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Video Overview

Step 1 PlayStation 4 Teardown

No, but really, we're tearing down the PlayStation 4. Bits we expect to find include:

• 8-core AMD “Jaguar” x86-64 CPU

• 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon Graphics Core Next Engine GPU

• 8 GB GDDR5 RAM

• 500 GB removable and upgradable hard drive storage

• 802.11 b/g/n Wireless and Bluetooth 2.1

• USB 3.0 + Ethernet 10/100/1000

• 1.21 Gigawatt Flux Capacitor (okay, this one is more along the lines of a request than an actual expectation)

Step 2

What kind of hardware has a 7-year gestation? We can hardly open the box fast enough. The first peek reveals:

• Another box. Moving on.

• PS4 console (if this is missing from your box, please contact your Sony Computer Entertainment representative)

• DualShock 4 controller

• Power cable

• HDMI cable

• Micro-USB cable

• Mono headset with mic, switch, and shirt clip

Step 3

• Seven years of design innovation bring the PS4 a distinctly more geometric body, an indicator light bar, and more subtle logo labeling than last time round.

• We also find:

• Slot-loading Blu-ray/DVD disc drive

• Two powered USB 3.0 ports

• Some fine print touting the PlayStation's pals—HDMI, DTS, Dolby, and Blu-ray.

Step 4

Now that you've unboxed your shiny new monolith, you'll be wanting to connect it to something. 'Round back, Sony supplies some portage:

• Power inlet

• Digital optical audio out

• HDMI

• Ethernet

• Proprietary auxiliary port for connecting external devices, such as the PlayStation Camera

Step 5

• Reports have been trickling in around the internet about some PlayStation 4s malfunctioning.

• One such hardware problem, as noted by Kotaku, prevents the PS4 from outputting a video signal to the display.

• According to Kotaku, it seems a "piece of metal in the system's HDMI port was supposed to have been flush with the bottom of the port but instead had been bent upward, obstructing some of the pins in the port."

• This "obstructing piece of metal…had actually knocked some of the 'teeth' out of the HDMI wire—the one bundled with that PS4."

• TL;DR—If your PS4 is having issues outputting video, make sure the HDMI port isn't bent or damaged.

Step 6

• We're happy to see Sony give power to the people with the PS4's hard drive: it's user-replaceable.

• We'll have a detailed guide shortly for those intrepid gamers who fancy a bigger drive or a zippy SSD—but for now, rest easy knowing all that stands between you and hard drive nirvanais a plastic cover and some screws.

Step 7

• Out comes the 5400 RPM, 500 GB, SATA II mechanical hard drive, provided by HGST (a Western Digital subsidiary).

• With just a single screw securing the caddy, replacing this drive is easy-peasy.

• Not only is this hard drive user-replaceable, but it's a standard 2.5" (a.k.a. laptop-sized) SATA drive, meaning you can replace or upgrade your storage with any off-the-shelf drive you like, so long as it meets these standards: no thicker than 9.5 mm, and no smaller than 160 GB. Users rejoice!

• But this is a bittersweet expansion win; the PS4 will not support external USB storage, drastically limiting the console's usefulness as a media center.

Step 8

• Digging deeper demands we dispose of some dastardly stickers. Paying no mind to their menacing anti-repair messages, we quickly discard them with the help of our trusty tweezers…

• …only to be confronted with some mildly devious Security Torx screws.

• Lucky for us, specialty screws ain't no thang, as we bust out our Pro Tech Screwdriver Set.

• While we're happy this isn't a stick-up (of the adhesive type), this mischief won't go unnoticed when it comes time to assign a repairability score.

Step 9

• Happily ignoring our user manual's edict, we move right along…

• …and remove the four T9 Security Torx screws, allowing us to pop the hood on the fourth generation model of the Sony PlayStation. Our eyes widen as we wait for a first look at what makes this beauty purr.

• And yet, we're seeing nothing but tightly packed feelings of nostalgia. Just look how things have changed.

Step 10

Our remote-controlled teardown engineer unscrews and pops out some nifty retaining brackets…

Step 11

• Brackets and donuts dispatched, we turn our attention to freeing the power supply.

• No brick to trip over on your power cable— this power supply is still nestled right inside the case.

• The power supply is rated at an AC Input of 100-240 volts. This means you can take your game around the world with your trusty PS4 always at your side; just remember to bring your power socket adapters.

Step 12

• You haven't escaped this teardown, yet, power supply. Time to divulge your juicy secrets.

• Ridding the power supply of its housing reveals just what we expected: big capacitors, none of which gave the flux we were looking for.

• It looks like this power supply is only moving forward in time. (sigh)

• Now that the power supply has been removed, you can finally clean your fan.

• Having an internal power supply means that the PS4 will need to keep its cool—making fan cleaning important maintenance.

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