PlayStation 5 gets new design, new price, new storage, and cool new trick

Back in November 2020, Sony first unveiled the PlayStation 5 gaming console. Since then, aside from some new colors and bundles, the console has remained unchanged. However, today, Sony is refreshing the look of the PS5 while simultaneously introducing a few important changes.

First, this is not a PlayStation 5 Slim, at least not by name. Sony is simply calling this PlayStation 5 refresh the “new” PS5. It will replace the current design when stock runs out of the previous models.

However, even without the Slim moniker attached, it’s clear that’s what these models are trying to replicate. The console is notably thinner, with Sony claiming it is reduced in volume by more than 30%.

There are still two versions of the PS5 console. The standard edition has a disc drive, and the Digital Edition does not. Interestingly, the differentiation doesn’t really matter anymore because the disc drive is now detachable (see photos below). That means you could buy a Digital Edition and then add a disc drive later on down the road. You could also buy the standard edition and take off the disc drive if you decide to move to an all-digital library sometime later.

There are some other changes for the 2023 refresh. Continue reading for more.

Sony PlayStation 5 refresh: Don’t call it a PlayStation 5 Slim

One of the biggest complaints gamers had about the original PlayStation 5 consoles was the storage. The 825GB internal SSD isn’t that big, especially when you factor in how much of that is taken up by the console’s built-in software (~158GB). Thankfully, Sony has addressed this with the PlayStation 5 refresh — sort of. The console now comes with 1TB of internal storage, or 175GB more than before. More is better, yeah, but that’s only enough room for two or three more AAA game installs than before, so it’s not exactly a dramatic shift.

Along with this PlayStation 5 refresh, Sony is changing the pricing a bit. First, neither console comes with a vertical stand, which is now more premium with metal construction. If you want to stand your new PS5 up, you’ll need to shell out $29.99 (€29.99 / £24.99) for the stand separately. This is pretty disappointing. Note that this stand does work with all PlayStation 5 consoles, including the original two.

Additionally, the Digital Edition is now more expensive. Instead of landing at $399 like the original, the new Digital Edition starts at $449 (€449/ £389), or an increase of $50. The standard edition with the disc drive included still costs $499 (€549 / £479).

Speaking of the disc drive, that will cost you $79.99 (€119.99 / £99.99) if you decide to add it later. Note that this disc drive is incompatible with the original Digital Edition that has been on sale since 2020.

The don’t-call-it-a-PlayStation-5-Slim lands in select retail stores and directly from Sony in November 2023.