Sony PS4 Slim Now Available

Last week at the PlayStation Meeting in New York City, Sony finally revealed its two under-wraps consoles: the hotly anticipated PlayStation 4 Pro - then-previously known as the "PS4 NEO" - and the PlayStation 4 Slim. While the former won't be arriving until November this year, the latter is now available for purchase starting today.

The PS4 Slim is 30% smaller than the original PS4 model and comes with more energy efficiency. Unlike the beefed up PS4 Pro which houses more hardware power, the PS4 Slim retains the capabilities of the original PS4 model, so it's essentially just an aesthetic upgrade. Although Sony traditionally rolls out slim versions of both their home and handheld consoles, the existence of the PS4 Slim wasn't known until a few weeks ago, albeit in an unofficial manner.

This slimmer version of the PS4 will go head-to-head against Microsoft's Xbox One S, a similarly slimmer and sleeker version of the original Xbox One model. And to further fan the flames of their rivalry, the PS4 Slim comes equipped with a new-look DualShock 4 controller, the same way the Xbox One S boasted a new-look controller, although the changes for both controllers are only minimal. The PS4 Slim packs a 500 GB hard drive and suspiciously looks like the PS4 Pro in design - the PS4 Slim has two "layers", while the PS4 Pro has three. Considering the latter is simply a mid-generation upgrade and will co-exist alongside all versions of the PS4, the similarity in design isn't actually surprising.

The PS4 Slim has a $299.99 price tag plastered on its box and if you want your purchase to be even sweeter, you can opt for the Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Bundle instead, which comes with the same price tag. For comparison, the PS4 Pro will be priced at $399.99, so if the smaller frame and lack of hardware power-up of the PS4 Slim isn't exactly making you giddy, then you can break your piggy banks when November arrives.