Sony has laid out the details for a new hardware revision for its handheld gaming console, the PlayStation Vita. Weighing in at 20% thinner and 15% lighter than the 2011 original, the all-new model has been tailored to be more casual, more accessible and ultimately, more affordable. Available in six different shades, the revised device will launch exclusively in Japan on October 10th for ¥18,980 – or, roughly speaking, $190.
Sony also published a brief hardware demonstration of the new model, which you can check out below:
In modifying their portable device, the company has ditched the OLED screen in favour of a 5” LCD display; a move that has directly impacted the console’s battery life, which has been improved by one hour. The new rendition of the PlayStation Vita will also feature some built-in storage – albeit only 1GB in total. Those aforementioned colour variations encompass white, pink, khaki, lime green, blue and of course, the standard black model.
Other minor tweaks include a new micro USB slot for charging and syncing saved files, along with fresh, curved Start and Select buttons in lieu of the original, somewhat pernickety keys.
Here’s a snippet from Sony’s conference regarding the new hardware:
“PCH-2000 series has been developed to be more casual and friendly for a wider range of users… In addition, a high-definition liquid crystal display (LCD) has been newly adopted for the 5-inch front display which is one of the PS Vita’s greatest features.”
Much like the PS Vita TV device, though, the second version of the PlayStation Vita is currently native to the Japanese region – in fact, the hardware is available to pre-order through select retailers right now in the territory. The company also underlined the recent sales boon for the handheld in the wake of the price cut, which was implemented back in February for The Land of The Rising Sun.
At this time, we’re unsure whether the revised PlayStation Vita will ever make an appearance in Western markets. Still, do you agree with Sony’s approach to make the device more convenient and accessible? Give us your thoughts below.