New PlayStation Report Reveals Sony’s Plan to Keep PS5 Cost Down

Sony may be preparing a revision to the PS5 Slim that could disappoint many fans of the console. According to a new report from Dealabs, it has been rumored that the Digital Edition of the console will ship with less built-in storage, dropping from 1 TB back down to 825 GB. This adjustment is tied to a new “Chassis E” version of the PS5 Slim, expected to release in Europe first. The standard disc-drive model is not part of this change and is said to keep its 1 TB capacity.

The reason behind the change appears to be cost management. The PS5 has already faced multiple price increases in several regions, and scaling back hardware specifications is one way to avoid pushing the console’s retail cost even higher. Rather than risk consumer backlash from another price hike, Sony may be opting to trim production expenses at the expense of storage space.

Storage capacity has become important as modern titles regularly surpass 100 GB, either initially or with future updates. The upgrade to 1 TB was seen as one of the PS5 Slim’s biggest improvements, offering a little breathing room for those juggling several large games all at once. Cutting that back now means new PS5 buyers could find themselves running into storage issues on a much more consistent basis.

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From a manufacturing perspective, the decision makes sense. Solid-state drives remain among the most expensive components inside the PS5, and a size reduction allows Sony to keep costs down without raising the console’s price tag again. But for consumers, it feels like a step backward, especially for those who rely solely on digital downloads. What’s worse is that this is potentially occurring for a console in 2025, where storage capacity should largely be a solved logistics issue. Unfortunately, economic change can greatly alter how companies like Sony approach such aspects.

Looking at this with a consumer lens, those interested in the console may get to avoid paying up front for the hardware, but they will have to make do with less storage out of the box. It is a trade-off that accomplishes the same thing as Sony increases the price of the PS5, but without the potential backlash that would likely result from such a stunt. This could push more users toward external storage solutions or force them to constantly manage their game library. For a console in 2025, that is bound to be frustrating, especially when expectations have long since been set for such a high-end product.

If accurate, this change highlights how the pressures of the hardware market can affect consumer experience. Sony is making a choice that prioritizes affordability over convenience, and while it may succeed in keeping the PS5 Slim’s price steady, it leaves the Digital Edition with one of its most consumer-friendly features quietly stripped away.

Until Sony confirms the details, this remains unannounced and is speculation. However, if the PS5 Slim Digital Edition does release with 825 GB of storage, it will likely be remembered as an unfavorable compromise. It aims to maintain corporate affordability at the cost of value, leaving the consumer with less than what they had before.