New PS5 2022 model: price, release date, design, upgrades, and more.


Rumors about a new PS5 model have been circulating for some time around the internet. 

DigiTimes reported on rumors back in May 2022 that a new model of PS5 would be released by the end of 2022. As the end of 2022 is getting closer, DigiTimes has been proven right as Sony has started shipping a new PS5 model to stores worldwide. 

But how is this new PlayStation 5 model different from the original PS5 that sits proudly next to our TVs? Are there any design, upgrade, or price changes?

Quick Answer: The new 2022 model PlayStation 5 offers a slight weight reduction from the original model and the 2021 revision, with the new model weighing over 600g less than the original Bluray PS5. Also, the CPU SOC of the new PS5 model has been reduced from 7 nm to 6 nm. 

Read on to learn what all this means for the new PS5 model. 

What’s the design of the new 2022 model PS5? 

In this section, I’ll take a brief look at how the design of the new 2022 PS5 model has changed compared to the original PS5 model. 

Simply put, the redesign of the 2022 PS5 is limited to slight internal changes to the CPU SOC and the cooling solution. 

The exterior appearance of the PS5 is identical to previous PS5 models. There are no changes to the stand, front panels, lighting, or other external features. 

Remember that the 2021 PS5 has already been slightly redesigned to change the internal cooling solution and reduce weight. The 2021 Playstation 5 had been redesigned to minimize shipping and material costs.

The new model of PS5 for 2022 is no different. 

The new 2022 PS5 model has lost some puppy fat due to the redesign. The original model weighed a whopping 4.5 kg. The new model – which has undoubtedly jumped on the fad-diet bandwagon – has lost 0.6 kg. The latest PS5 now weighs a slim 3.9 kg. Thus, the new 2022 model is 0.3 kg lighter than the 2021 PS5 revision. 

Take a look at the video below for an overview of the improved design of the new PS5 2022: 

Will there be any improvements to the PS5’s internal hardware?

In this section, I look at the upgrades you can expect from the new PlayStation 5 2022 model. 

So far, we know that the weight of the new PS5 model has been reduced by 600 grams compared to the original model. 

But how did Sony achieve this? 

Well, first of all, Sony has downsized the AMD chip that’s housed in the PS5.

The current 8-core AMD Zen 2 processor in the PS5 is manufactured using a 7nm transistor size. However, the new, revised PS5 CPU is manufactured using a 6nm transistor size.

That may not sound like much of a difference – 1nm, big deal – but it can have far-reaching positive effects on console design. 

For starters, the CPU has shrunk by 14%. That’s 14% less material Sony has to use to make the same CPU/GPU combo. That’s a 14% savings in material costs for the CPU. Sony saves about $140 million for every billion dollars spent on manufacturing the CPU /GPU compared to the original PS5 CPU.

Additionally, a large CPU with all its transistors simultaneously firing generates a lot of heat. The larger the CPU, the greater the amount of heat generated.

Shrink the CPU, and less heat is generated.

Less heat is a good thing when it comes to electronics. After all, heat is a waste product and must be dissipated. Otherwise, components start going a little crazy and shut down. This is why consoles and gaming PCs have such extensive and complex cooling solutions. 

A smaller and lighter cooling solution naturally uses less material. By downsizing the PS5’s CPU and thus reducing heat generation, a smaller cooling solution can be used to keep the CPU at optimal operating temperature and reduce Sony’s costs.

Since the cooling solution weighs less, the entire PS5 package also weighs less. This means it’ll cost Sony less to ship the PS5 worldwide.

However, there are some disappointments to report in terms of hardware upgrades. There are no upgrades for the: 

  • SSD 
  • GPU/CPU’s performance 

In fact, there are no hardware upgrades in the new model PS5 that result in improved graphics performance, frame rate, or resolution. 

When will the new PS5 model be released? 

In this section, I’ll examine when the new PS5 model is released. 

TSMC, the semiconductor manufacturer that makes the PS5’s CPU /GPU SOC, started production of the new PS5 2022 model in the second and third quarters of 2022. 

At the time of writing, the new PS5 model has already shipped worldwide and can be found in stores.

Is this the PS5 Pro model? 

In this section, I will examine whether or not this new 2022 PS5 model can be considered the PS5 Pro. 

No, this new 2022 PS5 model is definitely not the PS5 Pro. 

There are rumors of a possible PS5 Pro model coming out in late 2023 or early 2024. That would make sense considering the PS4 Pro was released about 3-4 years after the original PS4 was released. 

When the PS5 Pro finally hits the market, we will likely see that the new console will use AMD’s new chiplet GPU architecture. 

Be on the lookout for an article on this topic in the future. 

How much will the new PS5 model cost? 

In this section, I’ll look at how much the new 2022 PS5 model will likely cost. 

If you think Sony will lower the price of the 2022 model PS5, think again. There’s no way Sony will lower the price of the PS5 after raising its price due to inflationary pressures

If you want to buy a new PS5, you will pay the same as you did for the old PS5. 

Update

Eurogamer recently reported on a new PS5 model that, much like the all-digital PS5, will not have an internal disk drive. Interestingly, an external Blueray drive will be sold separately by Sony that can be connected to the PS5 via USB-C. 

I think this move makes sense for Sony in every way. Some of the reasons why I think it makes sense are: 

  • The cost of the original PS5 Blueray drive probably cost $50+ per unit. Removing it from the design will save Sony significant money in PS5 manufacturing costs. 
  • Removing the Bluray drive reduces the weight and size of the PS5, which reduces shipping costs. 
  • Eliminating the drive means a cheaper, smaller cooling solution can be used.
  • Only one SKU means manufacturing does not have to be split.
  • Slow elimination of disk-based games. This would lead to the end of the used game market. Game companies do not make money on used games. 
  • A floppy disk drive sold separately can be sold for a hefty profit.

Summary 

  • The new PS5 model is expected to hit stores by the end of 2022.
  • The new model is 600 g lighter than the original BluRay PS5
  • The SOC (CPU /GPU) of the PS5 has reportedly been downsized from 7nm to 6nm. 
  • This means Sony can save money on materials and shipping. 
  • The exterior design of the PS5 will remain identical to previous models. 
  • The price of the PS5 will remain the same. 
  • The PS5 Pro will probably be launched at the end of 2023 at the earliest. 
  • There are rumors that Sony is preparing the PS5 without a drive to replace the two current models. 
    • They will sell a BluRay drive separately.

Nick Sinclair

Nick Sinclair, a gaming aficionado since the Commodore 64 era, studied Creative Computer Games Design in university before founding his own gaming company. Discovering a passion for content creation, Nick now helps gamers squeeze every drop of fun out of their favorite gaming hardware

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