Teardown of new PS5 Slim with less storage reveals design changes and tests performance

Surprised gamers recently learned that Sony was shipping a new PS5 Slim in Europe. To avoid further price increases, the CFI-210 model features a reduction in storage capacity from 1 TB to 825 GB. However, until a teardown from Austin Evans, it was unclear what other modifications Sony made. The YouTuber discovered some design tweaks, but no benefits that will quiet critics.

One modification that some fans may appreciate is a shift toward an all-matte exterior. The original PS5 Slim has glossy material on part of its side panels and on the black strip surrounding ports. Now, owners might avoid the more visible scratches that accumulate from inevitable wear and tear.

Austin Evans also verified that the new PS5 Slim Digital model weighs 2433 grams, rather than the 2556 grams of its predecessor. The drop in PS5 storage is unlikely to account for a 123-gram difference. To further investigate, the content creator cracked open the console.

As it turns out, the steel plate protecting the motherboard is thinner. That partly contributes to a slimmer overall weight. The remaining discrepancy is more of a mystery. Still, Evans found that the heat pipes in the CFI-210 model have a unique orientation. There are also fewer VRMs on the revised motherboard, but curiously, more NAND modules for a smaller SSD.

Performance of the new PS5 Slim Digital

Evans tested the power usage and thermals of the latest PS5 Slim Digital and didn’t encounter any surprises. The system consumes no more power and only runs at a marginally higher temperature. Gamers might also determine that the large internal fan runs more quietly.

Appreciating some clever design changes, the broadcaster’s only complaint is with the less storage space available. As games grow larger, new PlayStation converts may need to make difficult choices or add an expansion SSD. If Sony is unable to avoid another PS5 price increase for the digital option, that will only add to frustrations.

Recently, another PS5 Pro version emerged in Europe, with model number CFI-7121. Using the same size drive, only another teardown might determine why the manufacturer altered its flagship console.