After releasing the new console, Sony continued to improve it.
As a result, there are currently four versions of essentially the same PS5 on the market.
These include three revisions of the standard PS5 and the PS5 Slim.
Ivan Makhynia
Lets take a closer look at these versions.
The PS5 Slim appeared in November 2023.
These revisions apply to both versions with and without a disk drive and are internally the same.
Lets review their differences in a clear table.
As it’s possible for you to see, each revision of the PS5 became lighter.
Additionally, Sony changed the cooling system in every new revision.
As a result, the third revision is the coolest, with improved ventilation and a replaced cooler.
However, the PS5 Slim heats up the most and is the noisiest.
This is mainly due to its smaller casing, which made integrating a robust cooling system challenging.
you’re able to see the comparison in the picture below.
In the third revision, Sony introduced a new motherboard and altered the chips technology.
The chip now operates on a 6 nm process, making it more energy-efficient.
The PS5 third revision consumes 20W-25W less energy than the original.
Also, the third revision is almost 600 grams lighter with reduced cooler sizes.
Which PS5 revision you should buy
Lets discuss which PS5 revision you should consider buying.
I want to go through each revision and highlight their strengths and weaknesses.
PS5 First Revision (2020): This is the original PS5.
It had several issues, such as drifting sticks on the DualSense controllers that came with this version.
PS5 Second Revision (2021): This is a lighter version of the first PS5.
Sony changed the cooling system, making it slightly quieter and lighter by removing excess copper from the radiators.
There were fewer defects in the DualSense controllers in this revision.
PS5 Third Revision (2022): This is considered the best version of the PS5.
Additionally, the motherboard was completely replaced to enhance ventilation.
Which PS5 to Choose?I recommend the original PS5s third revision.
So far, it is acting like the most refined version and is cheaper than the PS5 Slim.
Its also worth keeping an eye on new revisions of the PS5 Slim.
If Sony can make it cooler and quieter, it could become the ideal PS5.
However, differentiating the first three revisions can be more challenging.
you could do this by checking the model number.
To find it, look at the bottom of the console.
In the top left corner, youll find the model number (as shown in the picture below).
It is also duplicated on the box, near the serial number and barcode.
The model number always starts with CFI, and its easy to spot.
Pay attention to the fourth character.
This is the only way to distinguish these three PS5 revisions.
