PlayStation 4 Slim review

Summary

In a vacuum, the PlayStation 4 Slim is a great console. It's smaller, quieter and much more portable than the original PS4. But unless you need a new console right now and are on a strict budget, there's no reason to buy it when the higher-powered PS4 Pro is set to ship in November for $100 more.

Hardware

As its name suggests, the Slim is indeed a more compact version of what came before. The Slim drops over 2 pounds in weight, down to 4.63 pounds from 6.17, and it measures 10.43 x 11.34 x 1.54 inches, versus 10.83 x 12.01 x 2.09 inches on the older model. From the front, the PS4 has always looked like a sandwich cut at a funny angle. Both pieces of "bread" were an inch tall. That changes with the Slim. The bottom piece of "bread" is 7/8ths of an inch, and the top is 7/16ths of an inch. The Slim is 25 percent lighter, according to Sony, but it manages not to feel cheap or hollow. All of which is to say that the console is even more portable than its predecessor.

Much like the original PlayStation 3 and the PS3 Slim, the PS4 Slim retains the overall shape of the PS4 and drops its glossy black plastic in favor of a textured matte finish. This makes it much less prone to collecting dust, fingerprints and scratches. Meanwhile, sharp corners have given way to softer, rounded ones. It's up front where you'll notice the biggest changes.

The controller

The DualShock 4 is one of my favorite gamepads ever, but its battery life is absolutely awful. When images of a revamped controller started surfacing along with leaks of the Slim console itself, I hoped we'd get a more-power-efficient gamepad, or at least one with a bigger battery. The product label on the controller's underside reveals that there's an 800mAh battery tucked away, the same capacity as on the original. That's a huge missed opportunity on Sony's part, especially when you consider that with the Xbox One S, Microsoft retooled its standard gamepad to address shortcomings on the original controller.
That's not to say there aren't a few differences here, though -- it's just that they're mostly cosmetic. The thumbstick pods feel a little smoother in motion, while the share and options buttons aren't as stiff. The spaces where the face buttons and D-pad sit have changed, and have a matte, not glossy, finish. Oh, and all the touch-points, save for the touchpad and PlayStation/home button, are a carbon gray color versus monochrome black on the original.

The competition

At this point, it's impossible not to compare the PS4 Slim to the Xbox One S. The revamped Xbox One went on sale last month starting at $299, with an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive and support for HDR gaming. In terms of pure specs, the Xbox One S is a much better value. That UHD drive future-proofs you, making it hard to dismiss even if you don't currently have a 4K TV.

Wrap-up

The PS4 Slim is a great console. It's smaller, quieter and less obtrusive than the PS4 that launched in 2013. The addition of 5GHz WiFi is incredibly welcome, but no UHD Blu-ray drive makes it a tough sell against the comparably priced Xbox One S. The only reason to buy the Slim is if you need a new console right this minute and have a hard budget of $299. If you can hold out until November and sock away another $100 for the PS4 Pro, though, you absolutely should.

Pros

• More compact than before
• Quieter performance
• Even more portable than before
• No more distracting LED strip

 

Cons

• Lacks the UHD Blu-ray drive of the similarly priced Xbox One S
• Pack-in DualShock 4 controller still has abysmal battery life
• Only available with a 500GB disk

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