Sony unveils smaller PlayStation 5 models in time for the holiday season

Sony has unveiled the updated versions of the PlayStation 5 console, over three years after it was originally announced. The revised models are par for the course for PlayStation product lifecycle, focusing primarily on the design and dimensions.

The new PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition models are smaller in every dimension. Sony claims the new 2023 models have been reduced in volume by 30%, and in weight by 18% and 24% compared to the previous models. Since there have been a few minor revisions over the years due to reduced heat sink sizes, here is a chart to illustrate all the changes so far.

Sony has also changed the way the removable panels are designed. There are now four parts instead of two, with the two upper halves having a glossy finish and the lower halves matte.

As before, Sony will only sell the console in white and you will have to purchase other color panels separately. The company will offer all-matte Black as well as the previously announced Deep Earth Collection colors (Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue, and Sterling Silver) in early 2024 for $55.

One of the panel opens access to the new Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, which is now removable on the new consoles. You can also purchase the drive separately now and attach it to your Digital Edition console to get disc functionality, or if your existing drive failed for some reasons. The Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive will be sold separately for $80 and is only compatible with the new consoles.

The new console also comes with a new stand. This stand, however, only works for supporting the console in horizontal mode. If you want to place your PS5 vertically, you will now have to purchase a separate Vertical Stand accessory for $30. This new stand will work with all PS5 models, new and old.

Internally, there is just one change to the console, and that is the bump up to the storage. The PS5 now comes with a full 1 terabyte of storage space, as opposed to 825GB on the previous model. All other internal specs seem identical based on the numbers released by Sony so far.

The last thing that has changed is the pricing. While the standard model will still set you back by $500, the Digital Edition has received a $50 price hike, and will now retail for $450.

The new variants will go on sale in November in the US and globally in the following months. The current models will be sold till stocks last.

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