Slimmer Vita remodel announced for UK, arriving February 7

We've had liftoff for Sony's slimmer Vita breaching the west, after Sony UK announced the thinner, lighter PCH-2000 is coming to the isle on February 7. As revealed at a conference attended by UK press this morning, it'll be priced around £180 in the country (that converts to just under $300) and will replace the older model there. The price is a big markdown on the launch figures we saw for the original handheld: around £230 for the Wi-Fi only model, and £280 for the 3G+ models. That said, it's a big markup on the PCH-2000's price in Japan of 19,929 yen, which converts to around $195.

The remodel, which was introduced to Japan in October 2013, is 20 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter than the original Vita, and replaces the OLED screen with a LCD offering. There's also a new micro USB slot for data backup and charging, a 1GB internal memory card, six hours battery life, and new power and notification indicators on the top.

There's no news yet about the slimmer iteration coming to other countries in Europe, let alone North America and beyond. Sony UK's other announcement this morning was a 10-game indie pack for the whole of Europe, featuring Alien Breed, Thomas Was Alone, Velocity Ultra, Men's Room Mayhem, Coconut Dodge Revitalized, Limbo, Hotline Miami, Total Recoil, Superfrog HD, and Floating Cloud God Saves the Pilgrims in HD. It'll be priced €25, or in a Vita bundle that also includes a 4GB memory card for €200 - no word yet if the Vita in this bundle is the original or new model.

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SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT UK TO INTRODUCE
NEW SLIMMER AND LIGHTER PLAYSTATION®VITA WI-FI MODEL WITH INTERNAL MEMORY CARD
New PS Vita Makes Its Debut in UK on February 7


London, January 30, 2014 –Sony Computer Entertainment UK Limited (SCEUK) today announced that following its successful launch in Japan on October 10 2013, the new PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) Wi-Fi model (PCH-2000 series) is set to launch in the UK. The new PS Vita Wi-Fi model, featuring a more streamlined form factor and a 1GB internal memory card will become available in the UK on February 7th 2014, at a suggested retail price (SRP) of £180. The PS Vita PCH-2000 series will replace the existing PS Vita PCH-1000 series as stock of the older model is exhausted.

PCH-2000 series has been developed to be more casual and friendly for a wider range of users. By completely redesigning the internal architecture, the new PS Vita system is 20-percent slimmer and 15-percent lighter than the original version, making the portable entertainment system even easier to carry. 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. Thanks to the rapid progress of LCD technology in recent years, the new display provides users with the highest-level image quality, perfect for deep and immersive gaming experience that is at the core of PS Vita. Furthermore, the new PS Vita features are as follows:

Rounded shape to fit comfortably into hands
The new PS Vita system features an enhanced, rounded shape. Coupled with the trimmed down body, users will be able to enjoy game play more comfortably. In addition, the PS button / START button / SELECT button have been modified to a round and convex shape, allowing users to push more easily.

Improved usability
Incorporating a 1GB internal memory card, PS Vita enables users to enjoy games without purchasing a separate PS Vita memory card. Additionally, the new PS Vita system features a power indicator and notification indicator at the top of the system which will provide users with various information, such as power status or incoming messages. Furthermore, the new PS Vita system incorporates a micro USB port enabling users to utilize their own USB cable, such as those used for smartphones, for charging or backing up data.

Longer battery life
The redesigned internal architecture of the new PS Vita system also contributed to stronger battery duration, enabling it to achieve approximately 4 to 6 hours of game play (current model is approximately 3 to 5 hours) and approximately 7 hours of video play (current model is approximately 5 hours).

SCE will continue to expand the PS Vita platform with this PS Vita PCH-2000 series, together with a wide variety of attractive game software titles.

PlayStation®Vita PCH-2000 Series Product Specification

Platform name PlayStation®Vita
Model number PCH-2000 series
CPU ARM® Cortex™-A9 core (4 core)
GPU SGX543MP4+
Main memory 512MB
VRAM 128MB
External Dimensions Approx. 183.6 x 85.1 x 15.0 mm (width x height x depth) (excludes largest projection)
Weight Approx. 219g
Screen
(Touch screen) 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colours, LCD
Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
Rear touch pad Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
Cameras Front camera, Rear camera
Frame rate : 120fps@320x240(QVGA), 60fps@640x480(VGA)
Resolution : Up to 640x480(VGA)
Sound Built-in stereo speakers
Built-in microphone
Motion sensors Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Three-axis electronic compass
Location Wi-Fi location service support