The PS5’s long-awaited redesign is finally landing in living rooms around the globe, including ours. The new console, which we’ll call the PS5 Slim, is mostly just that: a smaller, sleeker PlayStation 5. But after actually getting one in my hands, I found myself pleasantly surprised by some of its design upgrades — and perplexed by a few others.
So, just how different is the PS5 Slim from the gargantuan, aircraft-esque OG model? And is there any reason to upgrade if you already own a PS5? Here’s what I think after taking Sony’s compact new console out of the box.
The new PS5 features a slimmed-down, modular design and includes a free copy of the excellent Marvel Spider-Man 2.
A slimmer, surprisingly modular design
My first thought when unboxing the PS5 Slim was, “Wow, this thing really is small.” My second thought was, “Wow, this thing is glossy.” Sony’s refreshed PS5 is about 30% smaller and up to 24% lighter than the 2020 model, and I instantly noticed the difference as soon as I pulled it out of the box and felt how relatively easy it was to pick up. It’s still not quite as compact as the wonderfully tiny Xbox Series S, but it’s significantly sleeker than the 2020 PS5 when you put the two models side by side. My launch PlayStation just barely fits in a nook in my entertainment center; the Slim is something I could easily hide behind my TV if I wanted to.
I was initially put off by the new model’s split-panel design (by contrast, the old PS5’s shells are each a single, seamless piece of plastic), but I don’t mind the look now that I’ve seen it up close. The top half of each panel is glossy — a change from the all-matte launch model — but other than making the console a little tricker to photograph, I don’t really see this as a con.
Once I started setting up and messing around with the new PS5, I noticed some interesting new changes — some good, some a bit head-scratching. Sony made a few welcome tweaks to the system’s front-facing ports and buttons: You now get two USB-C ports up front (instead of the mix of USB-C and USB-C A on the OG model), and the large white eject button now sits next to disc drive and is impossible to mistake for the barely visible black power button. That’s a big upgrade from the nearly indistinguishable power and eject models on the earlier PS5 (and pretty much every version of the PS4, for that matter). The lack of a front-facing USB-A port may be a pain for folks still using their old PS4 accessories on PS5, but you’ll still get two legacy ports in the back for any of that stuff.
A dash of DIY
This new PS5 is incredibly modular, as you can pop off the outer panels and even remove the entire disc drive without a single tool. Once the console is opened up, you’re only a few screws away from swapping in a new internal SSD if you need more storage (something I’ve been putting off doing on my older, bulkier PS5). Everything snapped on and off easily yet securely — it was like playing with Legos — and I can see this design coming in handy for folks who just bought a colorful new Console Cover for their system or just want to quickly pop in an SSD. But I have some questions.
Sony sent us the $500 disc-based version of the PS5, which means you get a 4K Blu-ray player attached right out of the box. While I appreciated how easy it was to detach the disc drive from this model, I’m not sure why you’d want to. This particular version of the system doesn’t include the slimmer side panel you get with the new PS5 Digital Edition, so taking the drive out simply leaves you with a slightly lighter console that still has a big bump on the side. Meanwhile, the new $450 PS5 Digital Edition is thinner and lacks a disc drive, but you can buy one separately for $80 and pop it right in with a few quick snaps. You’ll end up spending more than the cost of a disc-based PS5 Slim if you make this upgrade, though you’ll theoretically have the option to make your PlayStation look extra svelte whenever you’re not using the disc drive.
Speaking of head-scratching additional expenses, the new PS5 no longer ships with a stand. If you want to properly prop up your new system, get ready to spend an extra $30 for Sony’s shiny new vertical stand. It’s admittedly sleeker and easier to attach than what we got with the launch model — a silver metal ring sure looks better than a flimsy hunk of plastic — but its still a pesky added cost to a system you’ll be paying upward of $500 for. For what it’s worth, this new stand also works with the OG PS5, complete with a special attachment that allows it to play nice with the chunkier 2020 system. I had a similarly easy time screwing the new stand into my old PS5, and it does look quite nice sitting at the bottom of either console.
Bottom line
Slimmer design and somewhat complicated mix of moving parts and optional accessories aside, the PS5 Slim is just a PS5. It’s got the same excellent library of games, will work with all the same accessories and packs the same immersive DualSense controller out of the box.
If you own the launch PS5, there’s virtually no reason to upgrade to the Slim model unless you’re trying to downsize your entertainment center or are just addicted to buying shiny new things. If you’re buying a PS5 for the first time, however, this is probably the one you’ll be getting. The PS5 Slim is effectively replacing the chunky old model on store shelves, so unless you happen to find an incredible deal on an old launch PS5, which are now becoming scarce, you’re better off sparing yourself some space. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the new PS5 currently comes bundled with your choice of Spider-Man 2 (yay) or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (boo).
