PS5 Slim: Is It Really That Much Smaller?

Just last month, Sony announced a brand new refresh of the PlayStation 5 line would be racing to stores for the holiday season. The new PS5 "slim" consoles certainly look impressive, but up until now, it's been a bit difficult to truly see the differences between the newer and original models, at least in terms of size. The console design has clearly seen some overhauls, with the console's outer shell now featuring a neat segmented look. These removable panels make the system much easier to clean, but also give the whole thing a sportier vibe. Of course, the design isn't the only thing that sets the new PS5 apart. 

The big selling point of the new model is that, as noted by PlayStation in its original announcement, it's approximately 30% smaller than the version of the console that hit store shelves three years ago. Still, even with those numbers in mind, it's hard to visualize just how much of a different Sony has made with the new PS5 slim model. Thankfully a few people have since gotten their hands on the system and shared their first impressions with the world. Not only does the new system feel like a leap forward in terms of hardware, but it does indeed cut down on the original's bulky size by a noticeable amount.

First thing's first: This is not the PS5 Pro that fans have been waiting for. However, it does seem to be fulfilling Sony's promises of a less gargantuan PlayStation 5 design. Under the hood, the PS5 slim model is essentially the same as the base model, just with some of its internal parts having been shrunk to fit the new form factor. Specifically, a teardown video from YouTuber Dave Lee shows that the console's motherboard, heat sink, and power supply have all been reduced in size, allowing them to fit snugly inside the frame. Additionally, the heat sink has been redesigned to ensure that the PS5's internal fan never has to work overtime to keep up, meaning that the new model should run significantly quieter than the original, even when playing games for an extended period of time. 

Aside from that, Lee noted that the first thing he recognized upon opening the box for the console was that it felt much lighter than the bulky original. A side-by-side comparison of the two consoles makes the size difference more obvious, but Lee felt it "not actually that much smaller" than the original console. Ultimately, Lee wasn't a huge fan of the visual redesign of the console, but your mileage may vary.

The new PS5 "slim" compared to the launch disc model 😮 pic.twitter.com/vFnIS1DH1t

— Pyo 5️⃣ (@mrpyo1) October 31, 2023

Basically, if your biggest beef with the PS5 was that it was too chunky and unwieldy to display on your entertainment system, you might consider snagging this version — just be warned that you're going to have to buy a new stand to display the console vertically. The new PS5 ships later this month in a bundle with "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3," a team-up that will no doubt maximize the refreshed console's popularity as a holiday gift.