The PlayStation 4 slim was revealed way before it was supposed to have been. Thanks to leaks and a few units that fell of the back of a truck, we knew about the smaller, slimmer PlayStation 4 well before it was officially announced.
There is, in truth, not too much different about it when you compare it to the older one. It’s smaller, it’s rounded, it’s matte and it dispenses with the touch-based buttons in favour of physical buttons. It also does away with the optical audio port. It has improved WiFi support, and comes with the newer version of the DualShock 4, but really isn’t far removed from the regular model.
While the Slimmer PS4 has been available in the rest of the world for a while now, it’s finally coming to South African retail. If you’ve been waiting for the smaller PS4, you’ll be happy to know that it’ll be on store shelves this Friday, just in time for the release of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
What you won’t be very happy with is its price. While the newer model had a significant price drop in the rest of the world, its local price isn’t particularly great. It’ll retail here at a recommended retail price of R5199 for the 500GB version, while the 1TB version that bundles in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will set you back R5999.
While it’s pointless to compare local electronics with US pricing, this RRP doesn’t stand up to the UK or European pricing which we’re normally close to. Right now, in the UK at retail, the PS4 Slim has a recommended price of 249 GBP, though you can find it lower. Amazon UK is selling it for £225.49 – which equates to R3750 or thereabout. The European price, which we’re normally congruent with is 299 Euros – or around R4500.
Had the PS4 slim come in near that sort of pricing, I think we’d have seen a new gen console sales boom. Unfortunately we’re paying quite a bit more. The most likely reason for it is our terribly volatile currency, and the impending stock of consoles was purchased with forward cover at a set pricing that was a little closer to R16 to the Dollar than the R13.50 it’s sitting at now. Unfortunate timing. Hopefully the next batch of PS4 Slims come in cheaper.
We’re also still waiting for official confirmation of the retail release of the PlayStation 4 Pro here in South Africa, though it’s expected to retail at R6999 and should be out later this month.
Last Updated: November 2, 2016
Andre Fourie
November 2, 2016 at 10:12
Oh let me grab my chequebook….. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f62b189c0e6e771478837c30b96f5b05e69fabddc8bcce2c227c93085ccdf9c2.jpg
Uberutang
November 2, 2016 at 10:21
What the shit are local guys smoking? We also do not even have a release date and price yet for a XBOX One S: So locals are importing from Amazon UK at around 4k a console, with shipping and taxes. You can get a PS4 pro for 6k same route.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
November 2, 2016 at 10:35
They’re smoking profits?
Original Heretic
November 2, 2016 at 10:40
This is rather insane, considering that the “old” PS4 stock is going so much cheaper. I saw a deal that Game was advertising:
PS4 + Arkham Knight + Uncharted 4 for only R4 999.
Why bother with the slim then?!
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
November 2, 2016 at 10:40
Agreed
Allykhat
November 2, 2016 at 11:15
100%
The differences between them are negligable. I’m still running my launch edition console too, so it’s not even a case of the old units are defective. If you want a PS4, buy the current gen, if you want a new PS4 then go for the Pro. You paying extra anyways, may as well go big.
Anon A Mouse
November 2, 2016 at 10:40
Guess I’m importing then.
Viking Of Science
November 2, 2016 at 10:53
Oh, what about the Import Tax on Electronic Goods that sits at 10+14% of the Value, plus shipping.
So, let’s do some meth: it’s 299USD (before their taxes, let ignore those taxes) Int’l Shipping, If you’re lucky, $15, Add 24% ($71.76) So the Landed cost is: $385.76. @13.50 to the Dollar, that’s…. huh R5200.
So, unless you can cheat SARS, might as well buy locally.
Andre Fourie
November 2, 2016 at 11:03
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b9919d2ccb3a2f6ad269859801682675a976b99b413081e61a006f118baff0ad.jpg
HvR
November 2, 2016 at 11:36
Except that is recommended retail (taking various import taxes shipping fees etc into account) and not the price the price the distributors buy it at.
So you can basically add 14% to the USD price since it is excluding
Or just straight convert the UK pound price since we source form the same location and the price is inclusive and why it is always higher than the US price. In fact our RRP should be a little bit less since shipping should be less and our sales tax is 6% lower than theirs. So it should be around R4000 mark
Geoffrey Tim
November 2, 2016 at 11:38
The thing from Amazon, includng shipping and customs rounds out at just over R4k.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 2, 2016 at 10:51
That seems like the opposite of slim pricing.
Ottokie
November 2, 2016 at 10:53
The only slim thing here will be your wallet…
*Thank you, thank you. I will be here all night!
Original Heretic
November 2, 2016 at 10:58
All night? Please show me where so that I know which area to step around.
VampyreSquirrel
November 2, 2016 at 10:57
Hahaha… So it seems I won’t have a new console until just before the next one comes out
Allykhat
November 2, 2016 at 11:07
PS4 Pro next year feb-march for me 😀
Dungeon of JJ
November 2, 2016 at 11:16
What? 5.2k for a 500Gig console? wtf?! They do realise that games aren’t 100mb anymore, right?
Pieter Kruger
November 2, 2016 at 11:51
Hey Ster Kinekor, how’s movie ticket sales doing lately……?ROFL!
40 Insane Frogs
November 2, 2016 at 12:38
Jeez local distributors… now you’re getting out of control. You’ve just convinced me to import.
Milesh Bhana
November 2, 2016 at 12:56
So is there much local stock left for PS4 “Phat”? Seems like a better buy imo. Shinier, cheaper (possibly), and has optical port.
Geoffrey Tim
November 2, 2016 at 13:54
There is enough stock of it , and it can be had for some pretty good dsicounted pricing.
DragonSpirit009
November 2, 2016 at 14:37
Well that’s a nope for me then… even if I need one!
Garvin
November 2, 2016 at 15:56
Good job reporting on this local pricing scam, let it be known to the general population that we being screwed over. Ster Kinekor is hoping that it being a significant price drop, we will buy it, but the price should actually be around R4500.