If you’ve been holding out for a smaller PS5 model that isn’t the size of an otherworldly aircraft, your prayers have been answered. The new PS5 — which we’ll be calling the PS5 Slim — is significantly smaller and lighter than the monolith that hit shelves in 2020, which should make it a good fit for those who are tight on entertainment center space. And just like any shiny new PlayStation product, it’s already selling fast.
Wondering if the sleeker PS5 is right for you? Here’s everything you need to know about Sony’s new slimmed-down console, including the best places to buy it as well as tips on actually securing one.
Where to buy the PS5 Slim — and tips for actually getting one
As of this writing, the PS5 Slim is being sold at a handful of major retailers, and with a free game to boot. You can currently get the system bundled with either Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 — we’d recommend going with Spider-Man 2, but to each their own. Stores like Target and Best Buy seem to have stock as of our last check, but that can always change.
This bundle gets you the disc drive edition of the new PS5 Slim as well as a copy of the critically acclaimed Spider-Man 2 game.
This bundle gets you the slimmer PS5 alongside the latest installment in the mega-popular Call of Duty franchise.
If you want to prop up your PS5 Slim vertically, you'll need this stand, which also works with standard PS5 consoles if you just want to mix it up.
If you want to have the best possible chance at actually landing a PS5 Slim, the same advice we gave back in the chaotic PS5 restock days applies here. Make sure to have accounts set up (complete with payment information) at all of your preferred retailers; this way, you won’t losef precious seconds having to enter your credit card number. We’ve seen major PS5 restocks during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so you’ll definitely want to keep your eyes peeled throughout the holiday shopping rush. Most stores let you sign up for email alerts to be notified when an unavailable item is back in stock, and X accounts like @Wario64 are a great resource for being alerted whenever a hot item like the PS5 is available again.
PS5 Slim vs. PS5: Price, features and what’s different
The most obvious change to the new PS5 is its skinnier design, which Sony says is 30% smaller and up to 24% lighter, depending on which model you choose. The refreshed console stands out from its predecessor, thanks to large black lines along the outer shells, which I find to be a bit unsightly. You’ll get a horizontal stand out of the box, though you’ll need to buy a separate $30 vertical stand if you want to stand your new PS5 up — a puzzling choice, considering the launch PS5’s included stand works both ways.
The PS5 Slim will be available with a Blu-ray disc drive for $500 or as a discless PS5 Digital Edition for $450, the latter of which is a $50 bump over the OG Digital Edition. But here’s the twist: If you buy the new Digital Edition and eventually decide that you want some physical games, you can buy an attachable Blu-ray disc drive for $80. That’s not exactly a great value (you’ll be paying a total of $530 compared to $500 for a disc-based model), but some folks may prefer a thinner console with some expandability. Naturally, that smaller size means any PS5 Console Covers you own won’t work with the new model; Sony will be selling Console Covers for the new version for $55 in 2024.
Physical differences aside, this is the same powerful PlayStation that first launched in 2020. That means you can expect immersive 4K gameplay, 120Hz support for super-smooth action and a 1TB solid-state drive (SSD) that allows for near-instant load times. And with recent hit PS5 games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok and The Last of Us Part 1, there’s arguably never been a better time to join team PlayStation. That said, there’s little reason to get the new PlayStation 5 if you already have the previous model, unless you really like the idea of having a smaller console.