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Sony Announces New Slim PlayStation 5 Models With Removable Disc Drives

by Charles Harte on Oct 10, 2023 at 11:27 AM

Nearly three years after the initial launch of the PlayStation 5, Sony has revealed a slimmer redesign. Both the disc drive model and the digital model will be updated, but these two models aren't as different as they used to be: you will now be able to purchase a disc drive separately, allowing you to upgrade a digital model to a disc-compatible version. Both versions will be available this November, and will eventually replace the current model of PS5 altogether.

"The new PS5 has been reduced in volume by more than 30%, and weight by 18% and 24% compared to the previous models," the PlayStation blog post reads. It also mentions that the new covers have different textures, which isn't immediately clear from the pictures. "There are four separate cover panels," it says, "with the top portion in a glossy look, while the bottom remains in matte." This does raise questions about the compatibility of console shells Sony currently sells that allow you to change the look of your console, but this question is not addressed in the announcement.

The slim PS5 with a disc drive will still cost $499.99. The PS5 digital edition retails at $449.99, a $50 increase from the original digital edition.

If you do buy a newer digital version and decide to upgrade it to a disc version, the drive will cost you $79.99 in the US, €119.99 in Europe, £99.99 in the UK, and ¥11,980 in Japan. The total cost of a digital console and a disc drive is a little more expensive than buying a disc drive version outright. The console will include a new horizontal stand to set the console on its side, and a vertical stand will be on sale for $29.99 USD | 29.99 EURO | 24.99 GBP | 3,980 JPY. You can watch the reveal trailer below: