It would appear that a new model of PS5 has begun shipping to select locations, and it brings with it several changes from the original designs that launched in November of 2020. So, as players continue to jump on every PS5 restock, those who aren't able to pick up a new system until later in the year might be rewarded with several quality of life updates to the newest version of the console.
First reported by Australian news outlet Press Start, these new models are already appearing in several stores across the country. So far, it seems as though Australia is the first country to receive the new PS5 models, as no other reports of these updated consoles have been reported elsewhere at the time of this writing.
Included in this new model is a brand new screw used to install the stand onto the bottom of the PS5 console for players that prefer to have their systems standing vertically, much like in the majority of Sony's promotional material for the device. The new screw has a plastic cover on the end, with grooves that allow players to better install the stand with their fingers, rather than having to use a screwdriver or a coin the way the current model does. It's a small quality of life change that could make a big difference when the system finally arrives to an eager fan, or for any players that might frequently travel and thus need to remove and reinstall the stand repeatedly.
It isn't entirely clear what else has changed under the hood of these new PS5 consoles, as Sony hasn't come out to address the new models in any significant way at the time of this writing. All that fans who have checked can say for certain is that the new version is slightly lighter, losing about 10 ounces or roughly 300 grams, and there is a new model number associated. The model number of the original console used a CFI-1XXX numbering scheme, while these new versions appear to use a CFI-11XX scheme instead.
Seeing new models this early into the lifetime of a console is nothing new, and the updates are likely fairly minor, especially with a weight difference of less than a pound. However, this could hopefully be a chance for Sony to address the various overheating and internal noise issues of the PS5 that a few fans have run into since the original version launched. Of course, with little changes made in the power of the hardware, it is likely that Sony will simply ship these new models out without much fanfare, especially considering that demand for the consoles is still so high.
Source: Press Start