It feels like the PlayStation 5 just got here, but we might already have our first look at the PS5 Slim.
If there is one thing about the PlayStation 5 that users might not like, it’s the size. The console is straight-up massive and dwarfs the Xbox Series X — even though the X is technically more powerful. Sony made a unique choice with the design, which in turn made the console a pain for some people who wanted to actually store it in their television consoles.
So, as to be expected, rumors started to grow that Sony was planning to release a Slim version of the PlayStation 5 as it did with all of the previous generations of its consoles. That rumor started to really pick up steam last month when court documents from the Microsoft/Activision case revealed that Microsoft expected Sony to release a PS5 Slim for $399 later this year.
PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point.
While a rival company having a hunch is one thing, today, we got our first look at what could actually be the design of the PS5 Slim. Andrew Marmo posted a photo on X (formerly known as Twitter) of what could be the slimmer version of the PlayStation 5:
Shortly after Marmo posted the photo, an account named BwE posted a video that claims to show off the casing of the PS5 Slim. As you can see, the casing shows that, if it is real, the design is mostly the same, save for it being in a smaller form factor and the side panels being cut in two rather than one:
If this is the PS5 Slim, the video would also confirm that the smaller console still includes the disc drive. If it still comes with the same performance and actually comes in at $399, the digital-only version (which currently costs $399) would likely get a price cut as well.
That could put the PS5 in better price competition with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. While the PS5 disc version and the Series X have been neck and neck at $499 (in most major markets), the PS5 Slim coming in at $399 would undercut the Series X by a whole $100. While the Xbox Series S is still the most cost friendly at $299, the digital-only PS5 could come down to that price if the pricing of the PS5 Slim is real.
While rumors of the PS5 Slim are growing, there isn’t much going on over the fence about a new Xbox console. While the Xbox One eventually got the Xbox One S and the Xbox One X, there hasn’t been really any chatter about something similar with the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. It seems that Xbox is more likely to release a cloud gaming box over a new console — at least until the next generation rolls around.
