PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: Price differences and should you upgrade?

After months of rumors, Sony finally unveiled the PlayStation 5 Slim which comes in disk and digital-only variants. 

The cat has been out of the bag regarding a PS5 Slim for some time, but Sony has finally made it official. The company showed off two models of PlayStation 5 that are slimmer than the original run, and boast a slight redesign. The biggest change, apart from the size, is the split side plate design, a departure from the standard single-piece side plate. The original PlayStation 5 is a huge console, so a redesign is a welcome change for many.

The revamped console is still huge, especially compared with Xbox Series X/S consoles. It’s not going to take as much space on a media center but it still has a significant and noticeable presence. 

How much smaller is the PlayStation 5 Slim?

The new PlayStation 5 Slim has 30% reduced volume, and is 18% to 24% lighter than the original version. 

The PlayStation 5 Slim is still a tall console but Sony managed to shave off 1.25 inches of height. The new console is 1.73 inches narrower, so some media cabinets can adjust it inside. The PlayStation 5 Slim is also 1.3 kg lighter than the original 2020 release. The dimensions come out to be approximately 14.09 x 3.77 x 8.46 inches.

The Slim model will also ship with four separate cover panels. The top panel is now glossy while the bottom one is the traditional matte. The digital edition can now be fitted with a Blu-ray disk drive accessory which will be sold separately. 

Is the PlayStation 5 Slim more expensive than the regular PS5?

The disk versions of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Slim will be the same price, but the digital version of the PS5 Slim is more expensive than its original counterpart in some regions. Sony hiked up the price for PS5 consoles in some regions in 2022, which makes price changes different between regions.

Sony unveiled the prices of the redesigned PlayStation 5 consoles. The disk version will see no change from its $499 price. However, the digital-only PS5 Slim will be $50 more expensive than the original digital-only model of PS5 in the United States. Previously, the launch digital version sold for $400. Here are the announced prices: 

The good news is that fans who get the digital edition of the new PS5 model have the option of upgrading their console by purchasing a PS5 disk drive. The PS5 Slim disk drive attachment costs $79.99. This does mean that upgrading the digital-only PS5 Slim will be more expensive than just buying the version with a disk drive.

Is it worth upgrading to a PS5 Slim?

Upgrading from a PS5 to a PS5 Slim isn’t really necessary. The hardware specs remain unchanged between the two versions, so there’s no performance improvement or new features available. The only value proposition is that the Slim model takes up less space.

The big question is whether those looking to buy a PS5 during the holiday season should pull the trigger on an older model or get a Slim. The PS5 Slim disk version will be the better choice relative to the original disk version due to its smaller size and lighter weight. The digital-only version is a more complicated discussion.

The PS5 Slim Digital Edition has the benefit of potentially attaching a Blu-ray disk drive down the road, making it a good choice for someone looking to have the best of both worlds. A digital version and disk drive accessory is more expensive than just buying a console with the disk drive built in, but this allows gamers who have a collection of physical PS4 games to figure out how much they miss them and potentially save some money if they decide against upgrading.

Where things get complicated on the digital version front is the price. The digital PS5 Slim will be more expensive than the original digital-only PS5 in the United States, but it doesn’t have the option to upgrade it with a disk drive. Gamers will also have to wait some time before they can reliably find a second-hand PS5 Slim console, so those itching to play newer games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or Baldur’s Gate 3 on a more-affordable console may not want to wait.

Gamers won’t have a choice for long, though. The original PlayStation 5 consoles will no longer be manufactured, and all new models will be PS5 Slim.

The new, refreshed PlayStation 5 will be available in November in the United States at select retailers. The new console will roll out in other regions in the following months.