Three years into the cycle, Sony refreshed its entire PlayStation 4 hardware line with the PS4 Pro, PlayStation VR, and, of course, the PS4 Slim. But tech site Digitimes believes that the Japanese giant may now be planning an even smaller version of its uber-successful system. But is there any truth to the report?
As part of an article about the Nintendo Switch – the publication claims that the House of Mario is aiming to produce 20 million units of its home-console-cum-handheld this year, a figure which greatly exceeds the company's own expectations and would put it on par with the PS4's best ever year – it added the following tidbit: "Sony is expected to release a thinner version of its PS4."
Digitimes doesn't exactly have the best track record for gaming rumours, though it's generally better regarded in the wider tech sector, so could there be any truth here? Well it's clear that the company's working towards a $199.99 price point for the base model this holiday, so if another hardware revision enables it to do that, we wouldn't be surprised if it took the opportunity.
But realistically we reckon that the current PS4 Slim was already built with that kind of pricing strategy in mind – the company's already shown at times this year that it's willing to be ruthless to remain competitive, so it's clearly reduced the manufacturing cost. Could a smaller PS4 Pro be on the cards, then? Again, it's not impossible, but it seems unlikely.
Honestly, our guess is that Digitimes has merely got its wires crossed. Sony often makes minor changes to its mainline hardware models over time – you may remember the original PS4 lost its glossy hard-drive cover somewhere along the line – so it's possible that it may make minor tweaks to its current line of consoles. But even thinner versions? Not this year, in our opinion.
[source digitimes.com]
Comments 24
Could be a power efficient, minor tweaks PS4 Pro like you said. Scorpio is coming, so maybe Sony want's to cut down the PS4 Pro's price at that time. Honestly, PSVR is the hardware that needs a refreshed look this year. Better screen quality, redesigned motion controllers...etc.
@KingSimba PSVR's fine for now. Putting new screens in it will keep the price high, and they're only just starting to get a steady stream of the things into retail.
But yeah, under-the-hood tweaks seem more likely than wholesale changes.
I am of the impression that Sony isn't looking to make any current Pro users unhappy with a newer model, nor is it trying to prevent users from buying a Pro now in the hopes that a better model will come out this year. PS4 Pro released only a few months ago, it's too soon to get an upgrade, even if it's a smaller size.
As for design, what could they do? Make the logo not glossy? The console already has a matte finish. Methinks that Digitimes is just speculating without any real evidence.
@get2sammyb Dammit you're right, but I'm still not a fan of it's screen.
@KingSimba I don't think the Vive or Oculus Rift are massively better TBH — especially considering the price difference.
@get2sammyb Yup, that's why i'm still not sold in VR in genereal+no killer app.
@KingSimba You need to get some Rez Infinite into your eyeballs.
Didn't they just cme out with a slim PS4? How many slim PS4's do they think people need?
Does seem a bit soon - could see an even slimmer, cheaper model in maybe 2018-2019? The PlayStation 3 had two Slim iterations, remember. Again, this year just seems a little too fast.
I have the PS4 Slim above my phat PS3 above my original X1. The X1 power brick is practically the size of the PS4 Slim. I can't imagine the need to make it any smaller. The Pro is a big ugly eyesore, so I'm OK with a redesign.
And most importantly about the Pro, maybe it gets a 4k blu-ray drive and a price drop?
But a slimmer Slim? The slimmer slim PS3 in my bedroom is a piece of junk in comparison. I HATE the sliding cover.
PS4 Ultra w/ 12 Teraflops and 16GB GDDR5 RAM to scare the s*** out of Microsoft? 😂 Kidding, haha.
Could be a slim problem that might alienate early adopters like me! Might just be a production tweak to the slim so it can be sold cheaper!
Very much unlikely.
Maybe a streamlining of the PS Pro to make it look less like a hideous big mac for transformers.
But other then that, I doubt anything will happen this year.
@get2sammyb Now that I gotta experience. Makes you get high, lol.
PS4Pro slim wouldn't be a major surprise to me 4k that bit more affordable compared to whatever Scorpio comes out at
We need to go thiiiiinner.
Indeed, I don't quite see the point. If anything, I'd rather have a bit "fatter" PS4 Slim with a laptop-style screen attached. I swear I would actually carry this thing around as long as it fit in my shoulder bag! Or, better yet, do that to PS3. As PS Move and "Second Screen" are my witnesses, Sony is bound to take a page out of Switch sooner or later anyway. But rumours will be rumours - there are even "leaks" about a Vita successor, unlikely as Vita's sales make it seem in reality.
@nhSnork They might take a page out of Switch's book with a Vita successor, but I doubt it. Seems more likely to me that they'll want to grow their VR and game streaming markets. PS Now is the future for Sony, with a moderately powerful streaming box (perhaps with VR packed in) that can be supplemented by powerful cloud computers. If they make that a portable/console hybrid, they'll have one-upped Nintendo, though Switch did have those patents for a headset dock for VR capability.
instead of making smaller consoles they should be sorting out these game companies releasing broken games that need patching and i seen the review on new troll games average 3 these games should not allowed to be released its 2017 in the era of top of the range consoles yet loads of total crap been released
Gotta have dat Super Slim
It's possible... But is it plausible?
|-/
@nhSnork the ps1 & ps2 both had screens you could attach to em I'd like to see on on ps4
@brubeck unless it's one of Sonys teams they can't really sort out the rest
Whats it gonna be called the PS4 Size Zero.
It could be Vita2 or even Ps pro slim
But i hope they do something for Vita
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