Episode 118: Ben's PlayStation 4 Teardown Episode

31 Jan 2014

In this episode of The Ben Heck Show, Ben Heck embarks on a technical adventure, delving into the internals of the PlayStation 4, a beloved gaming console. With no prior knowledge of its inner workings, he fearlessly tackles the challenge of disassembling the console.

At the outset, Ben encounters warranty void stickers concealing the screws, but he quickly removes them to gain access to the console's insides. As he proceeds, he uncovers the main blower responsible for cooling the system, a design reminiscent of the PlayStation 3 Slim, with the fan now facing down in the new model.

Continuing the teardown, Ben explores the Blu-ray drive and the user-friendly "toner cartridge" approach used for the internal power supply. Notably, the PlayStation 4 houses a Samsung hard drive, similar to the one found in the Xbox One.

Throughout the disassembly, Ben remains impartial, appreciating Sony's optimization and design choices. He draws comparisons to previous consoles, acknowledging the PlayStation 4's smaller and more efficient form factor.

As the examination goes deeper, Ben highlights the RAM chips with thermal pads to manage heat and identifies the main APU, an AMD-made chip housing the CPU and GPU. He points out that the PlayStation 4's APU has more GPU cores but less built-in RAM than the Xbox One.

In the final stage, Ben speculates on the purpose of various chips on the motherboard, including the northbridge chip for IO connections and a custom encoder chip for video streaming. Despite facing a few challenges during disassembly, Ben successfully reveals the console's engineering marvels, offering valuable insights for enthusiasts and makers alike. The episode's mix of technical details and amusing anecdotes creates an engaging and informative watch, making it a must-see for gaming enthusiasts curious about the technology behind their favorite console.

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