PS5 Slim Teardown Uncovers Hidden Changes: Is It Truly "Slim" or Just Cost-Optimized?

The gaming world held its breath as Sony unveiled its refreshed PlayStation 5, affectionately (or perhaps cautiously) dubbed the "PS5 Slim." While the exterior promised a more svelte profile, the real questions lingered beneath the surface: What internal secrets would a teardown reveal? Thanks to a comprehensive analysis by Japanese YouTuber Austin Evans, we now have a clearer picture, and it’s a fascinating blend of clever engineering, subtle cost-cutting, and a few head-scratching decisions.

One of the most talked-about aspects of the new CFI-2000 model was its advertised 1TB storage.

However, as Evans quickly discovered, the usable space remains stubbornly at 848GB, identical to its predecessor. More strikingly, the internal architecture has changed. Where the original PS5 featured two 825GB NAND flash modules, the "Slim" consolidates this into a single 1TB module. This isn't just a technical detail; it’s a clear indication of Sony optimizing manufacturing costs, delivering the same practical storage but with a more streamlined (and presumably cheaper) component setup.

Externally, the "Slim" lives up to its name, being slightly smaller and lighter than the launch model and even the previous revision.

But the aesthetic changes don't stop there. Gone are the unified side panels; in their place are two glossy and two matte sections, a divisive design choice. The new console also includes a basic plastic horizontal stand, a stark contrast to the original’s more elaborate solution, with a new vertical stand now sold separately for a not-insignificant $30.

These small but noticeable tweaks reflect an ongoing effort to refine the console’s physical presence and accessory strategy.

Delving into the console's core, the cooling system received particular scrutiny. Despite its reduced footprint, the PS5 Slim maintains a robust thermal design, incorporating both heat pipes and a vapor chamber – a testament to Sony’s commitment to keeping temperatures in check.

While the fan itself is smaller, boasting 17 blades compared to the original’s 23, its redesigned structure appears to be just as effective, if not subtly better in some specific measurements. The motherboard has also shrunk, a common evolution in console mid-cycles, demonstrating impressive miniaturization without compromising critical components.

Crucially, Sony continues to employ liquid metal as the thermal interface material for the SoC, a premium solution vital for high-performance thermal management.

Perhaps the most contentious revelation involves the new detachable disc drive. While offering modularity, this convenience comes with a catch: it requires an internet connection for its initial pairing with the console.

This "online DRM" for a physical media peripheral has raised eyebrows among consumers and advocates for hardware independence, sparking concerns about long-term usability and Sony's control over the console ecosystem. It's a significant shift from the plug-and-play simplicity traditionally associated with disc drives.

For those hoping for a performance boost, the teardown confirms what many suspected: the PS5 Slim delivers identical gaming performance to its predecessors.

This is a refresh focused purely on form factor and manufacturing efficiency, not a "Pro" model. Power consumption tests also align closely with the 2022 PS5 revision, indicating no major changes in power efficiency. Impressively, despite the smaller form factor, internal temperature readings for both the CPU and SSD were found to be comparable, and in some instances, even slightly better than the original models, showcasing the effectiveness of the redesigned cooling solution.

In conclusion, the new PS5 Slim is less a revolutionary leap and more a shrewd evolution.

It’s a testament to engineering efforts aimed at reducing size and cost while maintaining performance. While it brings welcome portability and a more compact design, the reduced actual storage, the new stand strategy, and particularly the online requirement for the detachable disc drive, introduce points of contention that future owners will undoubtedly weigh.

Ultimately, it remains the same powerful gaming machine, now in a sleek, albeit slightly more complex, package.