Sony announces a lighter, more energy-efficient PlayStation 4

Sony today announced a new, lighter, less power-hungry PlayStation 4 model that’s starting to launch worldwide at the end of June.

The new model comes in jet black or glacier white and is 10 percent lighter than the original design. It is also more energy-efficient, using 8 percent less power. That might not sound much, but any improvement in power efficiency is a big deal. A recent study claimed that PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U consoles cost over $1 billion a year to run, using as much energy as all the homes in Houston — the fourth-largest city in the United States. The PlayStation 4 is more power-hungry than its rival, the Xbox One, and this update will go some way to counter that discrepancy.

In addition to changes under the hood, the finish of the console’s HDD cover is changing from gloss to matte, giving the PS4 what Sony describes as more of a “casual” feel.

The new-look PlayStation 4 rolls out worldwide from the end of the month, starting in Japan and then hitting North America, Europe, and Asia.