May I ask how you know the PS4 Slim won't have UHD BR support?

@master

Because there is no mention of 4k or uhd BR on the box at all and the engravings for bluray on the side of the console are standard BR exactly like og ps4.

@dark
And are 4k and UDH BR on the XB1S box? And how does the logo look like on the drive of the XB1S?

Well don't buy this if you plan on playing Rocksmith, no optical digital is a basic requirement for the game.

Exactly, a waste of time and resources.

It looks like a laptop that has been closed. Very sleek looking with the matte finish instead of gloss. Can't wait till someone opens it up to see the cooling system.

I'd say $200 for this version sounds about right. Increased PS Plus costs and software sales should make up for any hardware losses.

It's the slim model...It's a smaller PS4 that will be less expensive. Neo will be the upgraded super 4k model. Why would they release two 4k PS4s? It makes sense.

I think Sony at least got the design asthetic right with the slim model. My opinion, I know, but I think this is the best looking console fabrication of this generation. I never liked the angled look of the original, think the XB1 looks plain, and the vent holes on the One S make it look too busy (at least in white). Congrats to Sony on making an astheetic that looks as good on its' own as it does in an entertainment center!

Seems strange to release the PS4 slim, with Neo potentially releasing this year, or early in the new year.

Blu-Ray isn't listed on the stock PS4 box either. Guess it doesn't support Blu-Ray discs at all.

Been looking for different angles of the X1S box to see if it had the logo, but only pics I can find online are the front or back of the box. On the PS4 box however, there were only 4 logos present, despite the PS4 most certainly supporting quite a few other formats that could be logo'd.

I'd also question how this author knows that the HDMI is 1.4, since i'ts not listed on the box which speed it is. He seems to be basing it on the cable itself, however, there is no difference between HDMI 1.4-2.0 cables. All that changes is the actual transfer protocol, and if it can support 1.4, it can be upgraded to 2.0 without any issue assuming there is sufficient power in the system, and the controller chip itself is capable of the protocol....which Sony's custom HDMI chip is. The lack of a 2.0 port also doesn't denote that it doesn't support UHD, as 1.4 is all that is needed. However, full range HDR is not available on 1.4, as it needs the higher bandwidth of the 2.0 HDMI.

In this case, I think the author is just making assumptions based on what he thinks he knows, and he doesn't even have a cursory understanding of what's required for UHD/HDR, so I can't take that part of the article seriously because for the life of me I can't see why Sony wouldn't include it given their stake in the UHD/BR market, and the fact it wouldn't actually cost them anything to support it on the PS4.

Honestly think I'd be one of the first to criticize Sony should they not include it, because the UHD market for players right now seemed to be based around gouging the early adopters, because there isn't much difference to the overall player design between a 4K upcale player, and a UHD native player.

The rest of the article was fine.

Beyond that, anyone here with an X1S that can confirm there are 4K or HDR logos present on the box....probably on the information panel on the side or bottom of the box....which is where it's located on the PS4 box. Unfortunately, packed away my OGX1 box for an upcoming move, so can't pull it out that easily.

@Frag below

Thanks, was having trouble finding pics of that part of the box on the web. Was all just front or back shots.

It's the console for gamers on 1080p and on a budget.
although I do agree, it should have a 4k Blu-Ray Player, ultimately that would have risen the price up to 299$.
If the Xbox One S was the stronger console, it would have been a no-brainer, the Xbox One S would have been better.
But 50$ less for a Slim PS4 with better graphics. I guess it depends on what the customer is looking into.
-Mainly Video for 4k? Xbox One S
-Mainly Gaming 1080p? PS4 Slim
Both work and target different audience. Again, As a gamer, I'd rather buy a Neo/Scorpio with the 4k Blu-Ray included instead. However, I'm talking for people who hasn't gotten a current gen system and aren't interested in the beefier specs.
For sure these two puts a nail in the coffin of the first Xbox One at that price, Microsoft needs to clear the remaining store shelves before this arrives and are forced to give them away, same thing goes for the first PS4.
Let's hope the prices are kept low so that everyone can afford a current gen system.

...1080p gaming for cheap. If this is $250 or god forbid lower, with a Neo around at $349 or something this will be a killer. Imagine this would be $199...cheapest way to get into VR! But this would cannibalize Neo sales.... Why would one expect 4k video on that thing when it's clearly positioned as an entry level model? This makes especially sense with the Neo around the corner. Imagine the Neo fighting in the same price segment as the S....

@rainslacker,

The logos for 4k, ultra HD and HDR on the XBOX One S are on the back and the side information panel.

also, cheaper for Sony to produce, so they will turn profit more from selling these. PSNeo is the ideal purchase, but this will be for those that can't make that purchase. I know i'll be trading up to the neo... already can't wait for the PSVR :D #ACECOMBAT

No UHD playback? That can't be right. If the Neo is not up for sale with 4K blu ray then they just handed over media enthusiasts to MS for the foreseeable future.

Including UHD playback isn't going to drive up the price on a manufacturing level. The difference between a standard upscaling BR player and a UHD player all come down to a single controller chip and possibly a DAC processor. The PS4 doesn't require the DAC processor, since it has it's own GPU, and the controller chip Sony uses in the PS4 is one they manufacture, and changing it to one compatible with the HDCP2.2 compliance wouldn't likely cost them that much....if anything at all beyond the R&D and manufacturing set up. Only difference is the pin layout has to be internal to support HDCP2.2, whereas the OGPS4, X1, and most Blu-Ray players before the standard was finalized, uses external pins.

The only reason they woldn't include it is because they wouldn't want to undermine the sales potential of the stand alone players which can possibly go for a higher price, but never in Sony's history has that been a concern of theirs, and given the price disparity between what stand alone players will be this holiday and the likely 250-300 price point, there is no reason to worry about it, as they gain more advantage by making it UHD compatible in the long run....both for their movie studios, and the PlayStation division, and Sony's interest in UHD as a whole.

I think people are jumping to the wrong conclusion on the UHD thing with the PS4 slim. For the most part though, I'd hope they'd implement HDR gaming as well if they are going to have the proper output hardware, and that should be available on the stock PS4 with a couple firmware updates, since the HDMI control chip is sufficient for non-HDCP2.2 HDR. The HDMI 1.4 would need the firmware update to go to 2.0 though.

I don't know about that has no optical cable I would hope it doesn't phaze other PS4 out there a lot of people are going to be screwed.

@Stevonidas

this slim PS4 will still run games better than the Xbone S ever will even without 4K or HDR. and how is it pointless if this is the way Sony have always wanted to move forward with just like the did the last 3 generations? the PS4 Slim will be the standard PS4 from now on and the original PS4 will be phased out. and seriously, how is this the "most pointless console ever" when the PS4 still have exclusives? honestly speaking, the Xbone S is the most pointless console ever because it has no exclusives and all its games plays better on PC with FREE online. have you ever thought about that?

It'll be cheaper to produce for Sony. Doesn't mean it will be cheaper for consumers.

@Stevonidas

I did not buy a PS4 just to watch movies, I brought it to play games. In fact, the PS4 and the XB1 can (look at their specs) actually display 4K content, what they can't do is display 4K Bluray movies since they don't have a 4K Bluray player.

I don't have a 4K display and have no plans to get one in the foreseeable future. In fact, I would rather wait 3 to 5 years for an affordable 8K display. It may even be possible for me to forgo a large expensive (ie. 80+") screen by purchasing a VR headset although I would want to test this out first.

the thing is ps4 was already small enough xbox one was fucking huge lol. the xbox one s looks a lot better has a uhd blu ray player and hdr support. this ps4 slim needs to be cheaper than $250

lol nobody complained it was pointless? Where have you been? Obviously not around n4g.

It's called a mid cycle slim model. It happens bc it allows companies to make smaller, less expensive, more efficient models. Sony saves money on manufacturing and the consumer gets a price cut. It's likely more energy efficient and quieter as well. It's actually the antithesis of pointless. It very much has a point.

It is significantly smaller, btw. Just bc the PS4 was slim making it slimmer is a bad thing? Taking up less shelf space, requiring less packaging ect shouldn't be done bc "it was already slim"?

Haha how many links would you like look at that says otherwise. All I read for weeks...even months after E3 was how pointless the Xbox one slim was. "Why buy a slim when they announced Scorpio" "MS announced the slim and then killed it 45 minutes later"

On and on and on bro. The only positive I see in this revision is the annoying light bar seems to be gone. It's not that much smaller at all. If your going to put it on a diet at least run the course and not lose 5lbs of water weight and call it a slim.

Guess Sony should stop making the PS3 as well. With the PS4 already out, and dropping in price, there's no reason to have that around either.

On another note, I suspect that the PS3 will receive a price drop as well, because it's still kind of up there in costs.

Slims are just reductions in size and costs to manufacture. They may or may not be accompanied by a price drop. I'm surprised MS didn't have a price drop for it's slim to be honest, since they had to know that Sony would be due for a slim reduction and price cut pretty soon.

Is it pointless?

Not at all. It's simply a redesign of their current console, which arguably offers at least the same as the old. The optical cable being removed may effect some people, but I'd wager many budget conscious buyers....which slims are typically designed to attract, probably aren't going to be that fussed about it, or will simply use the HDMI cable if sound quality is important to them.

I think what Steveonidas is trying to say...assuming he's not just being a rampant troll...is that it's not necessary. To which, I could say he's probably right. Sony could have just slapped the new internals into the existing box, and no one would have been the wiser until it got stripped apart. Could have even removed the optical port, and I bet it'd go mostly unnoticed except by those who want to make minor changes into the most dire fail ever.

I can't ever really recall in the past that any slim had upgrades or improvements that was visible to the end user. Many times, they actually remove features and build quality, so it's not like this slim is doing anything new. MS went a different route, by offering a small upgrade, and a couple really nice and desirable features for it's slim, but it's certainly not the norm, and I doubt most people care unless they're in the market for a media player/game machine combo.

In any case, most people's speculation is based on what they want to believe without much concrete details to back up what they want to assert is true. Facts will be made known soon enough, but as I've noticed, it doesn't take much to incite a good old fashion misinformation campaign based on assumption or outright lies.

Well, probably because it provided not only 4K Blu-Ray movie playback, but also upscaling games to 4K as well. It also offered models with 1 & 2TB storage (not just the standard 500GB). The hardware was slightly improved so that many of the games will look a bit better or run at a higher frame rate. So there were a few improvements with the XB1 S. Like the original XB1, you can still add a larger external HDD to it. It will still play XBox 360 B/C games as well. That's why it's not pointless.

Come on, get your brain into gear. This model will replace the current PS4 model, it will be cheaper to manufacture, therefore cheaper for consumers to buy, this is going to be the mainstream PS4. It will continue to sell like the current PS4 but at a cheaper price with the Neo coming in slightly more expensive.
Sony are not altering the design to piss you off they are altering it for a cost issue and then passing these savings onto the consumer, same thing happens every generation, they are running a business after all.

People may see it as only 10% smaller but when your manufacturing millions at a time it will saving a pretty penny over the original PS4.

Pointless is somebody favorite word. To bad your blinded by it to realize its not pointless.

It does not sound like you will buy one... so please move on with your life

You sound like a broken records record. The fact that it's cheaper to produce makes a valid point indeed.

It's about as pointless as any of those limited editions or color changes.

It's just a form factor reduction. It's not the end of the world. It may or may not include new features, and it may or may not remove existing features(optical port being the only confirmed removal). What exactly is the problem? Would it be just as pointless for Sony to continue selling the stock PS4 if they had no slim with the Neo coming out? Would you care at all if you weren't even aware of any internal reduction?

You seem really upset about this, when the console market has seen console form factor reductions and internal changes to hardware since the Colecovision days. It's so common, people start to expect them, and hypothesize when we're going to see it at some E3 announcement.

All I can surmise from your rather impudent posturing is that you are very new to gaming, and have no clue why slims are made, or what their purpose is.

It's not necessary, but in no way is it pointless. Just because the point doesn't line up with anything you view as correct, doesn't mean the system redesign doesn't have a point. It would be pointless to make a slim, and keep manufacturing the existing model. But the point of slims is to replace the current model for a newer, cheaper to manufacture model, which nets more profit for the company, and potentially, sees a price drop, which drives more sales to the system itself. That's a pretty big point you seem to be incapable of comprehending.