With the PlayStation 5 now well into its life, some prospective console owners are hoping for a new console, possibly even a PS5 Slim. But could this ever happen?
The PlayStation 5 is a bulky boy. When compared to the Xbox Series X/S and previous PlayStation consoles, it towers above the rest, causing chaos for those struggling to fit their new console into their TV Stand. Given this, alongside a black PlayStation 5, there are a growing number of gamers hoping for a smaller PS5 console, which could come as a PS5 Slim Edition, similar to the PS4 Slim that released in 2016.
With that in mind, could Sony release a PS5 Slim variant? Here's all you need to know...
Will Sony Release A PS5 Slim?
Sony has not yet announced or discussed a PS5 Slim console, meaning that for now, and officially, there is no PlayStation 5 Slim.
However, given the PS4 Slim's existence some years into the previous generation, if Sony wants to continue this pattern of new console variants, a Slim would be a likely choice.
But until then, we're left with just concepts and speculation about what it could be like.
PS5 Slim Concept Video
If you're struggling to visualise a PS5 Slim, LetsGoDigital and the designer Jermain Smit (Content Creator) collaborated on a concept for a Slim variant, and it looks fantastic.
With this design, which would be available in black or white, the PS5 would lose one of its side-panels. This would be replaced by a flat surface allowing you to lie the PS5 on its side without the need of a base.
This concept certainly looks good, but would it solve the main issues PS5 owners suffer from? We're not so sure.
It's often the height of the PS5 that is most complained about, as on its side the PlayStation 5 is smaller than the Xbox Series X. A smaller, compact PS5 would probably solve this issue, but with that comes having to change the positioning of the internal components - which we doubt would be an easy task.
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PS5 Slim Release Date
If Sony was to follow the release date path of the PlayStation 4 Slim, which released three years after the base PS4 in 2016, then we could predict the PS5 Slim to launch somewhere in late 2023.
However, given the stock shortages that have plagued the base PlayStation 5 model in the months following its release, we could also expect Sony to focus solely on this PS5 rather than on any other variants - including the PS5 Pro.
PS5 Slim Price
Again, we should look at the PS4 Slim. This launched in 2016 for the same price as the base PS4, and actually replaced the base PlayStation 4 given its improved design.
This means that if Sony does release a PS5 Slim, it would likely cost $499(£449) - the same price as the PS5. If Sony also released a PS5 Slim Digital Edition, then we'd expect this to cost around the $400 mark.
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PS5 Slim Specs and Features
Would the PlayStation 5 Slim make any huge changes aside from the design?
The PS4 Slim added support for the (at the time) new USB 3.1 port and Bluetooth 4.0, so if any improved HDMI, USB, or perhaps storage technology is made widely available by the PS5 Slim's release, we could see some minor changes, but nothing that would vastly improve performance.
We'd like to see the PS5 Slim support 1440p monitors- a feature currently not supported by the base PlayStation 5 - but given this potential console variant is still years away, we're hoping this feature will come to the base PS5 sooner.
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