--- title: 'The New PS5 Slim is SLIGHTLY Better' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=TRN-FO4lmE0' video_id: 'TRN-FO4lmE0' date: 2026-10-22 duration_sec: 521 channel: 'Austin Evans' --- # The New PS5 Slim is SLIGHTLY Better > Source: [The New PS5 Slim is SLIGHTLY Better](https://youtube.com/watch?v=TRN-FO4lmE0) ## Summary This video investigates whether the latest PS5 Slim model, identified by the model number 2115, includes any meaningful upgrades over previous versions. The creator purchases a new unit, compares it side-by-side with an older model, and tears it down to examine internal changes, focusing on the CMOS battery accessibility and power consumption. ### Key Points - **Sony's PS5 Update History** [00:00] — Sony has traditionally updated the PS5 roughly every year, often making changes that are not improvements. Model numbers have progressed from 1000 to 1100 to 1200, indicating revisions. - **Purchasing a New PS5** [00:26] — The creator bought a brand new PS5, also a 2115 unit, to determine if it represents a 2025 or 2026 model, or if it's just an unchanged existing unit. - **Unboxing and Initial Observations** [01:07] — The new PS5 has a translucent side panel, allowing visibility into the interior. The creator removes the top shells to inspect the internals. - **CMOS Battery Issue** [02:00] — In previous PS5 Slim models, the CMOS battery on the motherboard is difficult to replace if it dies. The PS5 Pro added a user-accessible battery, and the creator hoped the new Slim would too. - **Tracking Down the New Model** [02:41] — It took two weeks to find the correct version. The creator messaged dozens of people to send photos of the inside of PS5 Wolverine editions to confirm the battery location. - **Purchase from Ireland** [03:28] — After spending a significant amount, the creator purchased the PS5 from Ireland, which shipped thousands of miles. - **Comparison and Weight** [04:24] — The new PS5 Slim weighs 2465 grams, and the CMOS battery is much easier to access compared to the older model. - **Power Testing** [05:10] — Both the 2025 and 2026 versions were tested in Astro's Playroom with power meters. The new one draws a couple of watts less, but this could be due to silicon lottery. - **Teardown and Internal Differences** [06:36] — The teardown reveals that the CMOS battery has been relocated to a more accessible spot, and the boards are essentially identical. The cooler uses less liquid metal, reducing the risk of spillage. - **Quality of Life Upgrade** [07:31] — The creator sums up the change as a quality-of-life upgrade, wishing Sony had given it a new model number to make the difference clear. ### Conclusion The new PS5 Slim is a minor revision focused on improving CMOS battery accessibility, but it lacks a new model number, making it hard to distinguish from older units. The creator considers it a quality-of-life improvement rather than a significant upgrade. ## Transcript Well, I will tell you Sony are not making it easy to tell. So over the years, Sony have traditionally updated the PS5 roughly every year or so. In most years, they've made it worse. when there's a brand new PS5 model, it has a brand new model number. So the 1000 went to the 1100, went to the 1200. which one you wanted to avoid. PS5 again, I say that in quotes, because we'll see how much of an upgrade it is, And so, I actually went out and bought a brand new, which is also a 2115 unit to see if this is the 2025 versus 2026, or maybe I just got two existing unchanged PS5s, Never underestimate being a dingus. which should be the upgraded model. That's kind of sick. This is what happens when you turn on notifications, Wolverine. It's actually translucent. You can actually see through it. I guess let's just crack open the side panels and see if there's So, we're going to take off the top shells here. I think we'll just take them all off. Okay. - [Kinsey] So, is that? - Huh. How interesting. Oh, brother. So, right now, if you buy a PlayStation 5, in fact, there's a little button cell battery on the inside on the motherboard. It helps keep, like, the time and whatnot. And right now, if that battery dies on your existing PS5 Slim, it is a pretty However, with the PS5 Pro last year, they actually added the little, And that was what I was hearing was one of the easy ways, is the fact that you'd be able to see a battery here. I think we've learned my quest to find the new PS5 may be a little bit more complicated than I thought. Okay, so this took a solid two weeks to track down what I very, very dearly hope is the correct version of the new PS5. So, I ended up having to just message, I'm not exaggerating to say dozens of people to send me photos of the inside of the PS5 Wolverine editions to see - [Alex] If it's so hard to find this thing, are you sure it's real? - Alex, don't you- - [Adriana] Why'd you do any of this? - Put me over the edge right now, okay? Anyway, long story short, after spending an amount of money that I will not, I purchased one from Ireland. Look, it came literally thousands of miles. - [Alex] What? Wet? Uh-oh. I don't like it when my boxes are that flappy. So, our existing model is a 2115. and 16 digit is just the region and like the power cable it comes with. - Okay. - [Alex] Yeah. It's totally fine. (Austin coughs) - [Alex] You wanted a little humid. We're going to get this disgusting stinky box out of here. the PS5 that was promised. Okay. And the answer is, So, I can say with confidence, one of these things is not like the other. it is much easier to access. PS5 Slim, 2465 grams. And our CMOS battery adjustable one is - [Alex] Okay. That's something. So, now it's time for some power testing. Now, we've done this every single time that Sony have released a new PS5. So, we have both the PS5 old, or I guess this will be the 2025 version versus the new PS5 or the 2026 version, head-to-head in Astro's Playroom. We've got them both plugged into power meters. Technically, the new one's a couple of watts less, There's a little bit of a silicon lottery with every PlayStation. The reason we do this is that in the past, Sony have actually brought out new chips However, my guess is that based on the fact that they didn't bother to change the model number, and the power numbers we're seeing here are almost identical, If we go through all of this, and just changed where the battery is, I'm going to be a sad boy, very sad boy. All right, let's tear this PS5 apart and see what's lurking inside. I'm going to just keep an eye out to see what changes that they've obviously made. but I bet there's more lurking. I hope there's more lurking. Let's crack this open. which is the removing liquid metal. You will break your PlayStation. All right, inside we have, oh my god. Oh, that is different. So if you look at these two side by side, what they've done is that the CMOS battery So you'll see is that they just didn't put it on here. what they did was they basically have added a little spot right here. So they already had this in mind. So that would basically be how the actual CMOS battery is connected to it. So as far as I can tell, these boards are basically identical. So now the question is, what's the difference with the actual cooler? I think I would sum this up as a quality of life upgrade. I do believe that they're using less liquid metal, and have less metal to sort of spill out over years. I do wish that Sony had made this difference more clear by giving an actual new model number, which I would prefer to have if everything else was equal. It's the same price, but you don't know unless you actually have it in your hand, which tells you whether or not the battery is accessible or whether you have to tear But let me know what do you think in the comments below. Or would you add them and just bring it back to $500 like the good old days? Well, my friends, thank you very much for watching. and I'll catch you next time when Sony do something silly. Maybe the week after that.