The New PS5 Is Coming Sooner Than You Think

It turns out those leaks of the new PS5 Slim model were legit. In a surprise midday announcement, Sony revealed that two new PlayStation 5 models will be arriving in stores this November, just in time for the holiday season. Just like with the original launch, players will be able to choose between a digital model and a version that uses discs. However, the new PS5s will a bit more modular, as players will have the option of purchasing a separate Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive to attach to the Digital Edition. 

In a blog post from Sony Interactive Entertainment's Sid Shuman, the company reveals its reasoning behind the refresh: "To address the evolving needs of players, our engineering and design teams collaborated on a new form factor that provides greater choice and flexibility. The same technology features that make PS5 the best to play are packed into a smaller form factor, along with an attachable Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive and a 1TB SSD for more internal storage."

That's right; the new PS5 is boasting more storage than the original version, which capped out at 825GB. That's not the only big change to the PlayStation 5, however. Read on for more details, including the price of these new models and the uproarious responses from diehard fans.

In addition to the detachable disc drive, the new PS5 has gotten a few other physical tweaks. According to the blog post from Sony, "The new PS5 has been reduced in volume by more than 30%, and weight by 18% and 24% compared to the previous models." Fans who took issue with the huge size of the original PS5 will no doubt be excited to see this slimmer model in their entertainment units. Additionally, the outer shell of the new PlayStation 5 is divided into four separate panels, which should make cleaning the system much more of a breeze. 

Of course, this all sounds well and good, but fans are no doubt wondering how much one of these bad boys will set them back. After all, the PS5 isn't exactly a cheap system. The good news is that the model with the disc drive will remain at $499, the same as the original console. However, the Digital Edition will cost $50 more than its current counterpart, coming in at $449. Oh, and adding the optional disc drive onto the Digital Edition will cost an extra $80, making the version with the built-in drive seem like the most cost-effective option. While many fans were excited to see Sony refreshing the popular console line, not everyone shared those sentiments.

Some PlayStation fans have expressed a bit of disappointment in the reveal of the new PS5 models. Some have even said that they regret getting the original Digital Edition, considering how versatile the new version will be. Others are annoyed at the idea of paying more than the base model just to have extra options for the new Digital Edition. A few people have expressed their frustration with supply issues that have kept them from getting a PS5 sooner, with one gamer lamenting, "A slimmer version? I just got my PS5 [a] few months ago, wish this version was released back then."

A big sticking point among commenters stems from the reveal that Sony will also be selling a vertical stand separately from the console. Whereas the original PS5 was designed to be displayed either on its side or standing up, the Slim model requires a special stand in order to be placed upright. This stand retails at an extra $30, meaning you're looking at over $100 extra if you get the Digital Edition and still want the disc drive and stand.

The PS5 Slim is already turning out to be a divisive console. Still, if you're in the market for a PS5, these new models are looking pretty sharp.