A ‘slim’ teardown of the PS5 shows off the clever engineering of the detachable drive

The new PlayStation 5 isn’t out yet — it doesn’t even have a set release date — but some YouTubers have gotten their hands on it, including Dave Lee of the Dave2D channel. Post me shredded for the console yesterday, and if you’re curious about how the detachable drive works, this is the best look you’ll get without buying a $499.99 PS5 yourself later this month.

After Lee peels off the PS5’s plastic side cover, you can see the drive sitting there with three screws staring back at you. I thought they were pentagonal screws at first, but a zoomed-in shot later shows they are just standard cross-bolts. A Phillips head, if you like. Well, no surprises there. good.

But only then Pops right out. The screws were a red herring! Such elegant style!

When Lee pulls the drive aside, it reveals a port framed within a rectangular hexagon where the drive connector rests. That’s what I like so much about the design of devices like the PowerMac G5. You see the part, hold it, and take it out—no hard, angular plastic connector to stab your sweaty fingers while wriggling with it. Very delicious.

Regardless of the drive, the new PS5 is a nice-looking system if you’re a fan of the look of Dracula’s pointed collar found on the first version. When Lee places it next to the original, the discrepancy in size is more radical than previous comparisons have shown, even if its size is not really different; It’s still bigger than the Xbox Series Lee says it feels significantly lighter, too — which is great when you’re taking your PS5 for an afternoon walk (or to your friend’s house).

Here’s the full video, if you’d like to see the rest of the teardown process.