Sony will debut a redesigned version of its standard PlayStation 4 (PS4) along with a higher-end PlayStation 4, codenamed “Neo,” during a press event on Sept. 7, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sony revealed the existence of its PS4 “Neo” back in June, but the redesigned PS4 is a new development.
As Polygon and Kotaku point out, the redesigned PS4 popped up in a listing on the online classified site Gumtree. When Twitter user @shortman82 bought the new PS4, the folks at gaming site Eurogamer were able to get some quick time with the new console.
The new PS4 looks like it will be the latest entry in Sony’s “slim” line of PlayStation consoles. Sony usually rolls out a slim version of its PlayStation system a few years after the company debuts the original version of the console. Previous slim models included the PlayStation 2 slim and PlayStation 3 slim.
Slim models are generally more compact and offer more austere aesthetics than their predecessors. Naturally, they’re also less expensive. That’s incredibly important considering that the upcoming PlayStation 4 “Neo” will likely be a pricey prospect for many consumers.
Microsoft already sells a slimmed down and updated version of its Xbox One, the Xbox One S, for $300, which is $50 less than the current PlayStation 4. Expect the PlayStation 4 slim version to cost about the same as the Xbox One S.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Sony has already begun cutting back production of the existing base PlayStation 4 in anticipation of the new slimmer model.
The PlayStation 4 “Neo,” meanwhile will be a more powerful version of the PlayStation 4 designed specifically to support 4K content and take full advantage of the company’s upcoming PlayStation VR virtual reality headset. Sony, though, says the base PS4 will still be able to run the PSVR, so it’s not quite clear what benefit the PS4 “Neo” will offer over the standard PS4 in terms of virtual reality performance.
Sony’s PlayStation division has been performing quite well since the company unveiled the PS4 in 2013. The console is the best-selling of this generation, outpacing both the Xbox One and Nintendo’s Wii U console. By selling the PS4 slim at a lower price point, the company will be able to continue attracting more casual gamers, while using the upgraded PS4 “Neo” to pull in more hardcore gamers.
