With the PS5, a new generation of games has arrived – complete with massive processing power, a range of next-generation features such as super-fast SSDs, the revamped DualSense controller and the start of a series of PS5 games to play.
But for those who want to play the long game, there is another console that is worth keeping in mind – the PS5 Slim.
Slim editions of PlayStation consoles have been around for almost as long as PlayStation itself. There was the sleek ‘PS1’ version of the original PlayStation console, with the PS2 Slim, PS3 Slim and PS4 Slim consoles, all to the new versions of the beloved gaming machine.
In both cases, the strategy was about the same: once a new console has been on the market for several years, Sony has figured out how to offer the same specifications in a more compact form, even at a slight cost reduction. with all the benefits of entering a console generation a little longer in its lifetime (with an expanded game library, for one).
Although the PS5 launch is too fresh to announce or market a PS5 Slim yet – ‘Slim’ models are usually launched three years after a new console iteration – but its existence seems pretty certain given the history of its slender predecessors. And there are many reasons to wait until this new iteration appears.
It’s no secret that PS5 consoles are not that easy to reach these days – and if you want another PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition for yourself, you’ll probably have to wait until late 2021 for more general availability.
While you wait, it’s worth thinking about the benefits of not getting a PS5 console right away, especially if you’ve been waiting three years before a PS5 Slim is likely to launch. We start with the most obvious: the size.
Size
The PS5 design has been quite controversial from the start. Some like the sci-fi design, hood-like sides and the tall aesthetic vampire lady; others dismiss it as a hurt that will not fit in the average media cabinet without seeing the console in half.
I fall into the latter camp; it’s the same reason I’m still tempted by the plate-like Xbox Series S, with its compact form factor making it the smallest Xbox ever. When buying a game console, you prefer to have it in your eye line almost every day of your life, and nothing destroys a careful design like a two-tone spaceship leaving hyper-speed.
We measure the PS5 at 38.8 x 8 x 26 cm (H x W x D), which is even larger than the bulky PS3 – although the curved surfaces make accurate measurement difficult.
It is certainly meant to be striking, but for many people it will simply not be at home in its current form. A PS5 Slim may offer a sleeker, more compact shape, though not as small as the Series S, it may still be less to own a PS5 about making a visual statement and more about playing next generation games.
Play the system
It may be smart to wait until 2023 to join the PS5 console family as well. At that point, we saw three years of PS5-exclusive and improved PS4 games, which means we did not have enough titles to play.
Besides 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 number 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 of consoles . Support for HDMI 2.1, which enables 4K / 120Hz transmission and is usually routed with VRR (variable refresh rate), is still largely limited to expensive sets, and good gaming features will drop to even cheaper televisions in the next few years.
It will also be clearer whether the PS5 or Xbox Series X won exclusively. While Sony has pretty definitely won the argument in the last generation, Microsoft’s acquisitions and the increased focus on first-party games could bear fruit within the next few years.
It’s very difficult to tell this early in a console generation, as software strategies are still in focus – and the flagship Xbox Series X games like Halo Infinite are not yet known – which console platform is worth it this time around .
Iron out the twists
Let’s not forget that a Smart console can enhance the PS5 in several ways. The PS3 Slim, for example, was not just two-thirds the size and weight of the PS3; he also consumed about 40% less power and a microprocessor and redesigned cooling system that ensures a quieter and cooler machine.
While I do not expect to see anything as drastic as the ‘ring red of death’ of the Xbox 360 – which blocked my own 360 console as well as its initial replacement – minor issues can solve the following in hardware. Since the PS5 DualSense is prone to the same driving problem as Nintendo’s Joy-Cons, we hope there is behind – the – scenes work going on to prevent this in the future.
Clearly, the PS5 offers a major upgrade over the PS4 and PS4 Pro. But for those who want the best version of the PS5, instead of the first model that Sony can release, better things may lie ahead.
And if there is not? Well, the current PS5 will definitely be cheaper by that time.