I don’t know if you realise this, but the PlayStation 4 still costs $299.99 officially. Sony has added value to the console by increasing its base hard drive size and also by bundling in software, but it’s more or less maintained the same MSRP for nearing three years now. That’s a testament to the success of the system overall: it’s approaching 100 million units now, and it’s done so at a premium price point.
But with the PlayStation 5 looming, I think it’s the perfect time to move the format into its final form. With the PlayStation 3, the platform holder introduced an end-of-life hardware revision: the top-loading PS3 Super Slim – a cheap and cheerful entry-point for cash-conscious latecomers. The manufacturer’s said that the PS4 still has three years left in it, so perhaps it’s time to do the same.
Nintendo is leading the charge in this regard, as it so often does. Despite the Switch being the hottest new piece of hardware on the market, it’s already readying the release of a revision: the portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite. It’s fair to say this isn’t competing for the same market as the PS4, but at just $199.99, the House of Mario will no doubt expect the handheld to fly off shelves.
Sony doesn’t necessarily need to respond because it’s targeting a different audience, but its current-gen console could benefit from a shake-up. With major titles like Death Stranding, The Last of Us: Part II, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Cyberpunk 2077 scheduled to round out the generation, the manufacturer has a lot to shout about – but revised hardware and a reduced price point would help.
To be clear, I’m referring to the base model PS4 in this article – I’m not convinced it’s worth altering the PS4 Pro at this stage, as the supercharged system is likely to be phased out once the PS5 arrives. But for that market of stragglers – kids, casuals, and everyone in between – there’s a huge market left for PS4 that would undoubtedly benefit from a smaller, cheaper model.
I’ve no reason to doubt the Japanese giant at this stage in the generation: it’s cultivated a tremendous ecosystem and sold more consoles than I could even count. But to eke the very most out of the latter stages of this generation, I think the company needs to be proactive: drop the price, reinvent the hardware, and then let the last round of software wrap things up in unprecedented style.
Do you think Sony should launch a PS4 Super Slim, or stick with the current hardware model until the system’s eventually retired? Would you buy a smaller, cheaper PS4 for family or friends? Shrink things down in the comments section below.
Would you buy a PS4 Super Slim? (174 votes)
- Yes, I always buy hardware revisions
- I would, I've been waiting for a cheaper PS4
- Maybe, it'd depend on its features and price
- No, I already own a PS4 and don't need another
- I'm not interested in the PS4 anymore
Please login to vote in this poll.
Comments 64
@WillMerfi No chance.
I think at this point in the game they're better off just slashing the price of the current models and riding them out until the 5 launches. I'm sure both the slim and pro will be $200/$300 respectively come the holidays, may as well just make it a permanent price and leave it at that. Think we're past the point of needing another sku with the PS5 ~18 months away.
You could probably compare the Switch Lite to a PS4 slim that only allows wired controllers without rumble and only supports 720p.
In Sony's case, they would be better off either leaving it as it is, or just release a PS4 Pro Slim that doesn't sound like a giant mosquito on steroids, or a Pro Slim with SSD (forget an ultra slim at this stage).
The technology being developed for the PS5 will allow for the production of a PS4 with a smaller silicon area and lower power consumption for a lower manufacturing cost. However given the size of the hard disk and disk drive will remain the same this may not mean the actual shell of the PS4 becomes smaller.
@redd214 they need a new model so they can make it cheaper, thats the whole point of slim models.
there was a rumor of ps4 mini coming this september
The only problem is the backwards compatibility of the PS5. Any PS4 you buy now is going to be near-redundant in a matter of months.
That sounds like a terrible hardware revision from Nintendo. I hate the idea so much. I mean, aside from making a cheaper PS4 there's no need, and the Switch is cutting huge features to achieve that price point.
@Jaz007
I think it's ok for kids.
Edit the switch lite I mean
I’d love a another PlayStation portable device. Would be awesome to have a PS4 handheld. Yes please!
I plan to replace my switch to swich lite, I rarely use my switch tv out capability because playing switch game on 4k tv is not a good experience and I prefer to play ps4 pro AAA games on my tv.
I think switch lite is perfect for me since it’s smaller, narrower and less heavy than my old switch. I want portable machine from nintendo, not some weird hybird like old switch
No doubt there will be a big market for this, especially in Japan, and I.. kind of like the idea of it I guess? But a Switch that doesn't switch? Just a bit weird.
No weirder than a 2DS I suppose.
@get2sammyb bit off topic but I’m curious. With your strong opinion on sony portable consoles, what do you think is more likely? Getting a vita succesor in the next 10 years or getting any form of sony owned games on the switch in the next 10 years?
The only way I'd buy a PS4 super slim is if it was portable and had a screen attached to it.
Nintendo needs a PS TV type thing, the fact you can play ps vita games on that tiny thing is amazing.
I think its too late. They should have done it by now if they were going to. If they launch new hardware now, when they are gearing the market up for ps5 it will only cause confusion. Bear in mind they already revised ps4 twice with the slim and pro models. This is the first revision of the switch and is clearly targeted at the younger market for pokemon (coming out same day and date), and the japanese market.
Oh and sony's failure (rightly or wrongly) to bring out a successor to vita means ill probably go back to nintendo's ecosystem for the switch lite because it will fill the void left by vita's absence. The devs releasing such inventive and unique games on vita which made it such a joy to play are now migrating to switch, so it makes sense to pick on up. Im disapointed they removed the option to play on tv though as that kind of defeats the point of being a switch.
Also, PS would be better off just making a dedicated tablet/controller device for streaming your PS4/5
@get2sammyb That first comment makes me think my original idea wasn't so bad after all. 😉
Is the PS4 Slim really $299 though? Feels like it's been $199 in the US on sale regularly for 2 years. Pro is another story.
Before a Super Slim they need to figure out what to do with 2 models alongside PS5 b/c that's 1 too many.
Either $200 Slim and $500 PS5
or $300 Pro and $500 PS5
$200, $300 and $500 may be good price points but too much inventory.
And why drop the well performing Pro over the struggling Slim, that makes no sense.
I still think Pro interior, Slim exterior, $249 when $499 PS5 launches, PS4 Slim Pro.
So so glad I refrained from purchasing a new 2ds.
Alexa what are the symptoms of euphoria ?
@get2sammyb As a Vita fan, this new Switch appeals to me, its almost the Nintendo Vita (the current Switch doesnt appeal to me).
I think you're right about cheap revisions appealing to a new audience, I only got a PS3 as the last revision, but it got me back into console gaming and I picked up a PS4 not long after launch.
I very much doubt they'll do a new slim right now because AMD who supplied the chips for it are currently pushing out Zen 2/Navi, and with any new revision to a console the GPU and CPU usually get a die shrink to help lower power usage, costs in the actual console as well and I don't think AMD and TSMC who fab for AMD would have any fab lines available because it will be all for Zen 2/Navi fab as priority for PS5 and the desktop market right now
Unless its a Slim Pro, I cant see why anyone would want to "downgrade" their PS4?
Pro players wont buy it.
Normal PS4 owners would be aware of PS5.
Only people who should buy it would be those who don't have a PS4.
@Number09 VC and massive BC catalogue though... I dont regret buying the New 2DS XL. I like the look of this new device, but I may hold off a bit on Switch lite as is still a bit pricey.
@WillMerfi No u
No. No it doesn't. There are three varients of the PS4. We don't need another. And with the end of the gen being around the corner there'd be no point.
A new Switch would not have any impact on the PS4 in my opinion.
I don't understand the point of the Switch Lite, to be honest.
And I'd only be interested in a PS4 "super slim" if it was a lot smaller than the current iterations.
I don't think they need to waste time with another version of the PS4 personally, if they wanna combat the Switch lite they should just slash the price of the pro/standard models
@Ristar24 with you all the way with the backlog Star.
The only reason I wanted a new 2DS having the old 2ds was for xenoblade on the go .......just means now pay a bit extra and get breath of wind and skyrim i'm not out of love with the 2ds Majora's mask is brill bout time i made the step up.
The ps4 slim was already die shrunk from 28nm to14nm. The pro is 14nm too. The new zen2 and navi chips are the first products (except for vega7) to utilize 7nm tech. Shrinking existing hardware down to 7nm with only 18 months left before next gen arrives, I think simply won't come attached with any major financial gains. Keeping the 14nm assembly lines up and running will probably be less costly. My bet is they'll be keep making the slim for a couple more years. If they decide to shrink a ps4, I can only see it make sense with the ps4pro. But the thought of a standard ps4 being shrunk to 7nm is a fascinating thought though. That thing could potentially work as a portable. Slap on a 1080p screen and Bob's your uncle
I still have my OG PS4. I'm good with what I have.
Personally, I think the Nintendo Lite is more of a 3DS killer - something that will signal the end of that handheld device. I don't see it as one last opportunity to replace the Slim with a Super Slim - not without making it all digital because they can't slim it down much more without taking some of the bulk of a Disc Drive away and that would also reduce the power draw too so a smaller power unit - thus making it much slimmer/smaller...
@zazzy How do you grow out of Nintendo games? Are you some sort of gaming plant nourished by the soil of their software?
IMO, it's too late in the life of the PS4 lifecycle to bother trying to appeal to a wider audience. Unless it's portable or offers something VASTLY different than the current PS4, I don't think it makes any sense. Price drops, sure, but revision? I don't see it appealing to anyone new.
The Switch is in a different place. I think it's way too expensive at $300 to justify personally. They really should have also released a more powerful/much cheaper TV only version though. I'm not interested in playing one portable, but there are a few games I'd like to play. Sucks this new version is portable ONLY....
@zazzy Certainly an unpopular opinion, but I agree. Nintendo releases the same games over and over and over and over. I grew out of them in the Gamecube era. It's unbelievable to me what the Switch gets away with in terms of performance. Not in a good way. It's the most recent console, but it still gets a pass for 540p-720p/30fps these days. If anyone else did that, they'd be crucified. The 'it's a protable' argument just doesn't work for me. It's horribly uncomfortable and performance/battery life is dismal for a portable. My cell phone with a controller provides a better portable gaming experience imho.
There's no point to this idea of a super slim PS4. Nintendo has the brand recognition for parents (Lite is aimed at children), and PS4 isn't even competing with the Switch Lite. People who already own another primary console, like a PS4, are a prime audience for a cheap, handheld only Nintendo. With so many PS4s in the wild, I think the number of people potentially choosing between the two is miniscule at this point. Sony would be wiser to play to their strengths - just price cut the current models and waste no time or resources on a revision while they gear up for PS5.
@NathanUC I won’t argue about the technical side of the console, but “Nintendo releases the same games over and over” has to be one of the funniest things I’ve ever read.
Just because Link’s Awakening and Breath Of The Wild are called Zelda doesn’t mean they’re the same; on the contrary, they are as different as games can be.
The same applies for Super Mario Odyssey and NSBU for example, limiting myself to only games available on Switch.
Also, Nintendo invented a crapton of unique games and series like Splatoon and Animal Crossing.
I respect your opinion, but I cannot say I agree; I feel like my open world games on PS4 look and play practically the same even though they’re developed by different people, a feeling Nintendo games very rarely give me.
Super slim would be pointless. If you want a cheaper console just get one 2nd hand.The super slim would also offer absolutly nothing new.
I bought my PS4 Slim for $200 on Black Friday they just need to price drop to that same price and that's it, and the new Switch it's a gimped version which doesn't have TV connectivity and lacks a lot of features that my PS4 has
@clvr There are exceptions to everything, but I'm not spending $300 on exceptions. BotW was overrated me to. I'm glad Nintendo at least tried, but it was tedious and boring to me. NSBU is just another SB with better roster. Animal Crossing, where? We'll see in a year when it finally comes out (same with Metroid). SMO was just another boring 3d platformer to me. Pokemon hasn't changed since I was in high school, mario kart/party is still just mario kart/party. If you love that stuff, I'm sure you'll always love them. Same is true for generic open world games on PS4, but I'm bored of all that too. A company like Nintendo can afford to take bigger risks and at least try to innovate more.
Again, I understand it's the unpopular opinion, but that's the justification from me.
The PS4 really need to come down in price now. It's crazy that the RRP of the Pro is still £349. That's what I paid for my OG PS4 at launch.
I think you'll get decent bundles for slim for £200 at Christmas for ps4 to compete with the switch/switch lite combo for Christmas. Personally I think they should concentrate on ps5 and the race with microsoft.
The eject button just fell off my PS4. I could say ‘perfect time to buy the pro’, but in reality I’m sick to death of the thing ghost ejecting constantly and don’t trust Sony after 2 PS1’s, a PS2, a DVD player, and CD-R have all lasted less than 4 years each.
The reason we get mid gen update consoles is to hide that the previous one had such a short expiration date in the first place.
Switch should have made a console only version at less cost. I never bought one because I have zero use for a hand held device.
The only PS4 revision I'd turn my head in the direction of would be a laptop-like one with a screen, like that one PS1 model way back when. Otherwise, I already have what this platform can hope to give me hardware-wise. Like I said on NL earlier, Switch Lite doesn't interest me either.
@kyleforrester87 arguably weirder - stereoscopic visuals or not, 2DS name still justly reflected being part of the long-running "Dual Screen" family (the acronym's other meaning didn't age quite as well after touchscreens became commonplace). Switch Lite sounds like a marketing trap where they omit the very eponymous features yet can't seem to ditch the already recognizable brand name. I would still prefer something like, dunno, "Nintendo Voyager" or "Nintendo Satellite" (maybe with a stylized distinguished "S" to reference whose library it shares for the most part), but I'm in no position to advise a century-old company on such things.
@roe Because it's very expensive at €330. They had to lower the 3DS' price from €250 to €170 mere months after launch because it didn't sell. So a €200 Switch is going to be way more appealing to the handheld only crowd.
@GKO900 better to compare Switch Lite to the darling PlayStation Vita Which is better than the Lite..
Bad take, try again.
There’s no reason for this. The current PS4 is plenty slim, and making it slimmer would have zero measurable effect compared to a simple price drop by itself. It’s not like you carry your PS4 around like a Switch.
Must be a slow news day here.
It's fine dropping the price of the existing PS4 Slim to under £200 (they often do) but I hope they DON'T do a super slim like the PS3 as that was just cheap and nasty!
I had one after my original fat 60Gb one died and traded it in within a few weeks for a slim model. Apart from the comedy opening mechanism which meant it fell over if you had it vertical every time you opened the cover to change disc, the thing was just so damn loud when reading the disc!
Personally, I think we'll see a £200 PS4 slim and the £xxx PS5. I think the Pro will be phased out as the PS5 will do the supercharged PS4 role. But whatever configuration we get, please no sliding disc tray cover!
Lowering the price of the base PS4 during the upcoming holiday season and packaging them with games will help Sony gather just a few more customers who many eventually make it onto the PS5. Redesigning the console will probably add to the cost without much tangible benefits. Ps4 isn't a handheld, making them any smaller would do much.
Or just to drop the PS4 slim to 200£ to compete with the new Switch... The hardware is just fine as it is.
But what Nintendo is doing is basically releasing the Vita 2 under their brand, which is regrettable. Sony should revive the Vita.
Perhaps a Slim Pro?
Or a Pro VR, with all the gubbins built into the case so you just plug the headset in the front and camera in the back, that would sell.
The switch slim looks like an over priced peace of plastic that doesn't even connect to the TV with the dock and what happens if the sticks or buttons go wrong ?
There is no point in a ps4 slim this late in it's life the ps5 is out soon and will hopefully be backwards compatible with ps4 games and stop that dreadful loud blowing ( The division ).
They make enough money first with the ps4 then ps4 pro and the ps4 dumbed down model. Just leave things the way they are until Ps5 we pay enough for games and extra bits. Or bring out a ps4 with with guts near a ps5 so it's quite and doesn't lag at times.
Plus the money to make and sell ps4 slim consoles at a risk of sales so near to the ps5 would not be worth it. How about instead of a slim a vita 2 that can play ps4 games the vita design is amazing it's such a pity it didn't really take off because they nailed it.
I already own a PS4 Pro so I'm good.
the purpose of this article is unclear and confused at best. i have no idea what the switch mini has to do with the ps4 and how one could relate the two. no, the ps4 does not need a super slim model — how much smaller could the console get before heating issues become a concern? heating issues are already a concern with the slim afterall. this is a clickbait article designed to exploit on the hype of nintendo's news and would not exist otherwise.
@WillMerfi nope, I'll never buy another Sony handheld in my life.
I'd rather get a price cut on the slim.
People clearly don't know how Sony operates! If it's cheaper to make Sony will obviously release a new model. Slim PS2 came out before PS3 and the Super Slim PS3 came out a year before the PS4. It would make sense to release a new slim PS4 at a reduced cost for the holiday season. It's always good to get a hardware sales boost to go along with your software during the holidays. That would fill the 2019 gap since PS5 isn't coming out until Fall 2020 presumably
@NathanUC dude, the fact I mentioned games on Switch just for an example’s sake seems to have flown over your head 😅
The point is not to talk about Dwitch games, but how different games in the same series can be: take a 2D Zelda, a 3D Zelda and BOTW and I’m sure you won’t be able to deny they are vastly different experiences.
So it makes no sense telling me that AC isn’t on Switch, as I’m talking about series in general; the point is: can you envision any other dev in the world coming up with charming, unique weirdness such as AC and Splatoon? I sure as hell cannot.
Pokémon is the same game every year because it’s the only Nintendo series Nintendo doesn’t wholly own, sp they have to put up with whatever BS Game Freak and TPC come up with.
Lastly, “BOTW is overrated” and “SMO is boring” are not arguments to support your idea, they’re opinions. I respect them, but you cannot tell me that Nintendo makes the same games over and over and justify it by saying “BOTW is overrated”. It’s okay that you don’t like it, but it doesn’t make it any less innovative, good, or different from the previous ones.
@clvr You think I missed your point, and I think you missed my point. BoTW wasn't even the most innovative 3D RPG of this or last generation. It's still fairly generic. SMO, same story.
Dreams, Astrobot, Beat Saber, the Souls series, Minecraft, Undertale, Papers Please, Fortnite, Metal Gear Solid, and God of War are all great examples of games that either invented their own space or took a good concept and made generation improvements to it. I don't like some of these games on the list, but I can still admire their innovation.
Yes, for a Zelda game, BOTW was a big step forward, but it's still behind others. Same with SMO. The last major improvement to the Zelda series was Link to the Past/Majora's Mask (imo, Majora's Mask).
Again... I'm not saying any of the first party Nintendo games are bad.. I'm just saying they aren't interesting in 2019. They are taking known characters/IP and slapping a fresh coat of paint on them. They aren't inventing new genres or even IPs. The only impressive features of the Switch was Labo, and even that seemed a bit half assed.
Point is, yes, in the past Nintendo did some amazing things with gaming... but they are falling behind. Sony has VR and mobile has AR. Sony is also taking risks with their first party studios; many of which are paying off. It's the leading platform for a reason. Software being developed for hardware released in 2013 by Sony is pushing gaming further than that of Nintendo's 2017 release. Nintendo has a huge advantage when it comes to flexibility with the Switch, but they insist on playing it safe.
That's not even touching on the fact that Nintendo's online service is a joke.
Fair enough speculation at the end of ps4 life but the Switch lite is in no way related to ps4. Title was dumb.
@NathanUC if you think the way you can interact with BOTW’s world is nothing innovative or impressive you probably have played some really complex open world games I’ve never heard of. I mean, the exploration in BOTW and Skyrim, H:ZD or TW3 is day and night, you cannot even compare the interactivity.
Still, even if you disagree, your initial point was that they always make the same game, and I’ve just shown you it isn’t that way; at least not always.
I can understand that Kirby and Pokémon (already explained) are mostly the same, but that doesn’t apply to everything.
Also, “they aren’t inventing new genres” is pretty unfair: who has in the last 5-10 years?
I can think of Battle Royale amd survival games that gained traction in that period, but really, inventing new genres doesn’t happen overnight. Does it mean nothing that Splatoon and ARMS created new ways to conceive already existing genres?
@clvr Again, I think you're over valuing BoTW mechanics... you even game great examples of games that handled open world better (except H:ZD). Other than temples, the game feels empty and incomplete. They didn't do a good job at making it feel like a WORLD. Just an open sandbox.
I still don't think you understand what I mean. My last post explained why I am not happy with them making the same games over and over. Splatoon isn't nearly as bad as the the others I was talking about, but it's still just a third person shooter with a kid friendly skin. Certainly more innovative than most others, but an exception. ARMS was an ok idea with s*** implementation. No one is playing ARMS anymore because it wasn't a great game. It was closer to a tech demo/party game imo.
Inventing new genres or vastly improving on them? I listed a bunch. I can list more if you'd like. Detroit/Heavy Rain/Beyond 2 Souls, Monster Hunter World, FFXIV, Telltale stuff, The Stanley Parable, Superhot (mostly VR), Firewall Zero Hour, hell, a bunch of PSVR games come close.
It seems that there's not really a point to this talk anymore since I felt most of this reply was just "hey, did you read my last ones?". This really isn't the place for it anyways. I also took a look at your PSN profile and it's pretty barren. Nothing wrong with that, but I get the impression you haven't played any of the games I listed unless you're also a PC gamer, but there's no Steam profile for your handle.
Please mind the language - Quintumply
@NathanUC yeah I don’t have a PS4 at the moment anymore, my brother has it. I don’t own a copy of Horizon or TW3, but I’ve played the former and watched a lot of the the latter.
To be honest I think if we’re talking innovation, indies have taken the mantle for a decade or so; by far the most creative experiences I’ve had in the last 5-10 tend to be indie games.
But I guess you’re right, there’s no point going on anymore; let’s just agree to disagree
Have a good day/night!
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