I don't have as interesting a story to tell about my second PlayStation 5 as I did my first but I don't want to wait outside a Best Buy for another 30 hours and make more new friends. So now that we have passed the “how easy it is to get one of these now” part of the story let's talk about the system. The 1st one I bought 2 years ago is the original size one. This one is slim, it is sleeker and smaller but not so much you can tell, maybe 35% smaller. It is easier to lay flat with little feet that you place in the middle underneath, instead of this awkward disc pedestal that came with the original. I also bought extended SSD drives for both of my PS5s and they were the exact same process, not much different from the original to this one. There was an extra boot up screen because the disk drive can now be sold separately for those who want to buy a PS5 without and then get a drive for disc later. However, only aesthetic differences can one see between the original and the slim PS5. On the original the front ports are 1 USB-B and 1 USB-C and 2 USB-B on the back. On this slim, there are 2 USB-C on the front (one labeled SSD for external memory, if you don't go with the internal extended memory) but still works to charge controllers, and 2 USB-B on the back. Performance is the same beauty is the same, everything about it is just awesome. I may have to keep this one and give the other one to the children. Be sure to get some extended memory, external or internal. For internal most stores sell them for or with PS5 in mind for saving and downloading. Install videos for the internal are all over YouTube.

Wish there was a USB type-A on the front, but thats the only functionality issue I have with the hardware. As far as software, I'm not a fan of the menu.
The GUI is a bit of a mess. the rows are not intuitive and its cumbersome to get to the things you want to get to. The PS3 had the best GUI and each generation seems to be getting worse.
I also noticed how poorly integrated headphone volume is integrated. I was co-oping Bloodborne with a friend and had earbuds plugged into the controller. it is constant work trying to get the game volume and party volume balanced. I would have to manually change the game volume so it doesnt overpower the voice chat.
Also, on PS4, if I was playing bloodborne and used the spotify app, the game music would automatically mute (a nice detail!). However, this feature appears to be lost on PS5 or perhaps it only works with certain PS5 games.
The performance is obviously leagues ahead of the PS4 so no issues with running games. Its also easy to transfer saves from a PS4 to a PS5 with just a flashdrive.

Overall, The UI and functionality is worse than the PS4, but performance is obviously leagues ahead, and I like the controller more.

Ordered this around the black Friday week. Great playing so far.

The slim has a little bit of extra internal ssd storage over the original which many will appreciate. Great looking console vs competition in my opinion and I've warmed to the futuristic styling of the console. No cheap looks here.

Great looking visuals from the games I've purchased for it (Helldivers 2, LOU remake). Very smooth with my tv and the provided HDMI cable. Make sure to use this cable or a suitable hdmi version equivalent (2.1 or higher)

The controller steps up from the PS4 with more dimensions to the haptic feedback and a more weighty feel. A USB C charge port means the controller can be charged easily from other device chargers. The provided charging cable is a little short to reach where you will likely be sitting.

I went for the disk version as am still attached to some of the PS4 console games I have on disk. I find it runs nice and quiet. Blu ray movies playback nicely. If you're digital only then you can save a bit more in terms of money and space by getting the digital version.

Overall a great continuation of the console line.

Playstation cares about the user experience.

In the Ps4 and Ps3 era, the controller microhones and touchpads were gimmicks. But not any more.

Playing Returnal with my Ps5 Pro controller, the onboard speaker actually does a lot for immersion!
They've got it down.

It turns on my Sony TV when I turn it on, and turns off when my tv turns off. My TCL doesn't do that.

The headphone jack works great, even though it shuts off the speakerss on the TV, that's actually a benefit, because it's rare that you would want both and my wife can use it with no hassle.

PS Plus is as good as Gamepass ever was now.
Tons of PS1, PS2 and PS3/4 titles that you can download immediately or stream instantly.
I can be nostalgic at the drop of a dime and I love it.

Watching YouTube on my TV with headphones through the controller allows me to watch quietly with a big setup and mostly wirelessly.

The haptic controllers are a really cool experience and are fun sometimes even if not all the time!

Sony is more compatible with USB microphones that Xbox and you can just plug in some headphones that have a microphone without complicated work arounds like Xbox.

It HDMI 2.1 for high refresh rates and resolutions, even if not customizable like a PC, the default settings often just work best.

Overall, very pleased with mine.
I was going to wait and upgrade to the Pro, but I haven't noticed any reason to do so. I'm a pretty discerning user, as I love high resolution and frame rates. So that's saying a lot!

I also was doing some upgrades to my NAS (hard drive storage unit) and ordered an extra SSD.
Well well well. My Xbox can't use that for extra storage, but my Sony Can!

I DO tend to play my Xbox more because it has Roboquest. And that is really the only reason. I prefer the experience of my PS5 in almost every way.