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The ultra-rare PlayStation 5 Digital Edition has been on a diet, according to documentation discovered in Japan. Sony has submitted paperwork for a new model (CFI-1100B) which according to the manual is 300 grams lighter than its predecessor and has a slightly more manageable base screw. It’s unclear if there are any other obvious changes at this stage, but expect the console to look identical from the outside.

The platform holder frequently revises its manufacturing process over the course of the generation, in order to cut costs and maximise efficiency. We already know that it’s working with Taiwanese manufacturing juggernaut TSMC on a “new semi-customised” 6nm chip for the system starting in 2022, which it hopes will help it to get on top of PS5 stock issues. This revision probably isn’t that, although clearly something has changed to get the weight down.

With regards to the screw, many found attaching the base a bit fiddly at launch, so this seems to switch the assembly piece to a thumb screw which should be easier to handle. We’d expect this unit to make its way to the West eventually, although it’s probably not something Sony will publicise: this is very much a refinement of the system that already exists rather than a full-scale makeover. Interesting stuff, though.

[source manuals.playstation.net, via twitter.com]