“The same immersive power. A new, slimmer size” – with these words Sony advertises the new version of the PlayStation 5 console, which is to be smaller than the original. The new console was officially announced in October, and will be available to the first players in November.
The design of the device has been refreshed and is now much slimmer than its predecessor. Sony boasts that the volume of the PS5 Slim housing is 30 percent smaller and the weight of the console has been reduced by 24 percent. compared to the traditional version with ioo drive, 18 percent. compared to the Digital model (without drive).
The specification of the PS5 Slim is practically unchanged compared to the classic PS5 model. Sony only increased the SSD capacity from 825 GB to 1 TB. The biggest difference, however, concerns the optical drive, or rather the lack thereof. All PS5 Slim models will be sold without a built-in Blu-ray disc drive, and such a drive can be purchased separately and then connected to the device. Sony plans to sell the console “in a package” with the drive, but also as a separate accessory.
Interestingly and somewhat surprisingly, an Internet connection will be required to connect the console and the drive. Sony wants to verify whether players are using the original drive offered by the manufacturer – and only this one is supposed to work with the console. This is not a very pro-consumer attitude.
They looked inside the PlayStation 5 Slim. Some important changes
Even before the premiere, PlayStation 5 Slim was in the hands of the editors of the LinusTechTips channel, who took the device apart to check how exactly the console had changed compared to its predecessor.
What immediately catches your attention is the redesigned cooling system. In its new console, Sony increased the number of heat pipes (from four to five) while reducing the heat sink base. There is also a new radial fan with 19 blades. As a result, as Benjamin Linus from LinusTechTips notes, the device works slightly quieter compared to the regular PS5.
The larger amount of available memory resulted in changes in the NAND chip layout. So far, there were four sticks on the motherboard with a total capacity of 825 GB. In the PS5 Slim model, we have six sticks with a total capacity of 1 TB.
However, there is also slightly worse news. As we remember, initially the main system (SoC) of the PlayStation 5 console was manufactured using a 7-nanometer technological process. However, the manufacturer dropped down to 6 nanometers quite quickly – and now all PS5 models are based on this lithography.
We could therefore safely assume that in order to reduce the energy consumption of the Slim model (previous Slim models were distinguished by, among other things, greater energy efficiency compared to “large” consoles), the Japanese manufacturer would decide to switch to a SoC made in 5 nm lithography. However, this did not happen.
As LinusTechTips notes, the SoC in PlayStation 5 Slim has exactly the same size (approx. 260 mm square) as the system used in the regular PS5, which means that we are dealing with the same lithography (6 nm). This translates into almost identical energy consumption, which can be considered a disappointment.
We know the prices of PlayStation 5. In Europe, you have to pay extra for the drive
Sony boasts that the new PlayStation 5 will be available during the holiday season, although – as the announcement shows – not everywhere. The new console will appear in some US stores in November, with sales expected to begin in the rest of the world “in the following months.”
Moreover, as Sony declares, the new PS5 will appear on sale in place of the currently sold model only after its stocks are exhausted. So it looks like Sony won’t be able to launch PS5 before Christmas in most markets, which is quite a disappointment.
The PS5 “Slim” version without a drive is priced at EUR 449.99. The set with an attached drive costs EUR 549.99. The drive itself will be available for purchase for EUR 119.99, and the stand for placing the PS5 in a vertical position for EUR 29.99.
Interestingly, in the US the difference between the digital version of PS5 and the drive version will be more than twice as small, as it will be only $50 ($449.99 or $499.99). The drive itself overseas will also be much cheaper, selling for $79.99.
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
