As reported by Australian publication Press Start, a new skew of the PlayStation 5, known as the CFI-1200 model, has been released, and fans are already getting their hands on it. These types of iterative models are not upgrades in performance or visual design, but instead are meant to slightly adjust the internal architecture of the console by changing materials and/or their distribution.
Last year, Australia also was the first to receive the then-new skew of the PlayStation 5 (the CFI-1102A model). A building trend for these PS5 skews is that they're getting lighter each time. The original disc version PS5 weighs 4.5kg (nearly 10 pounds), while the new CFI-1200 model weighs 3.9kg (about 8 and a half pounds). The digital version saw a similarly proportional decrease. One of the most interesting tidbits relayed by Press Start is that the CFI-1200 disc version weighs what the original digital launch version did.
First revealed in websites of Japanese distributors, the model is set to arrive in Japan on September 15th. As of now, it is unclear when it will arrive in western regions like the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Though the slightly lowered weight is certainly a convenience for the average customer, the actual purpose of this is likely to ease manufacturing and distribution for Sony. It is not clear what has changed internally for the PS5, but Sony's CFO has previously gone on record to state that changing the console's design was a possible solution to the worldwide semiconductor shortage. Experts have explained how internal silicone boards get thinner with time, and thus Sony could hypothetically be producing more consoles with less raw material.
Furthermore, though the weight difference is small on its own, it may result in significant savings for Sony, as consoles are shipped in bulk, and weight is one of the most important factors regarding shipping costs. However, PlayStation consumers on the other hand, are seeing cost increases. As recently reported, the PlayStation 5's price is increasing in most major markets outside of the US, such as Europe, UK, China, and Australia.