With the PS5, a new generation of gaming has arrived – complete with huge leaps in processing power, a host of next-gen features like super-fast SSDs, the updated DualSense controller, and the start of a range of PS5 games to play.
But for those who want to play the long game, there is one more console worth bearing in mind: the PS5 Slim.
Smart editions of PlayStation consoles have been around almost as long as PlayStation itself. There was the downsized ‘PS1’ version of the original PlayStation console, with the PS2 Slim, PS3 Slim, and PS4 Slim consoles all following new iterations of the much-loved slot machine.
In both cases, the strategy was pretty much the same: once a new console has been on the market for a few years, Sony has figured out how to offer the same specs in a more compact form, even at a slight cost savings. with all the benefits of a console generation that comes a little further in its lifespan (for example, with an extensive game library).
While the launch of the PS5 is too fresh for a PS5 Slim to be announced or marketed yet – ‘Slim’ models typically launch three years after a new console iteration – its existence seems pretty certain given the history of its slimmed-down predecessors. And there are plenty of reasons to wait for this new iteration to come out.
It’s no secret that PS5 consoles aren’t that easy to find these days – and if you don’t have to grab a PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition for yourself just yet, you’re probably waiting for wider availability until the end of 2021.
While you wait, it’s worth thinking about the benefits of not getting a PS5 console right away, especially if you wait the three years before a PS5 Slim is likely to launch. We’ll start with the most obvious one: the size.
Dimensions
The design of the PS5 has been quite controversial from the start. Some like the sci-fi design, cape-like sides, and tall vampire woman aesthetic; others dismiss it as an eyesore that won’t fit your average media case without cutting the console in half.
I fall into the last camp; for the same reason, I’m still seduced by the plate-like Xbox Series S, with its compact form factor making it the smallest Xbox ever. When you buy a game console, you choose to have it in your eye almost every day of your life, and nothing ruins a carefully crafted set than a two-tone spaceship that leaves hyper speed behind.
We measure the PS5 at 38.8 x 8 x 26cm (H x W x D), which is even larger than the bulky PS3 – although the curved surfaces make it difficult to get an exact measurement.
It is certainly meant to be eye-catching, but for many it just won’t be at home in its current form. A PS5 Slim could offer a slimmer, more compact form that, if not as small as the Series S, still makes owning a PS5 less about making a visual statement and more about playing next-generation games.
Gaming on the system
It might be smart to wait until 2023 to opt for the PS5 console family as well. At that point, we’ve seen three years of exclusive PS5 games and upgraded PS4 games, which means we’re not short of great titles to play.
In addition to launch titles like Astro’s Playroom and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we’ve seen God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden Dawn, the Ratchet & Clank reboot, and a host of other PS5 games we don’t even know are in the pipeline .
There will definitely be more 4K games to play, which means you can make better use of the PS5’s 4K capabilities – and it also gives TV makers more time to make sure their screens are really optimized for the next generation consoles. HDMI 2.1 support, which allows for 4K / 120Hz passthrough and usually comes bundled with VRR (variable refresh rate), is still largely limited to expensive sets, and good gaming features will trickle down to even cheaper televisions in the years to come.
It will also be clearer whether the PS5 or Xbox Series X won with exclusives. While Sony won that argument fairly definitively in the last generation, Microsoft’s acquisitions and increased focus on first-party games could pay off in the coming years.
It’s very hard to say this early in a console generation, as software strategies are still in the spotlight – and flagship Xbox Series X games like Halo Infinite have yet to be released – which console platform is really worth it this time around.
Smooth out the kinks
Let’s not forget that a Slim console has the opportunity to improve the PS5 in a number of ways. The PS3 Slim, for example, wasn’t just two-thirds the size and weight of the PS3 – it also consumed about 40% less power and had a microprocessor and a redesigned cooling system that made for a quieter and cooler machine.
While I don’t expect to see something as drastic as the Xbox 360’s ‘ring red of death’ – which bricked both my own 360 console and the first replacement – minor issues have the chance to be fixed in successive hardware. Since the PS5 DualSense is prone to the same drifting issue as Nintendo’s Joy-Cons, we hope there is a behind-the-scenes work to prevent this from happening in the future.
Obviously, the PS5 offers a major upgrade to the PS4 and PS4 Pro. But for those who want the best version of the PS5, rather than the first model Sony could release, there may be better things ahead.
And if there are none? Well, the current PS5 will certainly be cheaper by then.