Top pick
This version of the PS5 has a disc drive, so you can watch UHD Blu-ray movies, as well as play new or used PS5 and PS4 game discs. The rest of the features and hardware are the same.
The Digital Edition doesn’t include a disc drive, so you can’t watch Blu-rays or take advantage of new or used games or old PS4 discs. But if you’re comfortable going all-digital, it has the same graphics, CPU, memory, and storage hardware as the standard PS5.
We examined the difference between the two PlayStation 5 models in depth, and the major distinction is the presence of a disc drive. The PS5 Slim has one, and that makes it great for gamers who love physical media and own an assortment of PS4 games, since the PS5 is compatible with most of the PS4’s gaming library. It’s also great for movie lovers who have large Blu-ray collections, since it can produce 4K UHD video.
The PS5 Slim Digital lacks a disc drive, but it is a little cheaper, so if you’re leaning into going all-digital, you can save even more money.
Because neither model is significantly different from the original PS5, you don’t have a reason to upgrade if you already own one, though they’re both shorter and slimmer than the original version. (Our testers noted the impressive size of the original PS5, and the difficulty of finding media-console space for it, so getting a Slim version is a possible solution.)
The Wirecutter Deals team rarely sees sales on the PS5, and although this discount isn’t a major price slash, it’s almost enough to cover the cost of some of our favorite video games, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 or Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. We haven’t seen the price go any lower, typically, so if you’ve been holding out, it’s a good time to buy and beat the Black Friday rush.
This article was edited by Maxine Builder.
