If you’re in the market for a new PlayStation 5 console, your main options will be choosing between the PS5 Slim vs. PS5. Or, if you purchased the original PlayStation 5, you may be wondering if the PS5 Slim is a reasonable upgrade.
We’ve pitted the PS5 Slim vs. the PS5 in every major category, including specs, performance, size, and price, to give you the most objective answer as to which is better.
Does anyone remember the simpler days? Instead of just one version of each Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox console, there are now multiple versions of each. The Xbox is getting three variants later this year.
For now, let’s focus on the PlayStation 5 versions.
Key Takeaways
- The PS5 vs PS5 Slim specs are identical except for the amount of storage, and the PS5 Slim will not run games better than the PS5.
- Compared to the original PS5, the Slim is about 30% smaller.
- The digital version of the PS5 Slim is more expensive than the digital PS5, but the disc versions cost the same.
- There are no exclusive games or software on the PS5 Slim you can’t access on the regular PS5.
PS5 vs. PS5 Slim Specs
Same Internals, Different Looks
If you were to look at the specs of the PS5 and the PS5 Slim, you would see almost no difference between the two.
Both versions of the console have identical components, with the only difference being internal storage space. The standard PlayStation 5 comes with an 825GB SSD, while the Slim bumps it up to a full 1TB.
More storage space is nice, but it isn’t a big enough jump to justify buying a new console for, especially when both versions allow you to add more storage space.
PS5 vs. PS5 Slim Performance
Comparing the PS5 Slim vs. the original in terms of performance is a complete wash. Built with the same internal parts, both systems will run your games exactly the same.
Neither system will make your games look better or run at a higher framerate. But keep an eye out for the incoming PS5 Pro, which does offer an evolutionary update while we wait a few years for the PS6.
PS5 vs. PS5 Slim Size
The Original PS5
The Newer PS5 Slim
If there’s one thing most PS5 owners can agree on, is that it is a very large eyesore. With a name like the PS5 Slim, you would expect it to be a lot smaller, but how much weight does this version shed?
Specification | Regular PS5 | PS5 Slim |
Width | 15.3 in | 14.1 in |
Height | 4.1 in | 3.8 in |
Depth | 10.2 in | 8.5 in |
Weight | 9.9 lbs | 7.2 lbs |
Design | Standard design | Futuristic divide in the outer shell |
While it isn’t much smaller in terms of width, the PS5 Slim is noticeably shorter, slimmer, and lighter than the original by about 30%.
Couldn't find a PS5 slim size comparison anywhere so I made one: pic.twitter.com/byC4Vempon
— Daanish Syed (@_DaanishSyed) October 10, 2023
PS5 Digital vs. Disc
We can’t just look at the PS5 slim vs PS5 alone because each one also comes in either the digital or disc versions. The most important thing to know here is that the digital and disc versions of both the regular PS5 and Slim have no performance differences.
If we look at the PS5 Slim digital and disc models, there is one interesting factor to consider that doesn’t exist for the regular PS5. If you purchase the PS5 Slim digital, you can buy a separate attachable disc drive to allow it to play discs later if you choose.
The only downside here is that purchasing the digital PS5 Slim and the attachable disc drive separately would cost more than simply purchasing the disc PS5.
So, while the digital versions of the PS5 are cheaper, make sure you’re okay with only buying and playing games digitally.
PS5 Slim vs. PS5 Software
All software, whether games, apps, or console features, is identical on the PS5 Slim and PS5. Neither system offers exclusive games, and the new model does not offer exclusive modes or content.
PS5 Slim vs. PS5 Price
With almost everything else between the PS5 Slim and regular PS5 being equal, the question then becomes which is cheaper.
The PS5 Slim digital costs $450, or $500 with the disc drive.
The regular PS5 digital costs $400, or $500 with the disc drive.
That means that the digital version of the regular PS5 is cheaper than the digital PS5 Slim, and the disc versions are the same price.
PS5 vs. Slim Comparison
If you want a full breakdown of what’s inside each version of the PS5 Slim and PS5, here’s what they have under the hood.
PS5 Slim | PS5 | PS5 Digital | |
CPU | AMD Ryzen Zen 2 | AMD Ryzen Zen 2 | AMD Ryzen Zen 2 |
GPU | AMD RDNA 2 | AMD RDNA 2 | AMD RDNA 2 |
Memory | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 |
Storage | 1TB | 825GB | 825GB |
Disc drive | Yes/attachable | Yes | No |
Networking | Ethernet/ Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth 5.1 | Ethernet/ Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth 5.1 | Ethernet/ Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth 5.1 |
The Bottom Line
Sony didn’t create the PS5 Slim to be a mid-generation upgrade like the rumored PS5 Pro, nor to be a full generational leap like a theoretical PS6.
Instead, this is simply the new base PS5 model it wants to sell, just like how the PS4 Slim replaced the original PS4.
It has the same specs, and won’t run your games any better than the original PS5, so there isn’t a reason to buy a new one if you have a working system right now.
Typically, these slim units are able to be sold at a lower price than the originals since the price of components and manufacturing go down over time, however, that is not the case here. The PS5 Slim is the same price or higher than the original PS5s.
If you don’t have a PS5 yet and want one, the best deal is the original PS5 digital if you can find one and are willing to overlook the lack of a disc drive.
If not, you might as well go for the PS5 Slim with the disc drive to get a slightly newer, smaller, and lighter console.
FAQs
PS5 vs. PS5 Slim — which is better?
How to tell PS5 slim vs. regular
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References
- Daanish Syed on X (Twitter)