Sony’s handful of gaming excitement the PS Vita is being given an upgrade. Already two years old the original PCH-1000 is being replaced worldwide by the new PS Vita Slim, the PCH-2000.

The new slim model has been on sale in Japan since October where six different colours are available. Sales in the UK begin on February 7 but they will only get black slims for the moment. The release dates for the rest of the world are unknown, but word on the street has it that all remaining stocks of the original PCH-1000 are the last, the worldwide roll-out is underway.

Whether it be gaming on the go or PS4 remote play Sony’s PS Vita Slim is the new generation gadget for the job.

Time flies when you’re having fun, the first two years of the Vita’s life have flown by at supersonic speeds. Time has flown by so fast that a new generation Vita is ready for the world.

The second generation Vita is now 20% slimmer, 15% lighter and by all reports far more comfortable in the hand. Internally the hardware has been tweaked to include 1GB of Flash in case you forget to purchase a memory card; otherwise the hardware remains the same. Not an issue when you consider it already has a quad core ARM processor, quad core Power VR graphics chip and dual analogue controllers all built into a console not much larger than a dual shock controller.

The case for the new generation Vita has been designed to take advantage of the weight loss. Although many are reporting that the new light weight case isn’t as sturdy feeling as the old generation, it is far lighter however. The shape has changed slightly with more curves and the rear grips are now larger.

The custom Sony charge port has been replaced by a standard micro USB port while battery life has been improved by an hour to 6 hours of thumb cramping fun.

The most controversial change however has been the dropping of the old OLED display, replaced by a cheaper IPS LCD panel. The new panel is by no means a compromise in quality but the OLED was an amazing display. Both are the same resolution and games are just as glorious on either.

The new slimmer Vita is an evolutionary change to an excellent piece of gaming kit, a new haircut and shoes. Undoubtedly the new design will help the Vita achieve a new lower price; Sony may even be able to squeeze a few more price drops out of this new design. The lower prices, remote play ability and PS4 success may just be enough to finally make the Vita the hit it deserves to be.

Riding on the success of the PS4 Sony has made their handful of gaming even more attractive, the ultimate accessory for the PS4 generation or just a great piece of gaming kit?