Sony PS5 Slim to Launch this Holiday Season in South Africa

We look at the all new PS5 Slim with a detachable Blu-Ray Disc Drive that makes it possible to upgrade your Digital PS5 Slim.

On the 10th of October 2023, Sony announced the release of the new PS5 Slim, which is sold as a disc or digital version. The new console will provide the same gaming power as the current PS5 range, but include the option of a detachable disc drive.

The New PS5 Slim console is set to release at retailers in November 2023, but is it worth the upgrade?

A Look at the Official New PS5 Slim Consoles

PS5 Slim with Detachable Disc Drive and Storage Expansion

The new PS5 Slim console will still be available in the disc version and digital. However, those who purchase the digital version will have the option of adding a disc drive at a later stage.

The side cover simply unclips where you can install the disc drive and instantly enable your console to read PS5 disc games. The detachable section can also read additional storage, adding 1tb to your console‘s standard 1tb storage.

It‘s a great addition for those who want to save some money when buying the console, but if you’re adding the detached drive at a later stage, the total price would be more than the PS5 Slim Disc Version.

PS5 Slim Price in South Africa

If you’ve been holding out and hoping the PS5 Slim would be cheaper than the Original PS5 consoles, we’ve got some bad news.

Sony released the prices of the new consoles, including the PS5 Slim Digital version, which is set to sell for $499 in the US, which is the same price as the current PS5 Disc Version, selling for R12,999 in South Africa, or from just R9599 on our used PS5 Disc Version page.

The PS5 Slim Digital will sell for $449, which is the same as the current PS5 Digital, and therefore will be around R11,799 in South Africa. Adding the disc drive at a later stage would cost an additional $79 in America, would roughly converts to R2,000 when you include the rates and taxes.

PS5 Slim is Smaller and Lighter

The original PS5 console is massive and not easy to fit into just any entertainment unit. Luckily, the new Slim model will be quite a bit smaller and an impressive 30% lighter at just 2.4KG.

The current PS5 console stands an impressive 39cm while the new Slim version will come in at just under 36cm. It might not seem like a big difference, but 3cm would make a difference when trying to fit it into a tight spot.

We also see a difference in the depth of the new console at just 21.6cm, which is a big difference compared to the 26cm of the original PS5. The width would decrease slightly from 10.4 cm down to 9.6cm for the disc version or 8cm for the new Digital PS4 Slim.

Should you Upgrade?

Considering that the new PS5 Slim would offer the same powerful gaming experience as the original PS5, we don’t think it’s worth selling your PS5 console and upgrading. On the other hand, if you’re looking to buy a PS5 for the first time, It would make sense to wait for the new model, especially since you’ll have additional USB ports and the option to add a disc drive if you decide to save money with the PS5 Digital.

Of course, if you’re looking to save big on a PS5 console, consider buying one of our used PS5s and save over R2,000. Our used consoles are in excellent condition, come with games, and offer the same powerful gaming experience for much less!