Why I’m Not Buying a Next-Gen Console Until the PS5 Slim Comes Out

As of this writing, the PS4 has been out for nearly five years, the Xbox One for four and the Switch will soon be entering its first year on the market. By all accounts, it seems that we’re close to having enough consoles on the market to warrant new ones with better technology. However, like everyone else who doesn’t need one right away, I’m going to be waiting until the PS5 Slim comes out before I buy a next-gen console myself. Here’s why you should too.

What’s Up With Current Consoles?

You might be asking yourself, If you’re not buying an Xbox One X or PS4 Pro yet, then why are you writing about them on your PlayStation and Xbox blogs? The answer is simple: These consoles don’t represent what next-gen will really look like. They’re essentially power boosts for current gen hardware that are using new tricks to take advantage of old technology.

What Is The PS5 Slim?

The PlayStation 5 Slim is going to be announced sometime before 2020. The PS5 slim will be updated hardware specs and software so that it can run new games. The slim will also come with more storage than its predecessor, and will most likely have an option for backward compatibility with previous PlayStation games (although whether Sony will charge you extra for that feature remains to be seen). Even though we know that a PS5 Slim is coming out, many people are still hesitant about upgrading from their current console (the PS4 or Xbox One) because they don’t feel like spending another $400+ on something they already own. I’m not one of those people.

What Are The Specs on the PS5 Slim?

This is where it gets tricky. Sony has yet to officially announce a new console—or even admit that one is in development. That said, we can do some digging to figure out what it might look like. If we’re going off of past releases, then it’s likely that Sony will release two versions of its next console: a slim version and a Pro version. The slim model would be cheaper and more affordable than its bigger brother, while also being able to play all games released for previous consoles (including PS4 titles). The Pro model would be higher-end with better specs for those who want better graphics or want to play games in 4K resolution. While we don’t know how much either of these consoles will cost or when they’ll come out, there’s good reason to believe that they’ll be released sometime between 2020 and 2021—and probably closer to 2021 than 2020.

When Will It Come Out?

There’s no word on whether or not Sony will release another update to its PlayStation 4 line in 2018. According to an email from Sony Interactive Entertainment America senior director of corporate communications, Patrick Seybold, We can’t share timing yet, but we’re looking forward to sharing more details soon. There have been reports that Sony might launch its next console, PlayStation 5 (or whatever it’s called), in 2019. In 2017 and 2018 there was speculation that Microsoft would launch Project Scarlett in late 2018, but with 2020 being rumored as a possible date now, it could be some time before we get any solid answers. One thing is certain though: New consoles are coming.

Will The PS4 Games Still Work On The PS5?

Maybe! There’s a chance that you’ll be able to play all your favorite games on Sony’s next-gen console. In fact, there’s an even better chance you will be able to play some of those games, but not all of them. This is because Sony says they won’t stop supporting their current PlayStation 4 until at least 2021.

What Should You Do Now If You Want To Get A Next-Gen System Later?

If you’re reading these words, there’s an excellent chance that you want to buy a next-gen console. But…maybe not right now. Maybe in six months, or maybe not at all. If so, you should probably know why that is. And if you’re still on board with buying one of those fancy new systems later down the road, it might be worth knowing what exactly you can expect when they finally do arrive. So let’s talk about both those things: Why I think we shouldn’t rush out and buy new consoles right away, and what we can expect from them later on down the line. We’ll start with why waiting makes sense—and why it doesn’t.