The new space allows for customizing one’s background on the Home screen alongside widgets for console storage, accessory battery levels, Trophies, and more. You can resize and shift these as necessary. Party Share will also become available for all users over the coming weeks, allowing one to share links to join party voice chat on the console through messaging apps and social media.

As for beta participants, they can currently test out personalized 3D audio profiles for headphones and earbuds, Remote Play settings for individual users’ access, and adaptive charging for DualSense (and other accessories) on the PS5 Slim and upcoming PS5 Pro will be available. Stay tuned for more details on when these will hit live servers in the coming months.

The company instead wants to ensure its business is “profitable, as well, we want to focus on user engagement, together with sales of units. We need to strike a nice balance between all of those components.” Totoki notes that monthly active users are the “most critical thing in our business right now.”

Though Sony forecasted 25 million PS5 consoles for this fiscal year, it revised the target to 21 million. It shipped 16.4 million consoles by the third quarter. This could explain the focus on user engagement and monthly active users, despite its third-quarter shipments increasing by 1.1 million over the previous year.

Since launching, the PS5 saw a price increase worldwide in August 2022 due to “high global inflation rates” and “adverse currency trends.” The price increased again in Japan for the launch of the PS5 Slim (which also saw the digital-only version going from $399.99 to $449.99 in price).

The PS5 Slim boasts much of the same hardware as the older model but with a smaller form factor and weight. The Standard and Digital Edition also have 1 TB solid-state drives, which means more space than the previous model. However, along with a new four-panel design for its outer covers, the Standard Edition now has a detachable Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive.

The Digital Edition doesn’t, but you can purchase one for £99.99. A new Vertical Stand is also being sold for £24.99, compatible with all models. Once supplies for the older model run out, the PS5 Slim will be the default. Sony also reportedly has a PlayStation 5 Pro in development – head here for more information.

Smaller design. Same power. The new PS5 model comes to the UK on November 29.

The same features packed into a form factor 30% smaller, and including an attachable HD Blu-ray Disc Drive and a 1TB SSD. Pre-orders now live: https://t.co/2iVXF9qTA3 pic.twitter.com/aOwFHOTkQd

— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) November 23, 2023

As a redesign of the older model, the PS5 Slim features a detachable Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and a new four-panel design. It includes a horizontal stand with a vertical stand available for $29.99. The Standard Edition is 18 percent lighter than the older model with a 30 percent lower volume.

As for the Digital Edition, it’s 24 percent lighter, and players can attach an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive (sold separately at $79.99). Both models also feature a 1 TB solid-state drive, with expandable storage supported.

The PS5 Slim will be the de facto model after inventory for the older console has cleared out. Sony has shipped 46.6 million PS5 consoles worldwide with the goal of 25 million shipped this fiscal year. Meanwhile, rumors indicate that the PS5 Pro exists and will launch in late 2024. Stay tuned for potential announcements in the coming year.

They note that the bundle will be released on November 8th, featuring a PS5 Slim with a disc drive and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. It will allegedly retail for $559.99, the same price as the title’s current PS5 bundle. Don’t expect a completely different design, as the leaker clarified on Twitter that it would only include the game and not the custom faceplate and controller.

It’s also unknown whether the bundle will include a digital code of the game, as with the current bundle. As always, stay tuned for an official announcement.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20th. Check out our review, where we awarded it a 9 out of 10, for more details.

Game only

— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) October 19, 2023

spider-

Interestingly, pre-orders are already available at retailers like Amazon in Japan, stating a November 10th release date. The US release coincides with this, but per billbil-kun, the console will be released progressively in other regions over “the following months.” It’s unknown whether Europe falls into that, so stay tuned for an official announcement.

The PS5 Slim will retail for $499.99 with an attachable Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive, while the Digital Edition costs $449.99 without the drive. You can purchase the disc drive separately for $79.99. It’s also worth noting that while prices for the Digital Edition are increasing worldwide, both editions will see a price increase in Japan, the second thus far for the region.

However, this isn’t the long rumored mid-generation console refresh. The current model may turn three years old by the time this redesign is out, but for all intents and purposes, this isn’t the next major technological leap for Sony’s current-gen console.

The new PS5 also offers regular and Digital Editions, and both will become available to purchase in November, though a concrete date is yet to be revealed. So the big question is: What can fans expect with these new models? How different are they from the base versions? Will you have to pay more and are those snazzy panels purchased for the current model still good? Here are ten things you should know about the new PS5 before buying.

Explaining the New Models

First of all, why is the new PS5 called just that and not the PS5 Slim? Before we get into that, it’s important to note what the new model does differently from the current console. The new default model now has an Ultra-HD Blu-ray disc drive, which is detachable. That’s more or less it in terms of game-changing features. Simply pop off the bottom front panel, and the disc drive is removable, ideally as easily as the pictures make it look.

The new PS5 Digital Edition doesn’t have a disc drive, just like the current model, but now supports attaching a Blu-ray disc drive. What was previously two different SKUs is now one, with the main difference being that you get an Ultra-HD Blu-ray disc drive included with the new default model, and the Digital Edition has a port to install it.

Lighter, Less Voluminous

Of course, even if the new PS5 isn’t called the Slim, it is smaller, with a 30 percent reduction in volume. The new default model weighs 18 percent less than the current one at about 3.2 kg, while the Digital Edition is 24 percent lighter than its predecessor at 2.4 kg. It may not seem like much, especially when viewing the old and new consoles side-by-side, but for all intents and purposes, this is the slimmer version of the PS5 (if not necessarily an officially named Slim).

Four-Panel Design

Another thing to note about the design is the external panels. Whereas the current PS5 has two solid plastic panels adorning its chassis, the new PS5 consists of four panels. The top panels are glossy, while the bottom are matte. Whether the glossiness will result in smudges and how solid the build quality is remains to be seen. Perhaps that matte finish allows for gripping the console more easily when you move it around. One thing looks to be guaranteed: All those swappable external panels for the PS5 now seem pretty useless. If you’re picking up the new model, you’ll need new panels to swap out.

Same Price (Except in Japan)

The new PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition will remain the same price in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Japan, as the former will cost ¥66,980 while the latter retails for ¥58,980. The current prices are ¥60,478 and ¥49,478, with the increase highest for the PS5 Digital Edition. It’s a significant jump and the second price increase for the console in Japan. Sony hasn’t explained why or whether it’s due to “high global inflation rates” and “adverse currency trends” that have caused “pressure on many industries,” like with the first price increase. Regardless, it’s happening, so beware.

Attachable Blu-ray Disc Drive Sold Separately

As noted earlier, the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive is now attachable. It can be removed from the default model and installed into the Digital Edition. However, what if you buy the Digital Edition and later want to install games via discs for whatever reason? The Blu-ray disc drive is available separately for $79.99, 119.99 Euro, £99.99 or ¥11,980. Does that mean a PS5 Digital Edition with the disc drive purchased separately will cost more than buying the new default console? Well, yes, but at least you have a choice (as long as supplies last).

1 TB SSD

The other big hardware change in the new PS5 model is the increased internal storage. When the current model was released, it was criticized – and rightfully so – for an 825 GB SSD with only 667 GB available to use. Not exactly the most space, especially considering the ever-increasing size of some PS5 exclusives. The new models, the default and the Digital Edition will feature a 1 TB SSD. If the reserved space is the same, that means 842 GB for games, media, save data and whatnot, which is a nice sizable bump.

No Other Internal Hardware Changes

Aside from the increased SSD size, the inherent hardware inside both new PS5 models is still the same. They both sport an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 octa-core CPU with a variable frequency of up to 3.5 GHz, a custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2 GPU with 10.3 TFLOPS peak performance and 16 GB GDDR6 RAM. They both still feature the same ports and support for Tempest 3D AudioTech. Aside from the available storage space, the new models have no advantages over the current ones in raw performance (at least on paper).

Expandable Storage Still Supported

If a 1 TB SSD isn’t enough, you can still expand the storage with an additional SSD. Sony confirmed to IGN that there are no changes in this regard – open the back panel and attach the drive for more space. Granted, it still needs to be an M.2 SSD and support PCIe Gen4 (though lower speeds than the recommended have worked), but your current expandable storage won’t be useless if you plan on upgrading consoles.

New Vertical Stand

The new models include a horizontal stand for free, but on top of this is a new Vertical Stand sold separately. It’s a plastic base with a sleek outer ring, so unlike the current dual-purpose stand, it can’t be used for anything other than propping the console up vertically. Costing $29.99, 29.99 Euro, £24.99, and ¥3,980, it’s compatible with all PS5 models. At the very least, it looks easier to operate than the current stand, which is a plus.

The New Models Going Forward

The new PS5 model is rather unprecedented because it’s not quite an overhaul or a new console – at least, not like the PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro. If anything, it’s more like a soft reboot in the design and number of available features. However, much like the more drastic redesigns, once the current stock of PS5 consoles is over, only the new models will be manufactured going forward. If you’re a fan of the soon-to-be old design or want to buy a PS5 in Japan before the prices increase next month, now is the time.

These include the DualSense Wireless Controller (White and Midnight Black), going from ¥7,678 to ¥9,480. The Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, Starlight Blue and Gray Camouflage versions will cost ¥9,980 instead of ¥8,228, while the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset goes from ¥10,978 to ¥12,980. Finally, the HD Camera will cost ¥7,980, up from ¥6,578, while the Media Remote Control will go from ¥3,278 to ¥3,980. All prices are including tax.

Other regions haven’t seen these accessories increase in price. Sony also hasn’t revealed the reason for their increase, much like the upcoming PS5 Slim. Regardless, it’s something to remember, especially for those picking up the new models in November.

The console currently retails for ¥60,478, while the Digital Edition costs ¥49,478. The PS5 Slim costs ¥66,980, while the Digital Edition will be ¥58,980. It may seem like a big deal only for those who want to upgrade to the newer model, but once the current models’ stock depletes, the new models will be the default.

This is the second price increase for the console in Japan, the first occurring last year in August. Sony hasn’t revealed why the region is paying more for the PS5 Slim, especially when the hardware and features (like expandable storage) remain unchanged. It launches in November worldwide, so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

It has a four-panel design and lighter profile, but the hardware and functionality remain the same. Speaking to IGN, a PlayStation spokesperson confirmed “there are no changes with the new model.” This includes installing expandable storage via a removable back panel, like a new solid-state drive, though it must support PCIe Gen4 and be an M.2 SSD.

The PS5 Slim launches in November, though a more concrete release date is yet to be announced. It will retail for $499.99 in the United States, while the Digital Edition retails for $449.99. The Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive will retail for $79.99. Once stock for the current model depletes, the PS5 Slim will be the default.