Sony sleuths just stumbled onto a surprise in Japan: the company has quietly kicked out a new version of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition that’s listed as 300 grams lighter than the original (via PSU). That’s two-thirds of a pound, bringing the mammoth console down from well over the eight-pound mark to just slightly under it.
Sony’s new PS5 Digital Edition for Japan is mysteriously two-thirds of a pound lighter
Paging teardown specialists
Paging teardown specialists
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
How, you might ask? Well, that’s the question!
According to Sony’s official manual (PDF) and quick start guide (PDF), as spotted by PS5sokuhouInfo on Twitter, the only differences between the new CFI-1100B and the original CFI-1000B are that change in weight and a new thumbscrew for the PS5’s vertical stand so you don’t need a screwdriver or coin to get it set.
It’s not like the console lost any girth: Sony’s documentation shows it has the same exact dimensions. So what could have possibly changed? The system does have a beefy internal power supply, giant heatsink, and lots of shielding, so those come to mind, but we’ll have to wait for a new teardown to be sure. Or perhaps it’s just a typo. For context, the full-fat PS5 with the disc drive weighs just under 10 pounds.
The new version is already listed at Japanese retailers and will go on sale at the end of July, according to PS5sokuhouInfo.
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