PS5 Slim and modular Ultra HD Blu-ray Drive scheduled for a November launch

As rumored for quite some time now, a slimmer redesigned PlayStation 5 is indeed on the way along with a modular Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive for those still interested in in physical media.  The official PlayStation Blog spilled the beans on a November/Holiday release this morning.

The slimmer, lighter model will be available in 2 SKUs: a PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive for $499.99 and the PS5 Digital Edition at $50 less for $449.99 (although $50 more than the fat Digital Edition), both of which are equipped with a 1TB SSD.  The optional Ultra HD Blu-ray Drive will be sold separately for $79.99.  The new models will hit PlayStation Direct and various retailers.

It appears that both SKUs feature removeable panels and the same capabilities — the Disc version is just pre-installed with the modular drive out of the box. The PS5 fat console covers won’t be compatible obviously, oh well, and there will be a new vertical console stand sold separately.  The new slim PS5 models will replace the original worldwide when stick dries up.

See some product shots and media below, along with some info from the PS Blog.

PS5 Slim product shots:

PlayStation 5 – Same Immersive Power. New Slimmer Size.:

Smaller PS5 design comes with 1TB storage for PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition; new model provides option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive to PS5 Digital Edition.

As the holiday season approaches, we are excited to share that we have a new PS5 model launching. To address the evolving needs of players, our engineering and design teams collaborated on a new form factor that provides greater choice and flexibility. The same technology features that make PS5 the best to play are packed into a smaller form factor, along with an attachable Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive and a 1TB SSD for more internal storage.

The new PS5 has been reduced in volume by more than 30%, and weight by 18% and 24% compared to the previous models. There are four separate cover panels, with the top portion in a glossy look, while the bottom remains in matte. If you purchase the PS5 Digital Edition, you can add the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive for PS5 later, as it will also be sold separately for 79.99 USD | 119.99 EURO | 99.99 GBP | 11,980 JPY.

The new PS5 model will be available starting this November in the U.S. at select local retailers and direct.playstation.com where available. It will continue to roll out globally in the following months. Once inventory of the current PS5 model has sold out, the new PS5 will become the only model available.