Highlights
- A slim variant of the PlayStation 5, rumored for a while now, has been leaked twice, this time appearing in a video.
- The leaked chassis of the slim PS5 appears to have a detachable optical drive, potentially making repairs easier and helping streamline manufacturing.
- While the disc reader may not be user-detachable, the leaks suggest that a new PS5 revision is likely coming soon and align with previous reports of a more compact model launching in 2023.
A supposed slim variant of the PlayStation 5 leaked for the second time over 24 hours, this time on video. The previous possible sighting of a slim PS5 model arrived in the form of a low-res image.
Rumors of another PS5 revision have been circulating the industry for a while now. This has gotten to the point that even Microsoft seems convinced the PS5 Slim is coming soon, with its lawyers claiming as much during the company's recently concluded legal clash with the Federal Trade Commission.
A hands-on video of a chassis that supposedly belongs to this slimline variant of the PlayStation 5 surfaced online on August 11, having been shared by Twitter user BwE_Dev. The case doesn't appear to be visibly slimmer so much as shorter than the regular $499 console which comes equipped with a Blu-ray drive. The most obvious difference between the two is that the leaked chassis appears to feature a detachable optical drive, as indicated by a notable gap about one-third of the way down from the top of the console. The revision is reportedly identified by model number CFI-2016, as per the same source. For context, the latest PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition consoles are labeled as the CFI-1202A and CFI-1202B, respectively.
Established industry insider Tom Henderson reports that this smaller variant of Sony's system is indeed real, but that it won't further complicate the existing PS5 lineup or have any consumer-facing impact on it whatsoever. The CFI-2016 is instead supposedly meant to streamline Sony's manufacturing process by allowing it to use a single production line for both models, then simply assemble the more expensive one with an optical drive. Having one such modular system instead of two distinct ones would theoretically help the Japanese company keep its production costs down.
A detachable Blu-ray drive could also lower the cost of repairs, as failed disc readers would be significantly easier to replace. But that's not to say that this PS5 revision is going to have a user-detachable drive, at least assuming the user isn't a tinkerer with a screwdriver. The chances that the disc reader would be a truly modular block that could simply slot into the new PS5 are slim. While such a design would allow Sony to even sell the drive separately as a user-friendly way to upgrade the Digital Edition of the console, it would offer much worse read speeds compared to the data ribbon cable that connects the motherboard to the Blu-ray drive in the current PS5 model.
Nevertheless, this new influx of leaks offers a strong indication that a new PS5 revision is indeed on the horizon. It is also consistent with a number of past reports claiming that a more compact PS5 model is launching in 2023.
Source: Insider Gaming
