original PS4, so Sony could well employ the same strategy and stick with the same £450 / $500 / AU$750 launch price as the PS5. Though the PS5 recently saw its price increase to £479.99 / €549.99 / AU$799.95 – if Sony does look to price a new model the same as the old, this is a much more likely price than undercutting its older, chunkier, less capable console.
PS5 Slim leaks and rumoured features
Obviously the main selling point would be a slimmer profile and lighter weight than the standard PS5. This is in keeping with previous 'Slim' models – the PS4 Slim was 40 per cent smaller than the original PS4, while the PS3 Slim was 33 per cent slimmer than the standard PS3, 36 per cent lighter, and 34 per cent more power efficient. Sony then went on to launch a PS3 Super Slim model, which managed to be 20 per cent smaller than the PS3 Slim, while tipping the scales at 25 per cent lighter.
Many think the PS5 could do with losing a little heft. It is the largest gaming console in history, after all.
But a more compact build might not be the only thing Sony has in store. According to Insider Gaming, Sony's next PS5 will have a detachable disc drive. "The detachable disc drive will be connected to the PlayStation 5 using an extra USB-C port on the back of the console," the report says. This would negate the need for a separate disc drive-less PS5 Digital Edition, while allowing the main console to be slimmer.
Instead of selling two consoles, Sony would sell the standard PS5 Slim either with or without the external disc drive. You would also be able to buy the disc drive separately as an accessory, if you broke yours or if you changed your mind after purchasing the console. The drive wouldn't look separate when attached, however, which would be a lot more aesthetically pleasing.
The sources also say that the disc drive wouldn't work with the current PS5 Digital Edition, though that could potentially change with a software update.
Sony could achieve these slimmer proportions and lower power consumption through the use of a die shrink, which is a smaller, more efficient version of an existing CPU. The PS5 Slim could also be able to stand on its own vertically, with no stand required.
PS5 Slim vs PS5
In some ways, we've already got a PS5 Slim. Back in August 2022, Sony launched the CFI-1202A model of PS5, which weighs 300g less than the CFI-1102A model released in 2021 and a whopping 600g less than the original launch model from 2020. But a new model could shed even more weight.
The die shrink could not only allow for smaller chips but also a smaller heatsink, as those chips would use less power and hence generate less heat. Which would all help to reduce the console's bulk.
The PS5 Slim could also get a new look. The PS3 Slim had a very different aesthetic to the original PS3, although the PS4 Slim was more consistent with its forebear. So at this stage, it's anyone's guess.
We could see a more impressive spec list of new features, too. Sony has previously offered more storage with its new console iterations and upgraded some of the ports. Fingers crossed a new model offers some really compelling reasons to upgrade beyond just a nicer profile.
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