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New look for PS5 console coming this holiday season

They saw Nintendo getting away with not dropping their price and figured they could do the same.

Now not only do they not drop the price but they increase it and resell you console accessories that were previously free...and somehow no one is really complaining 🙄

I tried to explain to people earlier in the year that with the rising cost of game development and increased pressure on Sony to be aggressive in M&A they were absolutely going to shift more towards a Nintendo model where their operating income and margins were higher.

One of the easiest ways to do this was to streamline production, design a more cost-effective sku, raise prices, and increase profitability from accessories.

All of this stuff was clear with Sony producing their own Pro controller, the release of their headsets, and hell they even got into the monitor game.

I've also been telling people that Sony is going to create their own storefront on PC. There is no way a platform holder such as Sony wants to PAY to have their games on PC when they really want to get PAID for their involvement on PC. As long as Xbox exists and Sony negotiates exclusivity deals for content, it makes sense to include PC in those deals as well. Right now you see games coming out on PS5 and Steam, but Sony can leverage those deals to include their storefronts on multiple platforms.

Sony is trying to transform its business model, something I called out as well. They run pretty razor-thin margins and have very little to show for decades of domination in the console market.

We'll see the end of exclusivity deals towards the end of 2024 and in 2025 on console. They just don't need them anymore and the ROI on that is better spent elsewhere.
 
They should have just squared off the console. Sony’s first ever failed slim design. 😢
My theory is they purposefully designed it to be curvaceous so that more accessories are required (strongly encouraged) to complete the setup. The stands, the customizability with covers / disk drive. Rake in the accessory market, continuous new trinkets, can't just have the standalone package one-and-done deal. Welcome to Console As A Service gaming. I would have loved a boring rectangle like the ps4 slim as the stock, but then you can add all sorts of flair pieces to customize it and make it aero-dynamic.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
The drive housing is pretty blocky looking. Kinda ugly. Without the drive looks nice though.
Still believe that the PS5 was never designed with a disc drive in mind. The digital version has always looked like it was supposed tobe.
They should have just squared off the console. Sony’s first ever failed slim design. 😢
Technically, its not a slim. And if you want a squared-off PS, you will have to wait til the PS6. Unless you haven't noticed their design cadence. Odd numbers, curves, even numbers, squares...
I tried to explain to people earlier in the year that with the rising cost of game development and increased pressure on Sony to be aggressive in M&A they were absolutely going to shift more towards a Nintendo model where their operating income and margins were higher.

One of the easiest ways to do this was to streamline production, design a more cost-effective sku, raise prices, and increase profitability from accessories.

All of this stuff was clear with Sony producing their own Pro controller, the release of their headsets, and hell they even got into the monitor game.

I've also been telling people that Sony is going to create their own storefront on PC. There is no way a platform holder such as Sony wants to PAY to have their games on PC when they really want to get PAID for their involvement on PC. As long as Xbox exists and Sony negotiates exclusivity deals for content, it makes sense to include PC in those deals as well. Right now you see games coming out on PS5 and Steam, but Sony can leverage those deals to include their storefronts on multiple platforms.

Sony is trying to transform its business model, something I called out as well. They run pretty razor-thin margins and have very little to show for decades of domination in the console market.

We'll see the end of exclusivity deals towards the end of 2024 and in 2025 on console. They just don't need them anymore and the ROI on that is better spent elsewhere.
You got something right, but lets not get carried away. Especially that whole storefront thing.

And I feel these prices are reflective of the fact that Sony realizes that they can get away just fine with selling a $500 box. If demand isn't slowing, why leave money on the table?

When I first saw the new pricing,first thing that I thought of was that they were probably just trying to get rid of current PS5 OG stock. But then looking at the prices closer, you realize they just do not intend on dropping the price to $399.Because if they did that, it mean that buying a stand-alone PS5 at $399 + the ODD would cost less than buying their bundled PS5 + ODD ($500).

But that's also just it, that $499 package,is a bundle. I expect they drop the PS5 price to $399 sometime next year, and at that point we will stop seeing any $499 PS5 + ODD bundles.
 
Still believe that the PS5 was never designed with a disc drive in mind. The digital version has always looked like it was supposed tobe.

Technically, its not a slim. And if you want a squared-off PS, you will have to wait til the PS6. Unless you haven't noticed their design cadence. Odd numbers, curves, even numbers, squares...

You got something right, but lets not get carried away. Especially that whole storefront thing.

And I feel these prices are reflective of the fact that Sony realizes that they can get away just fine with selling a $500 box. If demand isn't slowing, why leave money on the table?

When I first saw the new pricing,first thing that I thought of was that they were probably just trying to get rid of current PS5 OG stock. But then looking at the prices closer, you realize they just do not intend on dropping the price to $399.Because if they did that, it mean that buying a stand-alone PS5 at $399 + the ODD would cost less than buying their bundled PS5 + ODD ($500).

But that's also just it, that $499 package,is a bundle. I expect they drop the PS5 price to $399 sometime next year, and at that point we will stop seeing any $499 PS5 + ODD bundles.

To be fair, that was part of the argument as I presented to you and others and it was still dismissed in real time. After the fact, it's obvious.

The storefront has obvious building blocks for it as well. The increased PC support, the increased accessory support for PC.

You and others were CONVINCED that the price was going to DROP. You're still convinced the price is going to drop. Sony is looking to increase operating income. Unless PS5 sales dry up, they're not dropping the price anytime soon.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
To be fair, that was part of the argument as I presented to you and others and it was still dismissed in real time. After the fact, it's obvious.

The storefront has obvious building blocks for it as well. The increased PC support, the increased accessory support for PC.

You and others were CONVINCED that the price was going to DROP. You're still convinced the price is going to drop. Sony is looking to increase operating income. Unless PS5 sales dry up, they're not dropping the price anytime soon.
Technically, I never said the price was going to `drop`, what I said was that there would be one PS5 model on the mart, and it would be the digital version, and it would cost $399. I then said that I expected the ODD add-on to cost $100. So at the end of the day, what was really happening was that the $499 variant was being discontinued but anyone who wanted a PS5 with an ODD, would still end up paying $499.

And technically, what you were saying was that the PS5 slim would cost $500... hell, if I recall you even said you don't se them actually making a separate disc drive....

However since we had that conversation, and looking at sony shipping numbers, I also don't see them dropping the price, and can even see why they increased it. The PS5 at $399-$499, is shipping numbers that the PS4 only managed to hit when it was priced at $299, in the PS4s peak year. So why would Sony undercut themselves and drop the price from $399?
 
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Technically, I never said the price was going to `drop`, what I said was that there would be one PS5 model on the mart, and it would be the digital version, and it would cost $399. I then said that I expected the ODD add-on to cost $100. So at the end of the day, what was really happening was that the $499 variant was being discontinued but anyone who wanted a PS5 with an ODD, would still end up paying $499.

And technically, what you were saying was that the PS5 slim would cost $500... hell, if I recall you even said you don't se them actually making a separate disc drive....

However since we had that conversation, and looking at sony shipping numbers, I also don't see them dropping the price, and can even see why they increased it. The PS5 at $399-$499, is shipping numbers that the PS4 only managed to hit when it was priced at $299, in the PS4s peak year. So why would Sony undercut themselves and drop the price from $399?

This you?

 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
This you?

These are also me.....

I believe we had this conversation before. You are not wrong, but you aren't right either lol.

Technically, you can say that it costs $500, if you are adding the cost of the console and the add-on disc drive to it. And you will be right. But the slim SKU itself will cost nothing less than $399. Because it's the exact same thing as is the current PS5DE, a bit smaller and cheaper to make.

I can definitely see being bundled with Spiderman though, for $460 or even $450. I don't expect we will see a stand-alone slim SKU till sometime in 2024.

Why I have however never felt that announcing the slim will cannibalize sales of the current SKUs, is because I believe the pricing is not changing. Announcing the Slim will only impact sales of the current PS5DE (which is already produced in very limited quantities). Because even though they are the same price, the Slim is smaller and has the bonus of being able to be `upgraded` with a disc drive. It won't affect sales of the PS5BDE though, being that comes with a disc drive already and for the same price that it would end up costing you if you bought the sim and the disc drive separately.

They never had to though. They were always losing money on the PS5DE. To shift focus to that SKU as the primary SKU (even if thats what they always wanted) they would have needed a node shrink...or two. And furthermore, shortages meant they were supply-limited anyway, not meeting demand. Just makes more sense to focus on the PS5BDE which at least had better margins when you know you are going to sell everything you ship out anyways.

That is what they have now. Now, they can sell a PS5 slim, at $399, and still be making a small profit on it, and then make an even bigger profit when anyone decides to buy the disc attachment. While at the same time, finally pushing the majority of their customers to be digital only.

And yes,I do not see a $300 PS5 happening anytime soon. I mean the PS4 is still $299. I guess we have the switch to thank for that.

Both of those were in response to you I believe. Funny enough from the same thread you referenced...
 
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These are also me.....





Both of those were in response to you I believe. Funny enough from the same thread you referenced...

Not sure how any of that changes the fact that you said the price would drop and drop pretty dramatically.

300 to 350 and instead it is going up to 450.

That is a delta of 150 dollars...

So when I tell you that it is obvious that Sony is creating the building blocks of a PC storefront based on the analysis that I've done. I'd hope you'd give a bit more credence to listening and deciding point by point where you think I'm right or wrong before coming to a conclusion.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
Not sure how any of that changes the fact that you said the price would drop and drop pretty dramatically.

300 to 350 and instead it is going up to 450.

That is a delta of 150 dollars...

So when I tell you that it is obvious that Sony is creating the building blocks of a PC storefront based on the analysis that I've done. I'd hope you'd give a bit more credence to listening and deciding point by point where you think I'm right or wrong before coming to a conclusion.
Then you are choosing to pick and choose only what you want to read...

I was also the person who in that same thread said,I do not see the PS5 digital slim costing anything less than $399. And suggested that the disc drive would cost $100.

However, you too the very first response I made saying $350 and ignored the lie 6 other posts I made adding context to what I aid and explaining myself properly?
 
Then you are choosing to pick and choose only what you want to read...

I was also the person who in that same thread said,I do not see the PS5 digital slim costing anything less than $399. And suggested that the disc drive would cost $100.

However, you too the very first response I made saying $350 and ignored the lie 6 other posts I made adding context to what I aid and explaining myself properly?

How is it my fault that you were across the board on your predictions?

I'm pointing to the most extreme thing you said because you were one of the largest in the chorus to tell me how wrong I was about the price increase.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
How is it my fault that you were across the board on your predictions?

I'm pointing to the most extreme thing you said because you were one of the largest in the chorus to tell me how wrong I was about the price increase.
ANd I am just saying, you were right on something, but not even how this panned out. You actually said a number of outlandish stuff taht you were wrong on from that very thread... only thing you were right on was that the price went up...

You said the PS5 slim would be $500 and ot even have a separate disc drive!!! We just gonna pretend that you weren't also off on your predictions????
 
ANd I am just saying, you were right on something, but not even how this panned out. You actually said a number of outlandish stuff taht you were wrong on from that very thread... only thing you were right on was that the price went up...

You said the PS5 slim would be $500 and ot even have a separate disc drive!!! We just gonna pretend that you weren't also off on your predictions????

See, you're still suggesting what I said was outlandish.

To suggest the *Only* thing I was right about was the price increase is absolutely minimizing my prediction.

I was told over and over again that a price increase has NEVER happened and that it could stay the same price but would probably decrease in price.

I wasn't right about it going up to 500, though with the vertical stand and the add-on, it coming to $480... I'll absolutely take how close I was on that prediction for not having insider knowledge. I was off by 20 dollars, in the right direction, you were off by 150 dollars in the wrong direction.

Also don't know that I was wrong about the separate disc drive. If anything, I was wrong about whether they'd still sell a bundled and attached unit, but we've yet to see how widespread those are.

I think I had hoped for form factor that this would literally attach to the unit, but that is actually in line with Tom's initial description of this.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
See, you're still suggesting what I said was outlandish.

To suggest the *Only* thing I was right about was the price increase is absolutely minimizing my prediction.

I was told over and over again that a price increase has NEVER happened and that it could stay the same price but would probably decrease in price.

I wasn't right about it going up to 500, though with the vertical stand and the add-on, it coming to $480... I'll absolutely take how close I was on that prediction for not having insider knowledge. I was off by 20 dollars, in the right direction, you were off by 150 dollars in the wrong direction.

Also don't know that I was wrong about the separate disc drive. If anything, I was wrong about whether they'd still sell a bundled and attached unit, but we've yet to see how widespread those are.

I think I had hoped for form factor that this would literally attach to the unit, but that is actually in line with Tom's initial description of this.
Again, I was only off by $150, if you somehow insist on ignoring how many times in that very thread I said, the PS5 digital would not cost anything less than $400 at retail...I could start talking about how when I was talking about $350,I was mostly referring to how much I felt it would cost Sony to `make` a PS5 and my argument for why they could sell it at BOM cost if their target was rapid adoption, but that would be a copout.

I had conceded to you initially here that you were right, but you are trying to gloat, which is why I am here now pointing out that just like me, you were not as right as you made yourself out to be, same way I was not as wrong.

eg.. I said the PS5 would not cost anything less than $400.That is not to say it couldn't cost more, just not less. I aid the disc drive would cost around $100 (I was off by $20), I said that if someone wanted a PS5 DE + ODD they would still be spending $499 (I was right on this being there is a ODD + PS5 bundle).

You just said PS5 slim at $500 and no ODD attachment.

If you insist on taking the most extreme version of my argument a proof that I was wrong, then you must realize if we did the same for you, then you would be wrong too... I mean, again,you said there wont even be a disc drive attachment.

Anyway, none of this matters.I have already accepted I was wrong on it costing $399.
 
Again, I was only off by $150, if you somehow insist on ignoring how many times in that very thread I said, the PS5 digital would not cost anything less than $400 at retail...I could start talking about how when I was talking about $350,I was mostly referring to how much I felt it would cost Sony to `make` a PS5 and my argument for why they could sell it at BOM cost if their target was rapid adoption, but that would be a copout.

I had conceded to you initially here that you were right, but you are trying to gloat, which is why I am here now pointing out that just like me, you were not as right as you made yourself out to be, same way I was not as wrong.

eg.. I said the PS5 would not cost anything less than $400.That is not to say it couldn't cost more, just not less. I aid the disc drive would cost around $100 (I was off by $20), I said that if someone wanted a PS5 DE + ODD they would still be spending $499 (I was right on this being there is a ODD + PS5 bundle).

You just said PS5 slim at $500 and no ODD attachment.

If you insist on taking the most extreme version of my argument a proof that I was wrong, then you must realize if we did the same for you, then you would be wrong too... I mean, again,you said there wont even be a disc drive attachment.

Anyway, none of this matters.I have already accepted I was wrong on it costing $399.

Where did I ever say there would never be a disc drive attachment. I literally have never said that. That's a straight lie.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
Where did I ever say there would never be a disc drive attachment. I literally have never said that. That's a straight lie.
Its not that serious blud... don't have to lie on anyone. You can just say you forgot that you said it...

I still think the Slim ends up releasing for 500 dollars, but we'll see.

I also don't anticipate Sony announcing anything early. I think they want to run through their PS5 SE inventory before announcing anything. They don't want PS5 SEs sitting on store shelves or in backrooms.

They announced the PS4 Slim on September 7th, 2016. It was released on the 15th.

That being said they had confirmed the PS4 Pro well in advance (June of the same year) and that came out in November of the same year.

There is also the chance that they take the opportunity to bundle this with Spider-Man 2 at the outset. So either 560 or 460.

So I think the latest it comes out is October 20th and in that case they would probably do pre-order announcement in September.

I still maintain that Sony doesn't want to sell the PS5 at 400 dollars. They've been very scarce with the production of the PS5 DE even though it would force people to buy digital which increases their margins a bit. The reason for this is even people who buy the PS5 SE still mainly buy digitally. You're largely losing 100 dollars just to lose 100 dollars.

If Sony REALLY wanted to push that 400-dollar price point to sell more units (marginally more) they would have pushed the PS5 DE harder.

It could be argued however that the PS5 Slim will have a better margin than the PS5 DE and thus they could afford to sell it for 400 dollars, but again we'll see here.

As for the disc attachment, not sure any attachment really makes sense. A simple USB-C wired disc drive makes way more sense and has less impact on the form factor.

They've having a record sales year at the 500 dollar price point, not sure why they'd want to reduce the price.

I do think the PS6 will be digital only with an external drive option.

As for a 300 dollar PS5? In the time of inflation and a more profit oriented SIE... I would find that really hard to imagine. Sony hasn't been overly bullish on the quantity of units it expects to sell on PS5. That could be a smokescreen for regulators though.
 
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Draugoth

Gold Member
C2Pz9wK.jpg
 
Got myself a PS5 and was just resigned to how honking big and ugly it is, but was looking forward to the slim revision hoping it would be better looking. It is not.......here's hoping the Pro is better looking?
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
the disk drive looks really, really bad now. If I can say something positive about the previous design it was that at least the bump was as subtle as possible. Now its just a horrible lump.
 
Still believe that the PS5 was never designed with a disc drive in mind. The digital version has always looked like it was supposed tobe.

Technically, its not a slim. And if you want a squared-off PS, you will have to wait til the PS6. Unless you haven't noticed their design cadence. Odd numbers, curves, even numbers, squares...

You got something right, but lets not get carried away. Especially that whole storefront thing.

And I feel these prices are reflective of the fact that Sony realizes that they can get away just fine with selling a $500 box. If demand isn't slowing, why leave money on the table?

When I first saw the new pricing,first thing that I thought of was that they were probably just trying to get rid of current PS5 OG stock. But then looking at the prices closer, you realize they just do not intend on dropping the price to $399.Because if they did that, it mean that buying a stand-alone PS5 at $399 + the ODD would cost less than buying their bundled PS5 + ODD ($500).

But that's also just it, that $499 package,is a bundle. I expect they drop the PS5 price to $399 sometime next year, and at that point we will stop seeing any $499 PS5 + ODD bundles.
Next fall Sony is going to drop the price to $349 and $399 when the PS5 Pro drops.
 
I think this render really puts it in to perspective. This is a very attractive revision IMO. Much needed, because the OG is a lard arse.


qq5tbeivkotb1.png

uc27vncvkotb1.png

ligczscvkotb1.png

xxy1lscvkotb1.png

3xgltscvkotb1.png
It looks okay but I'm not changing my TOWER OF POWER PS5.

A part of me hopes that PS5 Pro is a bit tastless bulk of console power.
 

TBiddy

Member
I think this render really puts it in to perspective. This is a very attractive revision IMO. Much needed, because the OG is a lard arse.

Seems odd to compare the new digital edition with the old disc edition. I would've preferred that they used the same editions for comparement.
 

Pallas

Member
Smaller is great but I’m still going to wait for the pro if I’ve waited this long already.

Not really digging the look though.
 

DeVeAn

Member
Is this the first time a console has gone up in price after a revision? $50 increase on digital version and removing the stand? Wild.

I wanted one because my launch unit has bad coil whine and loose Ethernet port. Guess I’ll wait it out.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
Is this the first time a console has gone up in price after a revision? $50 increase on digital version and removing the stand? Wild.
Yes. Then again, this is the first generation that prices of consoles actually went up instead of down. And that happened before this new PS5 was even announced. So all bets are off.

Nope but it's the first pointless more expensive revision I've seen in a generation.
You realize you aren't fooling anyone right? You might as well just stop. 15 pages in its getting tiring now.
 
I think this render really puts it in to perspective. This is a very attractive revision IMO. Much needed, because the OG is a lard arse.


qq5tbeivkotb1.png

uc27vncvkotb1.png

ligczscvkotb1.png

xxy1lscvkotb1.png

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This looks way more substantial then I originally thought. If somehow gamestop still gives $385 for the disc model I'll upgrade to the digital. Better looking, full warranty, and new controller.
 

Mr.Phoenix

Member
I realize this thread is full of Sony diehards that jump on anyone calling on thier bs, yes.
Okay, cool story.

Still, though, stop. This nonsense you have been doing throughout this thread is old at this point. We have heard you. At this point, it's just derailing.

It takes a different breed of troll to act like they have never seen a mid-gen refresh before, or like they lack a basic rudimentary understanding of economics. Or even worse, like they have been living under a rock since Aug 2022... yes, that's how long there had been an official price increase. You know... the very thing you are acting like this is the first time it is happening.

So have they confirmed liquid metal for this revision or not??
it's not a feature, I would hope that being on a new node, and smaller, they would no longer need it.
 
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Crayon

Member
I'm going to shunt my convo from the fugly thread to the main one, here.


Looking at these more closely now. Focusing on the digital one, the basic design scales well to this smaller interpretation. Both flat and slim look great.

The fat disc one doesn't have the symmetry of the digi but it looks great, too. But this slim is actually smaller than I thought and that drive stayed the same size. They comparatively drastic way it has to blend back into the side of the thing makes it look more like a melted brick than a swoopy hump.

I think they may have been better off making it look more like an external attachment than an integrated unit. If you remember, a Genesis 2 with the smaller sega cd to match was pleasing. It looked like two discreet things that nonetheless belong together. Or even complete each other.


Sega-CD-Model2-Set.png



I think PS5 looks great and so does the smaller digital, but that drive doesn't fit inside the slim. A piggyback design could have been better looking.


II think it's significantly smaller after looking at more pics.

450_1000.jpeg


It defintely looks a lot smaller. The practical smallness of it will be noticeable when using it sideways, but do hardly anything for vertical. For all the moaning about how big a ps5 is, it's footprint is very narrow when its's right way up. You probably weren't planning to stow anything away behind your console so the depth isn't a big deal. It is just very tall. The slim is a bit shorter, but if you don't have vertical room for the fat, you probabaly won't for the slim, either. So the only space saving is from the width. That width was already really small. It's just not much of a usable space saving compared to the significantly reduced volume.

If you keep it sideways though (what are you thinking), it is going to be effective at freeing up space in the tighter cubbies of entertainment centers where you can end up with a lot of electronics.

The vertical fat looks large and in charge, but in practical terms, it harder to find a place for your switch as you need room to lifts it out of the dock and it's like 3 times as wide as the ps5 with the joycons. I've got 3 good places to put the switch, and the same 3 spots would be good for the vertical ps5. Sideways, it could go in two more spots that are too short to lift the switch out. I'd never keep the ps5 sideways. It really looks like it got knocked over. I threw away the stand the other night. Never used it and never will. It's so much better to keep it vertical.
 
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Mr.Phoenix

Member
Mr.Phoenix Mr.Phoenix
Actually It's not that easy. Many people think oh cool a smaller nanometer process means less heat. But it It means that more heat comes into a smaller space too.
No, that is not how that works. In the case of a PS5, going onto a smaller node, will definitely mean you are drawing less power, which in turn means you are generating less heat. And ultimately means you can get your cooling solution smaller. And that clearly is what we are seeing here.

What you are talking about is hotspoting. And that has more to do with a poorly designed cooling solution than making an all around smaller chip. Eg. the PS5 APU has a CPU + GPU, the cooling solution employed must be designed for the component of that APU with the highest thermal envelope. If not, then you end up with hot-spotting.

Every single time though, the smaller a chip you can make, the better for you. A smaller chip means the current has less surface area to travel, less resistance, and less heat. The only downside with going small, is that you have less of a warning or leeway if or when you do get hot spotting. But that doesn't apply to the PS5, if they were trying to upclock it too, well then yh, that would be something they need to worry about.

This brings me to what I find sad about mid-gen refreshes. They could easily raise the clocks in this new PS5 to a GPU with 2.5 GHz. And still, be within their thermal envelope. But they won't because it won't be fair....
 

Elios83

Member
I think this render really puts it in to perspective. This is a very attractive revision IMO. Much needed, because the OG is a lard arse.


qq5tbeivkotb1.png

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3xgltscvkotb1.png

Looks great and pretty much a Slim model compared to the huge original.
But since I'm not bothered by the size and the launch model is super silent I'm going to wait for the Pro which is probably going to be even bigger than the original 👀 :pie_roffles:
 
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