If you’ve been waiting to see someone other than Sony show off the PlayStation 5 Slim or the PlayStation Portal, you’re in luck. While the two products aren’t available to buy just yet, reviewers have started to get their hands on both devices for our viewing pleasure.
First, let’s check out the PS5 Slim. Ahead of its official release later this month, The Verge has gotten their hands on the console. According to their first impressions, the new console is definitely smaller, but even though its volume shrank by “more than 30 percent,” it is still a “big boi!” They also describe its removable disc drive as a “strange growth” coming out of the side of the console.
That said, the PS5 Slim has plenty going for it. Not only is it smaller, but its storage has been upgraded to the full 1TB rather than the 825GB that was previously available to users of the original version. The front of the console now also features two USB-C ports instead of one USB-C and one USB-A port. The removable disc drive, even if it does look like a “strange growth,” is a nice feature for those who buy a digital version and then decide to get back into Blu-ray in the future.
Next, let’s jump over to the PlayStation Portal. The Portal is set to release on November 15th, but ahead of its debut, technology Youtuber UrAvgConsumer got his hands on the new gaming handheld as well as the PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds that go with them. While he didn’t turn the Portal on (I imagine that he’s not technically allowed to yet per Sony and the beloved embargo), you can get a sense of the size and comfort of the handheld.
You can watch Judnar’s video showing off the hardware on his YouTube channel below:
The Portal is still the device that really confuses me the most. From not supporting PlayStation’s cloud services to not supporting Bluetooth headphones and forcing you to buy the company’s $200 earbuds, it feels like an incomplete product. That said, for the diehard PS5 fan who wants to play some games in bed, it’s going to be exactly what they are looking for.
The PlayStation 5 Slim models will launch later this month, and the PlayStation Portal will launch on November 15th. The PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headphones will launch on December 6th.
