PS5 Slim Can Haz Physical Media as a Treat

The new console offers a clip-on Blu-ray drive accessory.The new console offers a clip-on Blu-ray drive accessory. [CNET]( Insider [October 12, 2023](#?ftag=CAD-04-10aac3a&utm_email=9ec2e0353644c03ce56099bfb161a49d1f8a5a22f0d884f0cd961b89d205d529&utm_campaign_id=8013481&utm_email_id=ddda6bbb4da7e86cd6284d7c077df0801e7e13719bc3440dfa4270d7e88ed02b&utm_newsletter_id=71558&medium=email&source=iterable) [Why I'm keeping my physical media, thanks in part to Sony]( This week [Sony announced its new PS5 Slim]( a digital-only console, but it can also be had with an optional disc drive. This $80 add-on is designed for people who don't want to download their games or to stream their movies. But why is this important? Streaming in one form of other has been with us for at least 15 years, so theoretically this should mean all physical media goes the way of VHS right? Except it hasn't. Vinyl is the strongest its been since the 80s, and even [cassettes are making a comeback](. People, and I count myself as one of those, enjoy the tactile experience of poring over a physical collection, selecting a disc, and then putting it in (or on) a player. I moved to the Americas in 2011, and I brought a lot of games, DVDs, Blu-rays and CDs with me. I don't watch any of the video discs, though I did rip a few, and I could probably sell them without another thought. But the [CDs are different]( -- even though I've ripped them all to a hard drive, I still keep them around. Why? Because they're tangible: There's liner notes, there's the physicalities of the disc. The players themselves can be fun, too, and I'm especially fond of little details such as the checkerboard displays which represent every track up to number 20. Sony's CD players were the best at this. Though I'm using a Blu-ray player as my transport right now, I do keep an eye out for second-hand players. I keep a Pinterest board of [great-looking CD players]( and I would gladly own any one of them. I am also a console gamer, but I'm not quite ready to buy the original PlayStation for its much-vaunted CD playback. I like things retro, but navigating a 480i screen to play my old White Stripes CDs is a bridge too far. If only this [Cambridge Audio CD transport]( had a track display, I'd be right there. -- Ty Pendlebury, editor INSIDER ESSENTIALS display:%20block;%20max-width:%20116px;%20%20max-height:%2015px; display:%20block;%20max-width:%2069px;%20%20max-height:%2015px; [New Slimmer PlayStation 5 Arrives in November With Detachable Drive]( [New Slimmer PlayStation 5 Arrives in November With Detachable Drive]( [The new PS5 Slim lets you snap on a Blu-ray drive later for $80 more.]( [See this]( [Check Out the Best Prime Day Deals Still Available]( [Check Out the Best Prime Day Deals Still Available]( [See this]( [Google's Pixel 8 Pro Has Some Big Problems]( [Google's Pixel 8 Pro Has Some Big Problems]( [See this]( [Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Slightly Better in a Good Way]( [Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Slightly Better in a Good Way]( [See this]( [Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is the Cozy Game I Needed]( [Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is the Cozy Game I Needed]( [See this]( [Oppo Find N3 Flip Review: Clamshell Phone Playing to Win]( [Oppo Find N3 Flip Review: Clamshell Phone Playing to Win]( [See this]( [Save Big on Subscriptions at StackSocial's Deal Days Sale]( [Save Big on Subscriptions at StackSocial's Deal Days Sale]( [See this]( CNET RECOMMENDS [40+ Remaining October Amazon Prime Day Deals Under $25 You Can Still Get Now]( Amazon's October Prime Day is over, but there are still plenty of great deals under $25 still available. [Best October Prime Day TV Deals Still Available]( Amazon's October Prime Day event has ended, but you can still find some major deals on TVs. [25+ October Prime Day Deals Under $10 That Are Still Available Today]( October's Prime Day event is now in the rearview mirror, but these budget buys can still be snagged. display:%20block;%20max-width:%20116px;%20%20max-height:%2015px; display:%20block;%20max-width:%2019px;%20%20max-height:%2015px; Trouble viewing this email? [View online](. This newsletter is a service of [CNET.com](. To update your account, please visit our [Newsletter subscription center.]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy]( © 2023 CNET, A Red Ventures company. All rights reserved. CNET [235 Second Street San Francisco, CA 94105 U.S.A.](#)