A video shows a supposed shell of PlayStation 5 Slim. However, this one doesn’t seem much smaller, leaving the world perplexed.
It is now customary for console manufacturers to offer mid-generation a finer version of their machines. At Sony, it has been a betting process since the very first PlayStation, which then became PS One, and the imposing dimensions of the PlayStation 5 give some hope of the arrival of a PS5 Slim in the short term. Very short term even, if we are to believe the rumor which evokes a “Slim” version from 2023.
A video pops up
For the past few days, there has been excitement on social networks and sites dedicated to video games: supposed information on the PS5 “skinnyappeared on a Chinese forum, followed by a very blurry photo… then a video.
CFI-2016 PS5 Case pic.twitter.com/udFyQbVpz8
— BwE (@BwE_Dev) August 11, 2023
The person behind this “leak“Specifies not knowing if it is a real console shell or a prototype, the information therefore remains to be taken with a grain of salt. Still, this video disappointed many.
This model “CFI-2016would be about 5cm smaller and thinner overall than the current model. In addition, the hull would indicate no mention of versions A or B (classic or Digital Edition), suggesting that the disk drive could well be removable. Apart from that, the changes remain minimal (we can see two USB-C ports on the front) and the size of the console remains substantial.
Can the PS5 be smaller?
A question then arises: can we really hope for a really smaller PS5, like on previous generations? This reduction in size is linked to the “die-shrinking», the reduction of the fineness of engraving of the CPUs/GPUs/APUs of the console. By reducing the engraving and at equal size, a chip gains in energy efficiency and therefore heats up less. It then becomes possible to reduce the elements used to cool the system (aeration, ventilation, etc.), and thus save space.
The very first PS5 used the 7nm FinFet process, but its architecture has since changed to 6nm FinFet. This allowed the console to lose around 600 grams and gain in energy efficiency. Today, we imagine that a new console engraved in 5 nm could be on the way, since it is a common process at AMD, Sony’s partner.
With a chip engraved at 5 nm rather than 7 nm, the console could consume 20 or 25% less than the original PS5. This would reduce the number and size of components dedicated to heat management (voltage controller, cooling system…), which would facilitate a reduction in the size of the console. A smaller console can thus be stored in a smaller box, which would greatly reduce transport and storage costs for Sony.
But that’s not everyone’s opinion. According to Kepler_L2 on Twitter (X), a famous leaker specializing in AMD, “shrinking the PS5 die to 5nm or 4nm would cost over $100m and result in no reduction in cost per transistor“.
Die shrinking the Xbox/PS5 SoC to 5/4nm would cost $100+ million and result in no reduction in cost per transistor. It’s simply not worth it.
— Kepler (@Kepler_L2) August 11, 2023
This could therefore explain why thePS5 Slimsupposedly seen in this video doesn’t seem all that small compared to the PlayStation 5 we know. We can imagine that it would keep its current 6 nm APU, by slightly reviewing the management of the internal air flow.
Reply soon?
Anyway, this video remains to be taken with tweezers, the source itself cannot assure that it is indeed a hull intended for trade. If the rumors suggesting that the PS5 “skinnywill be available in 2023 are true, we can expect an announcement in the coming months, around October, to prepare for a release before the end of the year holidays.
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