Rumor: PS5 With Detachable Disc Drive Doesn't Appear to Have Major Hardware Changes - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 15 January 2023 / 6,444 Views
There was a rumor in September 2022 that the PlayStation 5 will be getting an overhaul with a new model set to launch around September 2023. The New PS5 will replace the current iterations and will have nearly identical hardware to the current consoles on the market.
The biggest difference according to that report is the new PS5 will have a detachable disc drive. The detachable disc drive will be connected to the PlayStation using an extra USB-C port on the back of the console.
Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson is now reporting the new PS5 "doesn't seem like there are any major hardware changes from the original console." He added the removable "disc drive likely won't be compatible with the current digital version."
As always this should be treated with a grain of salt and as a rumor until an official announcement is made.
A small update here:
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 13, 2023
- Doesn't seem like there are any major hardware changes from the original console.
- Disc Drive likely won't be compatible with the current digital versionhttps://t.co/2rzlDrjYAb
Henderson has also previously stated he heard from two sources who have access to test kits of this rumored new PS5 with a detachable disc drive and they claim it "works flawlessly."
The original rumor claims Sony will sell the new PlayStation 5 similar to how it does now. With one model including the detachable disc drive, while another will not include it. The detachable disc drive will be available to purchase separately. The detachable disc drive is said to not ruin the look of the PlayStation 5 as it will attach to it without looking like an external drive.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Absolutely bizarre that the drive is rumored to be not compatible with the digital console.
In the past, modified drives (hard drives and optical drives) have been used to assist with piracy. There are examples of console manufactures adding additional security to prevent that, such as lockout chips in the drives themselves, or software checks to look for certain brands and models of drives.
Sony is either stupid, malicious or lazy for doing that.
No major hardware changes? what where they thinking they would do? a PS5 pro that comes without a diskdrive? This is just gonna be a saveing type deal, its done to save them money. Best you can hope for is a small shrinkage of the chipset? (Maybe?) so it uses less power consumption. Apart from that, and maybe being abit smaller in size total package wise... same old PS5 probably.
if it is connected by usb-c doesn't make sense that it can't connect to original digital version. And considering the reduction of the node I would expect a smaller version
We, or at least I, don't know the specs on the single front-facing USB-C port on the current PS5 models. USB-C unfortunately is completely open in terms of what it supports, in speeds and wattage. So, it could be the current models USB-C port only outputs 1-10-Watts (I'm just throwing out numbers) - enough to charge a DualSense and PSVR2, but maybe not enough for a 4K Blu-ray Disc Drive. I'm not sure. It could also be a purely athestic choice: rumors say this extenal drive isn't really "external" at all, and it slots into the PS5 seamlessly to create a disc model of it. If that were the case, it might actually be a USB-C port at all, and just run over the USB-C protocal when it attaches.
Well your suppositions could end up being the case, but I would bet more on block of feature instead of the port not being capable.
I'm wondering if there's some kind of security/anti-piracy consideration that the new PS5s will have that the current PS5 Digital does not? Back in the day, the 360 was particular about even what brand and model of HDD you plugged into it, as part of its security layers.
Probably only this specific model of drive (and revisions) will work.
That's what I'm thinking too. And they might even add some kind of a custom authentication chip in the drive. The gaming industry is no stranger to lockout chips. If so, the PS5 Digital not being designed to look for this custom lockout chip might be why it couldn't use this external disc drive.
For that I believe a firmware update could solve the problem if Sony do the sensible thing.
Yeah, that'd definitely be good if they can (and do) offer that retroactively as an upgrade option. For that matter, it'd be good to offer it to regular PS5 owners if their disc drive fails!
for my regular one I would rather replace the drive, but sure options is fine
Not everyone's as techy, and would prefer a plug-and-play solution. I know that's where I'm at. :)
I know that. My case I wasn't even implying I would replace, my PS4 when it was having disc reading error I send to technician and the solution was replacing the driver, I didn't request the unit back to go find a driver and replace it I approved the repair =p even if there was an external drive I would have done the same as i don't really want a driver hanging from the ps4.
And that's fair enough. I would use a physical drive so rarely, that I could tuck it in behind, LOL.
Considering I have an external Blu-Ray burner... That happily runs off a 1.5a - 5v USB port... Power really isn't an excuse.
Even if it did exceed the USB's port power delivery, they can add a second USB port to the drive for power OR they can include a power brick.
To be fair, I love the idea of an external optical drive, especially if it works for the digital console, because it opens the idea of buying the cheaper model, but with the option to expand it later.
And I wish Microsoft would do the same thing with the Series S.
by engineering there sure would be a way if Sony wishes to take it.
Absolutely.
It's just a USB external Blu-Ray drive in a fancy package, it's nothing ground breaking or new.
Heck... Nintendo should offer one also for the Switch, then we can use it to watch DVD/Blu-Rays... Because correct me if I am wrong, but no Nintendo console has had movie playback capabilities with mainstream media?
Could also open up emulation/backwards compatibility with Gamecube/Wii/WiiU media. - Alas. That is a pipe dream.
As long as the overall dimensions are smaller than that of the current DE model, that will be fine by me.
If the detachable disc drive is not compatible with the current digital version does that mean Sony will have 3 maybe even 4 sku's out there or would they phase out the current digital PS5? Hope it doesn't get confusing for consumers.
So that would mean basically replacing the most popular PS5 model with a digital model with an extra USB-C port, if your prediction happens we should have a poll made up of same/ cheaper/ dearer about how the combined price of a discless model and disc unit will compare to the present PS5 disc version.
Now I could understand changing the present Digital PS5 form factor so all new digital PS5's can connect to an external drive without the loss of a USB port so those who choose that path have an option but turning the most popular PS5 SKU into an option only feature sucks the only saving grace would be a policy where it was officially packaged and sold as a PS5 slim with the only difference being the disc was now external
Whenever they release newer version due to cost the older ones they stop doing.
