As of mid-November this year, PlayStation 5 has just completed the third stage of its life. It is placed in a modern home game console that is updated on a "six-year" cycle. Taking advantage of such a special time point, it is indeed a routine operation to launch corresponding hardware upgrade models.

On the one hand, the investment in new models can provide a better entry point for potential users who are still in the wait-and-see stage; on the other hand, it can also send a more positive signal to the increasingly tired console market, telling players that PlayStation is ready for the second half of the game - the "9th generation" console war is far from over.


New version of PlayStation 5

Players who are familiar with PlayStation 5 know that in the past three years, PlayStation 5 has gone through two relatively important internal hardware iterations. Although both times have effectively improved the heat dissipation and noise reduction issues of the body, they have not brought any changes to the overall appearance. In fact, if it were not for the detailed information in the product manual, most ordinary players would not be able to tell the difference between the "CFI-1000" and the later iterations of the "CFI-1100" and "CFI-1200" models.

From this point of view, the just-released "CFI-2000" PlayStation 5 is more like the thin and light version of the previous generation PlayStation 4, commonly known as "Slim" - compared with the 1000 series released in the past three years, its appearance has changed more obviously. We have also briefly summarized the various changes, hoping to provide some reference opinions for players who do not yet own a PlayStation 5.


All original accessories included with CFI-2000

Just like we are willing to habitually call the new version of PlayStation 5 "thin and light", the lightweight processing of the "CFI-2000" model is the most important improvement. Although the old PlayStation 5 also consciously reduces unnecessary weight in model iterations, "heavy" is still the most obvious impression given by the PlayStation 5 console. According to official parameters, the old optical drive version of PlayStation 5 weighs 4.5 kilograms, and even the relatively small digital version weighs a full 3.9 kilograms.

For most gamers who sit in their living rooms and play games, "weight" doesn't seem to cause any trouble. But life always surprises you. From the perspective of "storage", the smaller the size, the better. This is the biggest selling point of the "CFI-2000".

From a purely numerical comparison, the new version is about 30% smaller in size than the old version, and the weight is about 1.3 kilograms lighter than the old version. From the perspective of user experience, this difference is even more obvious - especially when placed side by side with the old console. Whether it is the aspect ratio or the redesigned curved shell that fits the body, this console looks more compact and delicate in comparison.


Appearance comparison of CFI-2000 optical drive version (left) and CFI-1100 optical drive version (right)

Compared with the "Slim" upgrade to the first version of PlayStation 4, the changes brought by the new version of PlayStation 5 are not limited to simple size. In addition to the original two outer panels being further cut into four pieces, its panel configuration has also undergone considerable changes. Among them, the USB interface configuration of "one Type-A and one Type-C" on the front of the old version of the host has been directly replaced by two Type-Cs, and the eject button that originally existed on the "optical drive type" has also been cancelled. This is undoubtedly a good change for those players like me who always can't distinguish between "shutdown" and "physical ejection".

As for the reason for changing the USB interface, it is easy to understand just by looking at the preferences and tendencies shown by PlayStation in peripheral design this year - whether it is the PlayStation VR2 released in the first half of the year or the just-released "Access Controller (Access Controller)", they all use the current mainstream Type-C data cable as the default connection method. It can be seen that PlayStation is consciously unifying the configuration mode of the hardware in the second half of this generation.


On the back panel of the console, the Type-A interface used in the original version is still there. While simply adjusting the arrangement of several sockets, the new version also adds three three-dimensional symbols on the back panel that can be easily identified. The existence of these symbols makes it easier for players to plug in the cables without moving the host to a certain extent.


A three-dimensional PlayStation symbol can be seen on the back panel

Another major change in "CFI-2000" lies in the introduction of the concept of "modularity".

Like the old version of PlayStation 5, "CFI-2000" is also divided into two types of products: "optical drive version" and "digital version" for players to choose from. The price of the latter is also one "optical drive" price lower than the former, but unlike the 1000 series, the new "optical drive version" is not essentially different from the "digital version". Due to the adoption of a more detailed module composition model in the body design, "CFI-2000" allows players to randomly handle the "optical drive", and the disassembly and assembly method can be called "fool-level" - the user only needs to disassemble the shell on the side of the host, and then remove the optical drive from an appropriate angle, without any tools or any extra steps. The eject key alongside the power key in the old version has also been placed directly on the optical drive module.


If you want to put it back together, just repeat the removal steps in reverse.

In other words, if you purchased the "digital version" before, you only need to purchase an additional "CFI-2000" dedicated optical drive to get the same experience as the "optical drive version". Of course, if you really want to buy this optical drive alone, its price will definitely be slightly more expensive than buying the optical drive version directly...

However, like the "DualSenseEdge" controller, Sony currently does not provide free assembly modules for the "CFI-2000" other than the optical drive. I personally still have reservations about whether PlayStation will provide a more diverse selection of custom modules in the future.

It’s also worth mentioning that I don’t know if it was affected by the widely circulated “PlayStation 5 coolant leakage” statement. The new version of the console has canceled the default “upright” mode of the original version and switched to “lying flat” as the default placement method. This makes the original disc-shaped base in the supporting components missing. Instead, there are two “minimalist” transparent bracket feet dedicated to the new version.


In the black gap on the side of the new PlayStation 5 optical drive module, there are two not too conspicuous bracket sockets. After inserting the brackets, the console can be placed on the table in a more stable manner - to be honest, if it is just used as a more traditional "living room entertainment" device, the smaller horizontal position mode of "CFI-2000" can certainly save more space, but if you still want a more stable upright placement solution, you will most likely consider the independent metal chassis for PlayStation 5 sold separately.


Compared with the black chassis that came with the original version, the chassis sold separately this time has a more stylish design. It is suitable for both new and old models, and is more convenient to install. Just because the original "slot" design is missing, the stability is somewhat reduced. And the selling price, which cannot be called "cheap", will also be the first thing you need to consider before paying.


Of course, it does not represent a real replacement of "CFI-2000", and of course it will not bring substantial performance improvements in games. But compared to the 825G available memory of the old version, 1T of memory is still a quite meaningful upgrade - you know, the extra 175G of memory does not actually make the machine more expensive.

Currently, the digital version of the National Bank's new PlayStation 5 is priced at 2,999 yuan, and the optical drive version is priced at 3,599 yuan. Both prices are significantly lower than the old version. For those players who really need a PlayStation 5, it is undoubtedly the most cost-effective option at the moment - of course, if you already have a PlayStation 5, there is no need to buy another one.