This PS5 design looks too bad to be true

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A new PS5 concept is clearly based on the devkit, but there are a couple of reasons it's likely wide of the mark

(Image credit: PS5Only and jabka_ziizey)

In another more just reality, we’d already know what the PS5 looks like, as last week’s reveal would have gone ahead as planned. Since Sony has yet to name a new date, we’re left with internet artists’ imaginations to predict what the next-generation PlayStation will eventually look like when it’s sitting under our TVs.

And this latest design from PS5Only, on the surface of things, looks like it could be a contender. It clearly shares some of the DNA from the devkit, which is a good start, but improves on it by looking more like a device that might conceivably appear in Sony lifestyle shots. 

If you prefer a colored-in version, then another Twitter user – @jabka_ziizey – has your back. So could this plausibly be what the PS5 looks like when you unbox it later this year?

Don’t bet on it. While using the dev kit as a base is a good start, filling in the V-shaped gap at the back feels unlikely, given it’s designed for air flow. And if you assume that Sony has managed to improve cooling to such a degree that the missing chunk is no longer required, then it seems unlikely that the company would keep any reference to it, given the strength of internet backlash at the time. 

On top of which, there’s a reason you’ve never seen a console with the disk tray in the centre before: it’s a total waste of space, which seems like a weird move for a console that’s already said to be twice as thick as the PS4 Pro. 

So while this design may not be a million miles away from the final product, it’s safe to say that we’re not there yet. Still, it’s probably more accurate than another supposed leak doing the rounds:

(Image credit: VGChartz)

This, as Reddit points out, is a Photoshopped picture, and not a very good one. A little detective work from happythearthur reveals this to be a photo from a wholly unrelated event… unless the people present took a break from discussing upcoming Sony hardware to watch some high-definition motorcycle footage. 

(Image credit: Reddit)

We’ll just have to wait for that postponed ‘Future of Gaming’ event to be rescheduled. The good news is that we shouldn’t have too long to wait, with the original trailer getting an updated descriptive text stating that Sony will “be in touch with a new date soon.” Given archrival Microsoft has its own Xbox Series X event due in July, it would be surprising if “soon” didn’t mean “very soon indeed.” 

Alan Martin
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.