Will there be a PS5 Slim? Everything known so far

It's still not fully confirmed whether Sony will launch a PS5 Slim. Although previous leaks and rumors hinted that this cheaper variant would be released later this year, the company hasn't offered any assurance yet — at least not deliberately. The rumored upcoming lighter and cheaper variant of Sony's PlayStation 5 will be faster than current console models if past trends are anything to go by.

There are multiple arguments both for and against this mid-cycle refresher that is expected to debut soon. According to some, the PS5 Digital Edition is already the slimline version everyone needs, while others believe more powerful hardware is required for upcoming games.

This article will fill you in on the latest updates on Sony's rumored console. Do take all this information with a grain of salt because nothing is 100% confirmed yet.

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The PS5 Slim has been pictured

The leaked image of the upcoming Slim model (Image via @the_marmolade/Twitter)

The PlayStation 5 Slim has been pictured online. The leak first surfaced on Chinese hardware forum A9VG.com before being circulated widely across social media. The leaks showcase a slim-bodied design with a slight facelift. The new console features a black arc through the middle of the side plates, which divides the console into four segments, up from the two on the original PS5.

The PS5 Slim comes with two USB Type-C ports in the front of the console and the iconic ◻△✕◯ carving towards the black. Do note that the leaked picture doesn't showcase the full console yet. However, more info will likely be unearthed soon.

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When will the PS5 Slim launch?

According to previous Sony launch trends, a mid-cycle refresh generally follows when a console is three to four years into its life cycle. The PlayStation 5 turns three this November. Thus, an upgrade might be slated for launch at some point next year.

In the FTC court trial against Microsoft earlier in 2023, Sony inadvertently confirmed the existence of a Slim model. The court document says the following:

"PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point."

This is solid evidence that the Slim model exists and is currently a work in progress. Although the document claimed a release date of late 2023, Sony hasn't offered an official announcement yet.

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What will be the price of Sony's PS5 Slim?

According to the aforementioned court document's recorded statement, Sony's PS5 Slim console will be priced at $399, which is the same price as the PS Digital.

One thing worth noting is that the PS5's cheaper Digital model features the same hardware as its higher-end variant. The only difference is that this cheaper variant lacks a BluRay drive.

It will be interesting to see how much of a performance bump the expected upcoming device brings without costing a penny extra.

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What are the specs of Sony's PS5 Slim?

The specs of Sony's PS5 Slim aren't known yet. However, one can make some predictions based on the leaked specs of the higher-end PS5 Pro. The upcoming PlayStation Slim console might be powered by an APU with AMD's next-gen Zen 5 architecture, which will also power the Ryzen 8000 CPUs. Graphics can either be handled by an RDNA 3-based chip or the upcoming RDNA 3.5 architecture as well.

This console should be more powerful than the current PlayStation 5. But with the lack of adequate information regarding its hardware, one can only guess what the PS5 Slim will bring to the table.

Keep checking this article back because we will update it with the latest info as and when it surfaces.