That Sony will release a PS5 Slim is considered very likely. After all, this has always been the case with previous consoles in the series. Now, there are initial signs that this could possibly happen sooner than expected.
Eventually, Sony will launch a Slim version of the PS5. After all, every single PlayStation console has received a slimmed-down and smaller revision of the original model after a few years – a tradition that the Japanese manufacturer will certainly continue with the PS5.
Typically, these new models were always released about three years after the original console launched. Considering that the PlayStation 5 has now been on the market for nearly 2 years, a soon announcement seems plausible.
However, there are initial signs that some kind of “prototype” of the PS5 Slim might even be available right now.
Recently, Sony released the latest model of the PlayStation 5 “CFI-1200” in Australia and Japan. Such revisions of the original console are not unusual at first. Nevertheless, it is worth taking a closer look at the latest model – especially since it indeed provides initial hints of a PS5 Slim.
The latest model of the PS5 could be a “prototype” of the PS5 Slim
What distinguishes the latest revision from the older models? The most obvious difference from both the original model (CFI-1000) and the first revision of the console from last year (CFI-1100) is clearly the reduced weight. While the disc version of the console, released at launch, weighed a hefty 4.5 kg, Sony has now reduced the weight of the PS5 to only 3.9 kg. The fact that Sony is already slimming down its latest console is a good indicator of the release of a Slim variant in the not too distant future.
The reasons for the weight loss are primarily due to a smaller cooler, a significantly shorter board, and a much smaller motherboard. In the CFI-1200, the motherboard is indeed only half the size of that of the original model. To ensure that it remains well secured within the console, Sony has also modified the plastic case in the middle of the console, between the two side plates. Viewed this way, one could already consider building a Slim version of the PS5 around the now only half-sized motherboard.
Due to all these material savings, the latest revision of the PS5 has already become significantly cheaper to manufacture. At least, that’s what Tweaktown.com reports. Sony recently announced that they want to increase the price of the console:
Another highly interesting detail in this regard is that the APU of the new model of the PS5 has also been modified.
The revised APU of the CFI-1200 model consumes not only 20 watts less while gaming, but it also doesn’t get as hot – a problem that has occurred at Sony more frequently in the past. Thus, the reduced power consumption also explains why temperatures do not rise further despite the smaller cooler.
A lower power consumption has also always been the case with earlier slim versions. For example, the PS4 Slim consumes 165 W, the “normal” PS4 250 W, and the PS4 Pro consumes significantly the most power at 310 W.
When can we expect a visually altered PS5 Slim?
Are there also factors that make the imminent release of a PS5 Slim unlikely? The switch to a completely new manufacturing process – especially in combination with supply difficulties due to the corona situation – currently seems fundamentally difficult to imagine.
However, Sony has already made significant changes to the design of the PS5 with the CFI-1200. So far, this mainly concerns the internal components of the console with the new and space-saving components. For that reason alone, one can indeed be optimistic that it won’t be too long before a visually smaller version of the console is also announced.
However, how many centimeters and grams Sony will ultimately take away from the polarizing design of the “largest ice cream cone in the world” is still completely open.
However, it is likely that the new design will not be too far from that of the previous models. It is conceivable, for example, that the stand of the console will not be necessary for a shorter Slim version. Just this change would make the console significantly more space-saving than the current PS5 model. This step would also make a lot of sense from a cost perspective.
By the way, a pro-controller for the PS5 was recently introduced by Sony:
Furthermore, the additional reduction of materials could significantly increase production capacities, allowing Sony to deliver even more consoles to the public.
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