PS5 vs PS5 Slim – One Slim To Rule Them All?
The PlayStation 5 Slim has arrived, but what’s changed compared to the original PS5?
Share this article...
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
Sony has just announced the PS5 Slim, a new variant of the PlayStation 5, launching in the Fall of this year. But the question is, how does it compare to the original PS5? Let’s take a look, shall we?
Well, the first thing to note is that this isn’t quite the massive upgrade we first thought it might be. Similar to the Slim variants of the PS4 and PS3, the hardware changes internally have been fairly minimal. At least those announced by Sony. The main changes come in the form of the storage solution and the overall dimensions. There’s been no major changes to the overall internal hardware at this time.
PS5 Slim vs PS5 Specifications
Comparing the PS5 Slim specs, we can see what differences are between. The new PS5 does bring some simple changes, nothing major to the internals but you can find the details below.
| PLAYSTATION 5 DIGITAL SLIM | PLAYSTATION 5 DIGITAL – OG | PlayStation 5 Slim | PlayStation 5 OG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS* | 358 × 80 × 216 mm | 390mm x 92mm x 260mm | 358 × 96 × 216 mm | 390mm x 104mm x 260mm |
| WEIGHT | 2.6 KG | 3.9kg | 3.2 KG | 4.5kg |
| CPU | x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8 / 16 | x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8 / 16 | x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8 / 16 | x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8 / 16 |
| CPU FREQUENCY | Up to 3.5 GHz | Up to 3.5 GHz | Up to 3.5 GHz | Up to 3.5 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RDNA 2 | AMD Radeon RDNA 2 | AMD Radeon RDNA 2 | AMD Radeon RDNA 2 |
| GPU FREQUENCY | Up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPs) | Up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPs) | Up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPs) | Up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPs) |
| SYSTEM MEMORY | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 |
| MEMORY BANDWIDTH | 448 GB/s | 448 GB/s | 448 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| SSD | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 825GB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 825GB PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| SEQUENTIAL SSD SPEED | 5.5 GB/s | 5.5 GB/s | 5.5 GB/s | 5.5 GB/s |
| VIDEO OUT | 4K 120Hz, 8K, VRR | 4K 120Hz, 8K, VRR | 4K 120Hz, 8K, VRR | 4K 120Hz, 8K, VRR |
| I/O | 2x USB Type C, 2x USB Type A | 2x USB Type C, 2x USB Type A | 2x USB Type C, 2x USB Type A | 2x USB Type C, 2x USB Type A |
| NETWORKING | Ethernet Gbe, WiFi a/b/g/n/ac/ax | Ethernet Gbe, WiFi a/b/g/n/ac/ax | Ethernet Gbe, WiFi a/b/g/n/ac/ax | Ethernet Gbe, WiFi a/b/g/n/ac/ax |
| LAUNCH PRICE | $450 / £390 / €450 | $399 / £359 / €399 | $500 / £480 / €550 | $499 / £449 / €499 |
*excluding projecting parts
Not So Different?
If you were looking at the above specs and scratching your head, you’d be on to something. The major changes for the Slimmer PS5 (we’ve not even really got confirmation it’s going to be called the PS5 Slim), are a slightly larger SSD (gaining you an extra 175GB of storage), and smaller dimensions and even weight. Overall every other metric is practically identical, except the price, which has also received a bump since launch, roughly in line with inflation, and given the extra storage space (although SSD prices have continued to fall), that’s pretty fair.
Comparing it to the Xbox Series X makes for a much more compelling argument, particularly if you’re short on space, but even then it gets complicated on raw performance, and platform differences.
The other major change stems from panels and removable disk bays. Yep, that’s right, you’ll finally be able to buy one of the UHD Blu-ray disc drives as an optional accessory and install it as and when you need it, thanks to a set of removable panels. Neat, huh? That will cost you $80/€120/£100.
The PS5 Slim also offers up a vertical stand, if you- don’t want it laying lengthways, you might be able to stand up the shorter console. But of course that will also cost you extra, with it costing you another $30/€30/£25. As for the covers in a range of colors, they will start at $55/€55/£45.
Should I Buy a PlayStation 5 Slim?
The short answer is, if you don’t have a PS5, and are looking to play the latest and greatest games, then absolutely (although it’s still no match for a good gaming PC). If you already have a PS5 however, you can skip this one. In fact, you’d be better off, just grabbing a solid M.2 PCIe SSD for it, and using the included M.2 expansion slot to upgrade your PS5 storage capacity instead.
Sony has outlined the new PS5 Slim will replace the PlayStation 5 as it sells out starting November. This means you’re unlikely to get much choice as to which one you get once it reaches retailers. So if you prefer the original, you might want to hurry and grab that but there isn’t much reason for it and you can size space and weight with the new Slim option instead.
