PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Slim Review: a compact PS5 that’s great if you live fully digital

I held off on buying a PS5 for a long time. I didn’t like the original model’s size, and I wasn’t excited about paying full price for a huge plastic tower that barely fit in a TV unit. When this PS5 Digital Edition Slim came out and dropped a bit in price during a promo, I finally pulled the trigger. I’ve used it daily for a few weeks now, mostly in the evenings after work, and I’ll be honest: it’s not perfect, but it does the job very well for a digital-only console.

My setup: 55" 4K TV with HDMI 2.1, wired internet, and I sit about 2.5–3 meters away from the screen. I mainly play action games and sports games, plus some PS4 backlog. I’m not chasing every technical spec like a PC nerd anymore; I just want something that boots fast, runs games smoothly, and doesn’t sound like a jet engine. I came from a base PS4 that was starting to struggle on newer titles, both in noise and loading times.

Right out of the box, this PS5 Digital Slim felt like a decent upgrade, especially on speed and general comfort of use. Loading screens are a lot shorter, the console is pretty quiet in normal use, and the DualSense controller adds a bit of fun with haptics and adaptive triggers. It’s not magic, but you feel the jump compared to a PS4. You also feel the compromise of being locked into digital games only, especially if you’re used to buying used discs or borrowing from friends.

So in this review I’m going to walk through what I actually liked day to day (performance, noise, size), what annoyed me (UI quirks, digital-only, accessories), and whether the price makes sense right now. Think of this more like a friend telling you how it is after a few weeks of normal use, not someone trying to convince you it’s the best console ever made.

On price, the PS5 Digital Slim sits in a slightly awkward spot. It’s cheaper than the disc version, but not massively, and you lose the option to buy or sell physical games. Over time, that can matter a lot. If you usually grabbed used games or resold your finished titles, going digital-only means you’re locked into PlayStation Store prices and sales. Sometimes you get good deals, sometimes not. So the real cost of this console isn’t just the hardware; it’s also how you plan to buy games over the next few years.

That said, if you’re already mostly digital, the value is pretty solid. You get a current-gen console that runs modern games well, with fast loading and a good controller. The included 1 TB SSD is okay to start with. After a few big games, you’ll probably have to manage storage or add an SSD, but that’s the same story on most consoles now. Just be realistic: big AAA games can take 80–120 GB each, so you won’t keep your entire library installed at once.

There are a couple of hidden costs: the vertical stand is extra, and sooner or later you’ll probably want a second controller or a charging dock. If you start adding those, the price difference with the disc version shrinks. At that point, if you care even a bit about physical games, the disc model might make more sense. But if you’re 100% okay with digital, don’t plan to watch Blu-rays, and prefer the slightly cleaner look of the Digital Slim, the package is fair for what it offers.

In short, I’d say the PS5 Digital Slim is good value if your habits match the product. It’s not a bargain, and it’s not cheap, but it delivers good performance and a comfortable experience for the money. Just think carefully about the digital-only limitation before you commit, because that’s the one thing you can’t change later unless you buy the separate disc drive and bump the total cost even higher.

Physically, the PS5 Digital Slim is smaller than the launch PS5, but don’t expect a tiny box like a Switch or a Series S. It’s still a fairly large console, just a bit more manageable. It fit into my TV unit horizontally with some room to spare on the sides, which would have been tight with the original version. The dimensions listed (roughly 17 x 15 x 6 inches in the packaging) give you an idea of the bulk. Once unpacked, it’s slimmer, but you still need to plan space and airflow.

The design is the same general PS5 look: white panels, black middle, slightly curved shape. It looks modern enough, but it also stands out, which you might or might not like. Personally, I don’t care much as long as it doesn’t scream for attention, and after a few days I just stopped noticing it. Dust does show up a bit on the white shell, so if you’re picky about looks, be ready to wipe it down once in a while.

What annoyed me a bit is the vertical stand situation. The console technically can stand without it, but it’s not very stable and I wouldn’t trust it near kids or pets. For a console at this price, asking people to pay extra just to stand it safely feels like nickel-and-diming. The small horizontal feet do their job though; the console feels stable when laid flat, and there’s enough clearance for airflow underneath.

Noise-wise, the design seems to work. During normal gaming sessions, the fan is barely noticeable. You get a light hum if you mute the TV and listen for it, but nothing like the loud PS4 Pro jet-turbine effect. The vents are on the back and sides, so just don’t cram it into a closed cabinet. In short, the design is decent: not gorgeous, not ugly, just a big modern box that stays relatively quiet and finally fits in more living rooms than the original monster.

The console itself is obviously plugged in, so the battery topic is mostly about the DualSense controller. Out of the box, you get one controller and a USB cable to charge it. Battery life is decent but not fantastic. With haptic feedback and adaptive triggers fully enabled, I usually get around one long evening of gaming (4–6 hours) before I feel safer plugging it back in. If you play shorter sessions, you’ll probably charge it every 2–3 nights. It’s okay, but if you’re used to older controllers that lasted forever, you’ll notice the difference.

The haptics and adaptive triggers themselves are pretty cool when games actually use them properly. You feel different textures and resistance on triggers depending on the action. It’s not a life-changing thing, but it does add a bit of feedback that makes some games more engaging. The downside is that these features eat into battery life. If you want to stretch the battery, turning down or disabling some of these options in settings helps. You can also turn off the controller mic, which weirdly affects rumble strength and can help the battery slightly.

In practice, I ended up buying a cheap charging dock and a second controller, because I hate playing with a cable plugged in from the sofa. That obviously adds to the total cost. If you’re on a budget, you can just charge with the supplied cable and be disciplined about plugging it in when you’re done. Just don’t expect to go a full week of heavy use on one charge like some older pads.

Comfort-wise, the DualSense is one of the nicer controllers I’ve used. The grip is good, the weight feels balanced, and the buttons are responsive. I have medium-sized hands and had no issues with cramps, even after a few hours. The only minor annoyance is the glossy parts and the light bar, which don’t add much in my opinion and are just there to look “next-gen”. Overall the controller is solid, with the trade-off being that all the extra tech inside means more frequent charging than simpler pads.

On the durability side, I can’t pretend I’ve used it for years yet, but I can comment on the build quality and first impressions. The console itself feels solid enough when you handle it. The plastic is not luxury-level, but it doesn’t feel flimsy either. The panels don’t creak when you pick it up, and it doesn’t feel like something that will fall apart if you move it a few times between rooms. It’s not super heavy for its size (around 8.9 pounds), so you can easily shift it around if needed.

The vents and intakes are in logical places, and as long as you don’t shove it against a wall or inside a closed cabinet, it should stay reasonably cool. After several long sessions, the top and back get warm but not alarming. Fan noise stays low, which usually means the cooling system is doing its job. Of course, dust build-up over years is always a concern with consoles, so if you’re in a dusty environment, you’ll want to give it a quick clean from time to time.

The DualSense feels more complex than the old DualShock, which is both good and slightly worrying. The triggers have more moving parts because of the adaptive resistance. They feel firm and well built, but I could imagine them being a weak point after a couple of years if you’re rough with them or if kids mash them constantly. Same with the internal battery: like every built-in battery, it will degrade over time. That’s pretty standard now, but it’s still something to keep in mind if you’re planning to keep the console for many years.

Overall, nothing in the PS5 Digital Slim screams “cheap”, but it also doesn’t give the impression of being indestructible. I’d call it decently built for a living-room device. Treat it like any other electronics: keep it ventilated, don’t drop the controller every day, and you should be fine. Time will tell how it holds up compared to the PS4, but so far, no weird noises, no crashes, and no hardware quirks on my unit.

On performance, the PS5 Digital Slim does what it’s supposed to do. Load times are the first obvious upgrade from a PS4. Big games that used to take 30–60 seconds to load now often boot in 10–20 seconds, sometimes less. Fast travel inside games is way quicker too. It doesn’t feel instant like magic, but it’s a clear quality-of-life boost. Going back to a spinning-disk console after this would feel rough.

In terms of graphics, most PS5 games I tried offer a “performance” mode and a “quality” or “resolution” mode. On my 4K TV, performance mode usually targets 60 fps with slightly lower resolution or effects, while quality mode goes for higher resolution and more visual detail but often locks at 30 fps. I mostly stick to performance mode because the smoother motion feels better in action games. The console handles this well; I didn’t see big frame drops in the titles I tested. It’s not on the same level as a top-end PC, but for the price and simplicity, it’s solid.

Backwards compatibility with PS4 games is also a nice bonus. Some older games just run better out of the box, with more stable frame rates and shorter loads. Not every game magically becomes a PS5-level experience, but if you have a backlog, it’s a good way to squeeze more life out of those purchases. On the audio side, the 3D audio feature is decent with a good headset; it’s not mind-blowing, but it does help with directionality in shooters and more immersive games.

One thing to keep in mind: this is the standard PS5 Slim, not the PS5 Pro. A lot of reviews online mix them up or talk about the Pro’s extra power and 2 TB storage. This Digital Slim has 1 TB and the regular PS5 hardware, which is still plenty for today’s games, but not future-proof forever. For now, though, if your main goal is to enjoy current-gen games at 60 fps on a 4K TV without constantly tweaking settings like on PC, it gets the job done very well.

The version I have is the Digital Edition Slim, model CFI-2000. That means no disc drive out of the box, just a pure digital console. In the box you get: the console, a white DualSense controller, HDMI cable, power cable, USB cable for charging the controller, a pair of small horizontal feet, and the usual paper manuals. There’s a 1 TB SSD inside, but in reality you only get a bit less for games once the system uses its share.

One thing to highlight: the vertical stand is sold separately. Out of the box, it’s meant to lie horizontally, and the included plastic feet are there just to keep it stable and give it a bit of airflow. If you want it standing up next to your TV, that’s an extra cost, which feels a bit cheap from Sony considering the price of the console. For a lot of people it’s not a big deal, but if your TV unit is tight on space, you’ll need to think about that.

Setup is pretty straightforward. Plug in HDMI and power, pair the controller with the USB cable, and follow the on-screen instructions. If you have a PS4, you can transfer your saves and some games over the network. That part actually worked better than I expected; I started the transfer, went to make dinner, and it was done when I came back. Updates and downloads take time, of course, especially if your internet isn’t fast, but that’s normal for any modern console.

From a feature standpoint, this PS5 Digital Slim is basically a PS5: 4K support, faster SSD, 3D audio support, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and backward compatibility with most PS4 games. The difference is mainly the form factor and the lack of disc drive. If you’re fine living in Sony’s digital ecosystem and waiting for sales on the PlayStation Store, this setup is pretty solid. If you rely on physical games, this specific model is simply not for you unless you’re ready to also buy the external disc drive later.