PlayStation 5 Slim Edition Confirmed for Holiday Season: What to Expect

With the PlayStation 5 remaining difficult to find in stock, Sony is reportedly gearing up to release a PS5 Slim model this holiday season. The rumored PS5 Slim aims to address some of the original console’s shortcomings while appealing to a wider audience.

The key upgrade most players want to see is a smaller overall design. The PS5’s massive size has made placing it into entertainment centers a challenge. A PS5 Slim with a trimmed down profile would fit into spaces the chunky launch system cannot. Expect a refined look that saves space without impacting performance.

Sony will likely ditch the protruding disc drive and curved white casing to achieve a cleaner aesthetic. A flatter design similar to the streamlined PS4 Slim seems plausible. Buttons could shift to more subtle positions as well. If Sony manages to cut the weight down, the PS5 Slim will also be easier to move and transport.

Internally, the PS5 Slim probably won’t include drastic changes. The same AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU powering the incredible next-gen visuals should remain. Features like the SSD, ray tracing support, 3D audio, DualSense haptics, and more represent Sony’s vision for the future of play. Alterations to the cooling system and internal layout will sufficiently boost efficiency within a smaller shell.

The specs probably won’t see significant upgrades until an eventual PlayStation 5 Pro down the line. But we could see small RAM increases and storage bumps. Bumping up the 825GB SSD to 1TB or 2TB would be welcomed. Cost savings from the redesign may allow Sony to increase memory while keeping price points the same.

Interestingly, removing the disc drive completely for an all-digital edition seems likely. The PS5 Digital Edition has proven popular due to its lower price and sleek symmetry. Transitioning the PS5 Slim to digital-only in 2023 would align with industry trends. PlayStation exclusives like The Last of Us Part 1 already aim to justify pricier digital games.

Of course, keeping an affordable disc-drive edition available also makes sense. Many gamers still buy physical media or have large Blu-Ray libraries. Having SKUs at $399 for the PS5 Slim Digital and $499 with a disc drive would follow Xbox’s Series S/X approach. Both digital-first and disc-based gamers can stay within the PlayStation ecosystem.

The PS5 Slim will target lapsed PlayStation gamers who haven’t upgraded yet due to stock scarcity or sheer console size. Launching alongside big holiday exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 as supply normalizes could make the PS5 Slim a hot item. This redesign can sustain sales momentum into 2023 while Sony gears up for PSVR 2 and eventual mid-gen refresh.

When it arrives this holiday season, expect the PlayStation 5 Slim to deliver visual parity and performance in a smaller package. Some minor quality of life upgrades and shifts towards an all-digital future seem plausible. Sony typically refreshes consoles around the 3 year mark, so a PS5 Slim launching in late 2022 fits their timeline. As long as supply can meet demand, the PS5 Slim will let many more players enjoy next-gen experiences.