Sony has announced that it’s replacing both the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition with new slimmer models, as if the consoles have been put on a strict diet.
But a thinner design isn’t the only change that Sony has implemented. We’ve created this guide to highlight the key differences between the new PS5 Slim Digital Edition, and the older PS5 Digital Edition that launched back in 2020. Check them out below:
New design is 30% smaller
The most obvious difference between the two consoles is that the PS5 Slim Digital Edition is, well… slimmer. Sony says it has reduced the size by 30%, with less plastic coating the main body of the console.
As you can see in the table below, the PS5 Slim Digital Edition is 32mm thinner, 12mm shorter and 44mm shallower. That should combine to make a noticeable difference, making it easier to slot the console into your home entertainment setup.
| PS5 Slim Digital Edition | PS5 Digital Edition | |
| Width | 358mm | 390mm |
| Height | 80mm | 92mm |
| Depth | 216mm | 260mm |
Such tweaks have also made a difference to the console’s weight. The original PS5 Slim Digital Edition hit the scales at 3.9kg, while the new Slim model only weighs 2.6kg. That’s a significant difference, and so should make it easier to lug the console between rooms when required.
Supports add-on disc drive
Since both models of this PS5 are the ‘Digital Edition’ it should come as no surprise that they don’t feature a disc drive. This means you’re forced to rely on PlayStation’s digital store when purchasing games, which could be problematic if you often buy pre-owned games.
However, the PS5 Slim Digital Edition differs in that you are able to attach a disc drive to the console, which will be sold separately for £99.99/$79.99. This enables you to upgrade to the disc drive without being forced to buy a completely new console.
The PS5 Digital Edition does not support this functionality, so there’s absolutely no way it can play your PS5, PS4 and Blu-Ray discs, even with an extra purchase.
178GB more storage
Storage space is a very important consideration for the PS5 Digital Edition, since you’re going to be reliant on digital downloads. As a result, it’s welcome news to see that Sony has upgraded the SSD this time around.
The original PS5 Digital Edition packed a 825GB SSD, which was criticised for not being a big enough capacity for modern games – Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War takes up more than 300GB of space alone.
Sony has improved this offering for the PS5 Slim Digital Edition, upping the storage to 1TB. That means you’re getting an extra 175GB to play around with. It’s arguably still not enough to prevent many gamers seeking to expand the storage, but fortunately you’re still able to upgrade the PS5 Slim with an M.2 SSD.
PS5 Slim Digital Edition is more expensive in USA
To the surprise of many Americans, Sony announced that the PS5 Slim Digital Edition will actually be more expensive (by $50) than the original PS5 Digital Edition.
The PS5 Slim Digital Edition will be priced at £389.99 / $449.99, while the preceding PS5 Digital Edition model was priced at £389.99 / $399.99. This price increase likely isn’t to do with improvements to the console, but simply an adjustment for inflation, which the UK and Europe had already been victim to.
Frustratingly, Sony has confirmed that once stock runs out, it will no longer sell the PS5 Digital Edition. This means you’ll be forced to purchase the more expensive Slim model instead, unless you’re willing to opt for a pre-owned model instead.
Identical performance
If you were hoping for a performance boost with the new PS5 Slim Digital Edition, then you’re out of luck. Both consoles share the exact same CPU and GPU.
Sony has confirmed that the PS5 Slim Digital Edition will be powered by an 8-core Zen 2 chip, with AMD’s RDNA 2 graphics allowing for features such as ray tracing.
And while the PS5 Slim Digital Edition has been treated to a greater storage capacity, the actual performance of the SSD remains the same at 5.5 GB/s. That means loading times won’t be any quicker, although they’re already lightning quick.
Anyone still craving a power boost will have to wait for the rumoured PS5 Pro, although it’s anyone’s guess when Sony decides to launch it, if ever.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
