A new PS5 model has been spotted, but don’t get too excited

Minor hardware updates incoming

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Sonyhas been struggling to keep up with PS5 demand, but it could be cooking up new hardware to deal with the problem.

Following aprevious hardware revision last year, a newPS5model has appeared in Japan. First emerging back in April (spotted recently byVGC), Sony was granted aconstruction design certificationfor it, along with updated radio equipment. In Japan, all wireless and radio communication technology is required to reach certain standards, hence the ministry’s certification. Accordingly, this PS5 revision appears to be a ‘CFI-1200’ series model.

It’s unknown why Sony is making fresh changes to the PS5, though the answer probably isn’t that exciting. While this doesn’t appear to be a significant PS5 upgrade, the updated radio equipment could be using cheaper components, bringing down overall production costs.

Alternatively, this revision could be designed for better use of existing hardware components, creating a more efficient power draw that decreases power consumption. It’s somethingwe’ve previously seen Nintendo dowith its updatedNintendo Switchback in 2019, though this significantly increased the hybrid console’s battery life by 40%.

Don’t expect this to be a PS5 Pro

Mid-generation updates are nothing new. Nintendo may have set the modern precedent with theNintendo DSiandNew 3DSupgrades, but the trend of offering more powerful hardware didn’t truly catch on until the last console generation. ThePS4was followed by thePS4 Proin 2016, offering significant performance boost. Meanwhile 2017 sawMicrosoftlaunch theXbox One X.

However, given theongoing semiconductor shortage, it seems very unlikely that Sony is actively planning a mid-gen PS5 upgrade just yet.PS5 retocks remain hard to come by for most, a fact reflected byrecent PS5 sales dippingbehind thePS4. Realistically, aPS5 Promodel wouldn’t make much sense at this time.

Instead, this is likely to be a minor upgrade similar to thenewer CF-1100 series PS5 model. The hardware shed 300g off the original launch model’s weight by changing a screw, and using a smaller heatsink and fan. Crucially, this update didn’t affect performance, meaning there’s no practical reason to upgrade if you already had the launch model. As such, it seems likely this will be another minor optimization update.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

Henry is a freelance writer based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. When he’s not wandering in VR or burning through his RPG backlog, he’s probably planning his next D&D session.

I reviewed the PS5 Pro and recommend these 7 enhanced games to try first

Lords of the Fallen is the latest game to get confirmed PS5 Pro enhancements and support

Scotland vs South Africa live stream: how to watch 2024 rugby union Autumn International online from anywhere