New PS5 Slim Model May Reduce SSD Storage to Keep Price Stable

Sony Reportedly Planning PS5 Slim Revision with Smaller SSD Capacity

Gamers might soon see a trend known as 'shrinkflation' come to their consoles. According to insider billbil-kun, a new revision of the PlayStation 5 Slim is expected to feature a reduced SSD storage capacity, while the console's price will remain unchanged.

When the original PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020, it came equipped with an 825-gigabyte internal SSD. Sony later introduced hardware adjustments to optimize performance and design. In 2023, the company released the CFI-2000 series, commonly known as the PS5 Slim, which featured an updated internal design and a larger 1-terabyte SSD.

Reduced Storage for Price Stability

Now, if billbil-kun's report is accurate, Sony is preparing a PS5 Slim version with the model number CFI-2100. This new model is expected to retail at the current price of $499. While there won't be significant design alterations, a notable change will be the SSD capacity, which is rumored to revert to 825 gigabytes. This revision appeared in documents from a Japanese regulatory body previously.

billbil-kun suggests that this decision by Sony is an effort to delay further price increases for the console. The PlayStation 5 has seen its price climb since its initial release; for example, in Europe, it went from €399 at launch to €449, and then to its current €499, representing a €100 increase in less than five years.

Impact on Digital Edition Users

The CFI-2100 version, specifically CFI-2116 for Europe, with its smaller SSD, is reportedly set to launch on September 13th in the region. Importantly, this change is expected to affect only the disc-less Digital Edition of the PS5 Slim. The Standard PS5 Slim with a disc drive, also based on this new revision, is anticipated to retain its 1-terabyte SSD. billbil-kun notes that the new packaging for the Digital Edition will clearly indicate the 825-gigabyte capacity. Details regarding specifications for other regions are currently unknown.

For players, this potential shift means careful management of game installations, especially with modern titles often exceeding 100GB. While the price stability is a positive, the reduced storage could necessitate more frequent uninstallations and re-downloads. Those opting for the disc-drive version of the PS5 Slim will seemingly avoid this particular storage reduction.