If the latest rumors are anything to go by, we could very soon see a showdown between Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Microsoft’s Xbox. Yes, you read it right!
According to a new report from The Leak, the Japanese tech giant is reportedly working on a new lighter and slimmer version of PS5, which is touted to take on Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.
Sony is rumored to start production of the new PS5 Slim console in Q2 2023 with the aim to release it in the third quarter of 2023.
However, there are chances that the gaming console may not be branded “slim”, as it would merely be replacing the existing PS5 release.
For those unaware, the original PS5 that was launched in November 2020 was humongous, as the CPU, RAM, and SSD controller took up a lot of space.
As a result, Sony revised its original PS5 Digital Edition model in August 2021 and released a new PS5 Digital Edition model “CFI-1100B”, which had a downgraded internal heatsink that made it a whopping 300 grams lighter.
This change also replaced the screw for the console stand to be screwable without the use of a screwdriver.
In August 2022, the company further reduced the weight for both the base and digital versions of the PS5 and began shipping another revised hardware.
As compared to the original launch version (3.9 kg), the digital version now weighs 3.4 kg, while the base version now weighs 3.9 kg as compared to 4.5 kg for the original launch version.
Besides the internal changes Sony has already made to the PS5 so far, the upcoming Sony PS5 Slim console is rumored to come with a detachable disk drive.
It is also assumed to use less voltage and therefore runs cooler making it more lightweight, which could spell trouble for Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.
The report also states that the company is working on eliminating the stand when the console lies down, which means that the aesthetics-only flaps could be modified or removed.
The Japanese tech giant’s main purpose with the supposedly upcoming PS5 Slim is the reduction in size and weight so that it can bring down shipping and production costs, potentially leading to wider availability of the PS5 that has been plagued due to production and supply problems as well as stock availability issues ever since it was launched.
The development of the new PS5 Slim console comes after Sony recently announced an increase in the price of PlayStation 5 by up to 20% in many markets, including Europe, the UK, Japan, and more, much to the disappointment of its fans.
The company cited global economic, inflationary, and supply chain pressures as the reasons for the hike.
The upcoming PS5 Slim console could be a win-win situation for both Sony and PS5 fans, as the former would look to maximize its profit margins during production with a smaller design model, while the latter could get the latest hardware gaming device at a much cheaper price.
