Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) vs Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch)
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 1024 GB | 825 GB |
| Disc drive | false | true |
Between the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) and PlayStation 5 (Launch), the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) comes out ahead in storage, while the PlayStation 5 (Launch) wins on disc drive. Overall, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) scores 72.7 and the PlayStation 5 (Launch) scores 71.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (72.7 vs 71.1). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) if you care most about storage. The biggest gaps in its favor are storage. The single most decisive one: Storage — 24.12% more. 1024 GB vs 825 GB.
Pick the PlayStation 5 (Launch) if you care most about disc drive. Its strongest claims are disc drive. The single most decisive one: Has Disc drive.
Both ship with comparable ram, max resolution, max refresh, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch)?
Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) leads the current Mars Score by 1.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare storage against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) if…
Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) has the measurable edge on storage gb.
Choose Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) if…
Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) has the measurable edge on has disc drive.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) wins
- ▲Storage — 24.12% more. 1024 GB vs 825 GB.
Why Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) wins
- ▲Has Disc drive.
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Zen 2 8-core | AMD Zen 2 8-core |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 (10.3 TFLOPS) | AMD RDNA 2 (10.3 TFLOPS) |
| RAMⓘ | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Max resolution | 8K | 8K |
| Max refreshⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Ray tracing | true | true |
| VRRⓘ | true | true |
Storage
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) |
|---|---|---|
| Storageⓘ | 1024 GBlead | 825 GB |
| Storage typeⓘ | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Expandable storageⓘ | true | true |
Design & I/O
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) | Sony - PlayStation 5 (Launch) |
|---|---|---|
| Disc drive | false | truelead |
| HDMIⓘ | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| USB ports | 4 | 4 |
| Weight | 2.6 kglead | 4.5 kg |
| VR support | true | true |
Frequently asked
Does PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or PlayStation 5 (Launch) have a disc drive?+
PlayStation 5 (Launch) has a disc drive; PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) is digital-only.
Which has more storage, PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or PlayStation 5 (Launch)?+
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) ships with 1024GB of NVMe SSD.
Which supports higher refresh rates, PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (Slim) or PlayStation 5 (Launch)?+
PlayStation 5 (Launch) supports up to 120Hz vs 120Hz.