New PS5 models are getting their own console covers, but old ones aren’t compatible

By Giovanni Colantonio October 10, 2023

A PS5 consxole is opened up, showing its removable hard drive. — PlayStation

The newly redesigned PlayStation 5 is getting its own set of console covers sometime next year. Sony confirms to Digital Trends that several faceplate colors are slated to launch in 2024 but covers for the old PS5 models will not be compatible with the new systems.

One of the PS5’s most unique features is its removable faceplates, which allow players to customize their console with new colors and designs. The new PS5 models will evolve that idea with a four-cover panel design that gives the system a slightly different look. Sony is already planning to make those customizable in the near future, according to a statement sent to Digital Trends.

“A variety of PS5 Console Cover colors for the new model will be available starting in early 2024, including an all-matte Black colorway and the Deep Earth Collection colors in Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue, and Sterling Silver. Additional colors will be released in the future,” a PlayStation representative tells Digital Trends.

The Deep Earth Collection was just announced a few weeks ago as a new line of colors for previous PS5 consoles. Pre-orders for the set just went up a few days ago, despite the fact that Sony is discontinuing old PS5 models and replacing them with the refreshed designs.

Three colorful PS5s float together in a line. — PlayStation

PlayStation also confirmed that the current PS5’s cover plates will not be compatible with the new models. That means that you won’t be able to snap any previously purchased covers onto either of the new versions. That includes any special edition faceplates, like those included with the recently released Spider-Man special edition PS5.

Sony has yet to share pricing on the new covers. The current ones run between $60 and $55 depending on the design, but it’s not clear if the four-panel layout will keep that price point.

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Giovanni Colantonio

Section Editor, Gaming

Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…

Gaming

PS5’s new Digital Edition brings console gaming one step closer to PC

A PS5 consxole is opened up, showing its removable hard drive.

When Sony revealed updated models for the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, one specific accessory for the latter caught my eye. That would be the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive for PS5, which players can purchase separately and then attach to the Digital Edition console if they decide they do want to own physical media after all. Coming right in the middle of a console generation where multiple versions of each Sony and Microsoft console exist, it hews a lot closer to a console future that draws from the PC experience.

By that, I mean game consoles are becoming more modular and customizable. Something like the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive points toward a future where you can swap console parts in and out as you would with a gaming PC. This not only gives companies a chance to be more digitally focused while still supporting physical media but potentially makes it easier to expand a console’s memory or power without doing a full-on mid-gen console refresh. It’s unknown if this is the real future for console gaming, but the new PS5 models at least lay a bit of groundwork.
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While “slim” versions of consoles have been an industry trend for a while, the significance of mid-gen console refreshes has grown over the past decade. The PS4 improved with the PS4 Slim and then the PS4 Pro, while Microsoft flooded the Xbox One market with the One S, One S All-Digital Edition, and One X updated version of the console. And while the long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro never came to fruition, the Switch still saw hardware variations with the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED model. It's also already possible to tinker with your PS5 a bit and expand its storage capabilities, something that typically felt relegated to modded consoles in previous generations.
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Gaming

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The new, smaller PS5 models launching in November 2023.

Sony announced that new, smaller versions of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition will hit store shelves in November. On top of that, an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive for Digital Edition consoles is also on its way.

Revealed in a PlayStation Blog post, these new versions aren't being branded the PS5 Slim or anything similar to that; they're just the new flagship versions of Sony's latest console. Their design is similar to the launch models, but is now made up of four individual cover panels. The top panels on each side feature the PlayStation logo and a glossy finish, while the bottom panels are made with the same matte material as current PS5 models. The design makes the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition lighter and reduces the volume of both consoles by 30%, according to Sony.
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Gaming

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Spaceship on planet in Starfield.

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Starfield launched on the Xbox Series X and PC (and Xbox One, sort of), but hasn't made its way to the PlayStation 5. While there are plenty of great games on PS5, some Sony gamers are still eagerly waiting for their chance to jump into the world of Starfield.
Will Starfield come to PS5?