PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Slim Console Review

The PlayStation 5 slim console is lighter and slimmer than the original PS5. But if you want a console that’s even smaller and lighter, get the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition slim console.

The PS5 digital edition eliminates the disc drive found in the slim and original editions, making it a lot more compact and lightweight. Many gamers love the minimalist aesthetic, and you also get to save on space.

But you compromise by losing the ability to play any games you have on discs and you have to download all your games from the PlayStation Store. If you don’t mind that tradeoff, read on for my full review of the PS5 slim digital edition.

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Slim Console Review

Our new PS5 at home…

What Are You Buying?

1. PS5 Slim With No Disc Drive

The disc-less PS5 is not new. When the original console launched in 2020, you could choose between the version with a disc drive and the digital version without.

When the slim PS5 came out in November 2023, it similarly came in two editions: the regular one with a disc drive and a digital edition without.

The main difference between the regular and the digital edition PS5 slim is the absence of an optical drive.

This makes the digital edition console much slimmer and lighter. It measures 35.8 cm x 21.6 cm x 8 cm and weighs 2.6kg. In contrast, the regular slim PS5 weighs 3.2kg.

So the digital edition is easier to carry around and takes up less space on your TV stand. And since it doesn’t accept physical games, you save even more space that would have gone to storing game discs.

Keep in mind however that the PS5 slim digital edition is still fairly large compared to other compact consoles like the Xbox Series S.

2. Games Downloadable from PSN

With no disc drive, the PS5 digital edition cannot play physical games. If you already have a large cache of game discs, including those from PS4, consider going with the regular PS5 slim instead.

But if, like most games, you increasingly find yourself downloading games instead of buying discs from a store, then the PS5 slim digital edition is perfect for you.

To download games, sign in to your PlayStation Network account and go to the PlayStation store.

Downloading entire games takes longer compared to the patches and updates you normally have to download for physical games. So take your internet connection into consideration when deciding between the regular PS5 and the digital edition.

If you often have poor or unstable connection, get the PS5 slim with a disc drive. It will be less of a hassle.

If your internet connection is good, then the PS5 digital edition is fine. But, depending on just how good your connection is, you’ll need to wait several hours for games to download.

3. 1TB SSD Storage

As I mentioned, the only notable difference between the regular PS5 slim and the PS5 slim digital edition is the disc drive. This also creates differences in size and weight.

Beyond that, there is no difference between the two. Performance specs are similar.

Whether you get the regular version or digital edition, the PS5 slim comes with 1TB SSD storage. This is an upgrade from the 825GB hard drive in the original PS5.

The SSD storage is also a huge upgrade — in terms of speed and performance — from the PS4’s RPM hard drive.

If you are wondering about expandability, yes, the PS5 slim comes with an expansion slot similar to the original PS5. You can add up to an 8TB M.2 SSD into the console.

4. Stunning 4K 120Hz Output With HDR

Display specs are also the same between the two PS5 Slim editions. You get stunning 4K 120Hz output with HDR capability.

Of course, the final display quality will depend on your setup, particularly your TV. To get the best out of the PS5 slim digital edition, hook it up to a TV with similar display performance.

5. Ray Tracing for Added Realism

The PS5 slim digital edition includes ray tracing, a feature that enhances lighting, shadows and reflections in video games. It results in more realistic graphics.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t want to use it often. It takes up a lot of resources and the console has to lower frame rate to compensate.

If you want to really enjoy the added realism of ray tracing, we recommend the recently launched PS5 Slim Pro. Its more powerful specs, including a faster GPU and larger 2TB SSD storage, allows you to turn on ray tracing without compromising much on frame rate.

How Easy Is It To Set Up?

Setting up the PS5 slim digital edition is fairly easy and quick. You simply plug it into a display and connect it to power.

Once you turn it on, onscreen instructions will guide you through the rest of the setup process. The only part that takes time is downloading games from the PlayStation store.

Note that the PS5 slim digital edition doesn’t come with a vertical stand. Instead, you get two small plastic feet that hold up the console horizontally.

But if you still prefer keeping your console vertical to save on space, you can place it vertically without a stand or order the stand separately.

What Accessories Are Included?

Here’s what you get with your PlayStation 5 digital edition slim console.

• The console itself.
• 1 DualSense wireless controller plus a USB-C charging cable.
• HDMI 2.1 cable.
• User instructions.

Pros

• Cheaper than the regular PS5 slim console.
• Smaller and lighter.
• No need to buy physical games.
• Lots of storage – which is further expandable.
• Great performance.

Cons

• Not ideal if you already own a lot of physical games or you prefer physical games.
• Ray tracing doesn’t work very well – it slows down refresh rate.

Anything Else You Should Know?

If, at some point, you feel a nostalgia for physical games, you can get a disc drive separately and connect it to the PS5 digital edition.

So don’t worry about getting stuck with a console that can’t play physical games. That said, you’ll save more money getting the regular PS5 slim complete with a drive compared to buying the disc drive separately.

So if you think you might need the ability to load game discs in the future, just get the regular PS5 slim. You’ll still be able to download digital games, so you are not missing out on anything.

Final Thoughts

As much as we love nostalgia and the assurance that we perpetually own the games we buy, the reality is that more and more games are moving away from physical games.

Disc drive-free consoles like the PS5 Slim Digital Edition are more convenient, cheaper and more compact. Expect to see more such consoles in the future.

Unless you already have a collection of game discs that you can’t bear to part with, then the PlayStation 5 slim digital edition is a great buy.

Where to buy?

• Amazon UK: > CLICK TO CHECK TODAY’S PRICE
• Argos: > CLICK TO CHECK TODAY’S PRICE