Each panel on the PlayStation 5 can be swapped out individually, so we decided to go with something a little off the rails.Photo: Angel Fajardo / Gizmodo
What wasn’t obvious about the new slimmer version of the PlayStation 5 was that each individual panel can be removed individually. Unlike the original PS5, the black bar running through the center on the new version separates each panel into four pieces rather than two. This means you can make interesting designs using Sony’s new “Deep Earth” collection panels.
And hey, it looks a bit like the U.S. flag—and the Panama flag, the Laos flag, Russia, Norway, Liberia, U.K. Iceland, Nepal…—but you get the picture. We were offered the chance to look at all three new cover options launching Friday, so we had some fun with them. Each cover set costs $60, so unless you’d be willing to throw $180 at the wall to have a very odd-looking PS5, then we suggest you settle on one.
The red is easily the best of the three colors in the new collection, including the Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue, and Sterling Silver. It’s bright with a nice deep sheen that works well in both hard and soft light. The Volcanic Red DualSense controller, like the maroon Cosmic Red before it, also looks very nice thanks to the classic red-on-black scheme.
The blue is nice and equally satin in finish, though it blends in far more with a dark background. Coming up last is the silver, as it reminds me of far too much bare steel, and I’d rather not be reminded of the Cybertruck every time I move to turn on my console.
It’s also rather easy to switch each cover. They’re labeled individually with one of the classic PlayStation “shape” buttons, so you should know where each needs to go. Removing each panel takes a fair bit of elbow grease, but if you don’t fear breaking the plastic, they will come off eventually.
We’ve yet to see third-party companies like DBrand release their own alternative colors, but the individually swappable plates might make for some interesting designs going forward.