YouTuber Creates Custom PS5 Console Covers
▼ Summary
– The author is a deals and gaming hardware editor who rejoined The Verge in May 2025 after working at Polygon.
– A third-party product called BoxPlates are $89.99 snap-on covers that change the PS5’s appearance from curvy to flat.
– These covers are compatible with the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro models but not the original launch PS5.
– The BoxPlates do not obstruct the console’s ports, power button, or power indicator LED light.
– Installation is straightforward, though it requires careful handling to secure the plates without breaking them.
For nearly six years, the PlayStation 5’s distinctive, sculpted form has been a topic of debate among gamers. While some have grown accustomed to its aesthetic, others find it a persistent eyesore. One creator, small form factor PC enthusiast Devyn Johnston, has taken his dissatisfaction a step further by engineering a solution. He now sells BoxPlates, a set of $89.99 snap-on covers that radically transform the console’s silhouette from curvaceous to clean and angular.
Applying these covers gives the PS5 a notably flatter, more monolithic appearance, drawing clear inspiration from the design language of consoles like the Xbox One X. The plates feature a two-tone finish, with roughly 60 percent of the surface in a matte black or gray, while the remaining section is semi-transparent. This transparent area includes slatted vents positioned directly over the console’s internal fan, maintaining crucial airflow.
Functionally, the BoxPlates are well-considered. They leave all front and rear ports completely accessible and do not fully obscure the power indicator LED, whose subtle blue glow remains visible. The build quality feels solid and comparable to other third-party covers on the market. A small, intentional gap between the plates and the console body even allows for the optional attachment of decorative magnets.
Installation is straightforward, though it requires a careful touch. The process is similar to removing the stock PS5 panels, an operation some may recall as finicky from installing an M.2 SSD. The kit includes a recommendation to watch an accompanying YouTube tutorial. During setup, ensuring all the plastic clips engage properly demands a bit of patient fiddling to avoid damaging components.
It is important to note that BoxPlates are currently only compatible with the PlayStation 5 Slim and the PS5 Pro models, both in disc and digital editions. Owners of the original, launch-era PS5 are out of luck and must rely on official Sony or other third-party options like Dbrand if they seek a visual change.
The value proposition is simple and subjective. For anyone who has genuinely disliked the PS5’s default look since day one, these $90 panels offer a permanent, high-quality remedy. If the console’s original design has never bothered you, they are an unnecessary expense. But for a specific audience of design-conscious gamers, BoxPlates finally provide the sleek, boxy aesthetic they always wanted.
(Source: The Verge)
