PlayStation 5 Slim specs, features and buying guide
The PlayStation 5 Slim with a disc drive is Sony’s smaller PS5: a 1 TB SSD, 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, an AMD RDNA 2 GPU rated at 10.3 TFLOPS and an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive in a 3.2 kg console. It suits anyone who wants the full PS5 feature set, including physical discs and 4K Blu-ray playback, without the original model’s larger shell.
Sony’s specification list is the source for everything here. The console runs an eight-core, sixteen-thread AMD Ryzen Zen 2 CPU at a variable frequency up to 3.5 GHz and an RDNA 2 GPU with ray-tracing acceleration up to 2.23 GHz, which Sony rates at 10.3 TFLOPS. Memory is 16 GB of GDDR6 at 448 GB/s, and storage is a 1 TB SSD with a raw read bandwidth of 5.5 GB/s.
Video output is specified by HDMI 2.1 and covers 4K at 120 Hz, 8K TVs and variable refresh rate. Audio is Sony’s Tempest 3D AudioTech. Networking is Ethernet at 10/100/1000 plus Wi-Fi certified to IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, and the console has two USB-C ports on the front and two USB-A ports at 10 Gbps on the back, as Sony’s 2023 specification lists them.
The disc-drive model measures roughly 358 x 96 x 216 mm (width x height x depth, excluding projecting parts) and weighs about 3.2 kg. Sony also publishes the Digital Edition on the same page at 358 x 80 x 216 mm and 2.6 kg, which is the clearest way to see what the drive adds to the size and the weight.
What to check before you buy the PlayStation 5 Slim
The first question is disc or digital, and it is not cosmetic. The model on this page has a disc drive that Sony specifies for Ultra HD Blu-ray up to 100 GB per disc, plus BD and DVD. The Digital Edition has the same processor, memory and SSD but no drive and a narrower, lighter body. If you own discs, buy the drive model; if you do not, the Digital Edition is the same console in a smaller shell.
The second question is the stand. Sony’s own product image for this console carries the note that the vertical stand is sold separately, so plan for it if the console is going upright. Sony also states that console design varies by model, which matters for the front ports: its 2023 specification lists two USB-C ports, while a later Sony USB guide describes one USB-A and one USB-C on the front. Check the revision on the box if that detail matters to you.
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen Zen 2, 8 cores / 16 threads, up to 3.5 GHz
- GPU
- AMD Radeon RDNA 2, up to 2.23 GHz, 10.3 TFLOPS, ray tracing
- Memory
- 16 GB GDDR6 at 448 GB/s
- Storage
- 1 TB SSD, 5.5 GB/s raw read
- Disc drive
- Ultra HD Blu-ray up to 100 GB per disc, plus BD and DVD
- Video output
- 4K 120 Hz, 8K and VRR over HDMI 2.1
- Networking
- Gigabit Ethernet and IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax Wi-Fi
- Size and weight
- Approx. 358 x 96 x 216 mm, 3.2 kg
Key features explained
The SSD is the quiet upgrade
Sony fits a 1 TB SSD and quotes a raw read bandwidth of 5.5 GB/s. That figure is the reason PS5 games can stream assets while you play rather than waiting behind a loading screen for a spinning drive, and it is the difference between this console and the previous generation on the storage side. It is also the figure to compare when a game lists a required install size: the drive is fast, but 1 TB fills quickly with modern titles, and Sony’s specification does not promise usable capacity beyond the drive itself.
RDNA 2 graphics, ray tracing and 120 Hz
The GPU is an AMD Radeon RDNA 2 engine with hardware ray-tracing acceleration, variable frequency up to 2.23 GHz and a peak of 10.3 TFLOPS. On the output side Sony specifies 4K at 120 Hz, 8K TVs and variable refresh rate over HDMI 2.1. Those are capability statements: the frame rate a game reaches depends on the game and the display, and VRR only helps if your TV supports it. What the console guarantees is the interface and the ceiling, not a fixed frame rate for every title.
A disc drive that plays more than games
The drive reads Ultra HD Blu-ray discs up to 100 GB each, plus standard Blu-ray and DVD. For a household with a film collection that is a second device in one box, and it is the feature the Digital Edition cannot add later in the same way: Sony sells a disc drive for the Digital Edition separately, but the drive model ships with one fitted. Games on disc also install to the SSD, so the drive is a licence and a film player rather than a place games run from.
Smaller body, same silicon
Sony reduced the volume of this model by more than 30% and the weight by 18% to 24% against the launch console, and the specification shows the result: 358 x 96 x 216 mm and 3.2 kg. The shell is made of four separate cover panels, glossy on top and matte below, which is also what makes Sony’s replacement covers fit. The silicon inside is unchanged, so the slim model is a smaller PS5 rather than a faster one.
Disc or Digital: the numbers Sony publishes
Sony lists both models on the same page, which makes the comparison unusually clean. The disc console is 358 x 96 x 216 mm and 3.2 kg; the Digital Edition is 358 x 80 x 216 mm and 2.6 kg. The 16 mm difference in height and the 0.6 kg difference in weight are the drive and its housing, and everything else in the specification list is identical: the same CPU, GPU, memory, SSD, video output, audio and networking.
So the decision is about media, not performance. If you buy discs, rent them or watch Ultra HD Blu-ray films, the drive model is the one to get. If every game you play is a download, the Digital Edition is the same console with less to carry.
Ports, networking and the model-revision caveat
Sony’s 2023 specification lists two USB-C ports on the front, one at SuperSpeed 10 Gbps and one at Hi-Speed, and two USB-A ports at 10 Gbps on the back. A later Sony support page for PS5 USB ports describes a front USB-A Hi-Speed port plus a front USB-C 10 Gbps port, and notes that the design varies by model. Both are Sony documents; they describe different revisions. If a specific front port matters, check the model number rather than assuming either layout.
Networking is the part that has not changed: gigabit Ethernet for a wired connection and Wi-Fi certified to 802.11ax for wireless. Sony publishes no Bluetooth version and no power-consumption figure in the list reviewed, so those two numbers are absent from this sheet rather than estimated.
Who should buy the PlayStation 5 Slim, and who should skip it
Who should buy the PlayStation 5 Slim
- You want a PS5 with a disc drive for physical games, rentals and Ultra HD Blu-ray films.
- You want the 1 TB SSD rather than the 825 GB drive of the launch console.
- You have a 4K 120 Hz TV with VRR and want to use those features.
- You want a smaller, lighter console than the original model: 3.2 kg against the launch console’s larger shell.
Who should skip it
- You never use discs: the Digital Edition is the same console at 2.6 kg with no drive.
- You want a vertical stand in the box: Sony sells it separately.
- You need a specific front-port layout: Sony’s own documents describe more than one revision.
- You are looking for a performance upgrade over the launch PS5; the silicon is the same.
PlayStation 5 Slim pros and cons
Pros
- 1 TB SSD with 5.5 GB/s raw read bandwidth
- 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 10.3 TFLOPS RDNA 2 GPU with ray tracing
- 4K 120 Hz, 8K and VRR output over HDMI 2.1
- Ultra HD Blu-ray drive that also plays Blu-ray and DVD
- About 3.2 kg and 358 mm wide, smaller than the launch console
- Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11ax Wi-Fi
Cons
- Sony publishes no Bluetooth version or power-consumption figure
- The vertical stand is sold separately
- Sony’s own documents disagree on the front-port layout between revisions
- The drive adds 16 mm of height and about 0.6 kg over the Digital Edition
Buying the PlayStation 5 Slim in the US
Start with the model name. “PS5” covers the launch console, this slimmer model and the Digital Edition, and only the last one has no drive. The listing should say disc or digital, and the model number on the box is the definitive answer. If you are buying for a film collection as well as games, check that the drive is described as Ultra HD Blu-ray rather than just Blu-ray.
Then think about the stand and the display. The console can sit horizontally with the supplied feet; going vertical needs Sony’s separate stand. On the display side, 4K 120 Hz and VRR are only useful with a TV that supports them over HDMI 2.1, so check the TV’s port before paying for the console’s ceiling.
Frequently asked questions: PlayStation 5 Slim
How much storage does the PS5 Slim have?
Sony specifies a 1 TB SSD with a raw read bandwidth of 5.5 GB/s. That is the drive capacity Sony publishes; the space available for games is lower once system software is installed.
Does the PS5 Slim play discs?
The disc-drive model does. Sony specifies an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive that reads discs up to 100 GB, plus Blu-ray and DVD. The Digital Edition sold alongside it has no disc drive.
What is the difference between the PS5 Slim and the Digital Edition?
The drive and the shell. Sony lists the disc model at 358 x 96 x 216 mm and 3.2 kg, and the Digital Edition at 358 x 80 x 216 mm and 2.6 kg. The CPU, GPU, 16 GB of memory, 1 TB SSD, video output and networking are the same on both.
Does the PS5 Slim support 4K at 120 Hz?
Sony specifies support for 4K 120 Hz TVs, 8K TVs and variable refresh rate over HDMI 2.1. Whether a game runs at 120 fps depends on the game, and VRR needs a compatible display.
Is a vertical stand included with the PS5 Slim?
No. Sony’s own product image for this console notes that the vertical stand is sold separately. The console can be used horizontally without it.
How much does the PS5 Slim weigh?
Approx. 3.2 kg for the disc-drive model, against 2.6 kg for the Digital Edition, according to Sony’s specification list.
What Wi-Fi does the PS5 Slim use?
Sony lists Wi-Fi certified to IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, which includes Wi-Fi 6, plus Ethernet at 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T.
Does the PS5 Slim have Bluetooth?
Sony’s specification list reviewed does not state a Bluetooth version or profile support, so this sheet does not claim one. The DualSense controller connects wirelessly to the console, but the version number is not published on that page.