Sony has confirmed the release of a new redesigned PlayStation 3, and the technology site iFixit has uploaded a teardown of the PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
The teardown itself gives a great look into the console’s internal hardware, and what is beneath the grill cover. The site goes into detail, summarizing both the positive and negative features of the new redesign.
Early inspection showed that a majority of the system’s internal hardware is covered by and internal plastic casing. The hard drive is easy to access, repair, and upgrade, which is good news for users that would want to install a new one. For modders, the negatives will certainly be frustrating, as the entire motherboard assembly must be removed to access fans or heatsinks.
In the teardown, internal components have a much more direct layout, though the power supply is held in place by screws and hard plastic clips. The system’s power consumption is significantly lower than older generations of the PS3 — whether or not this leads to a longer lifespan is uncertain.
Sony has made the console lighter, smaller, and quieter rather than improving performance.
Overall, the Super Slim redesign is moderately friendly for personal upgrading or modding, however the many internal nuances don’t seem to add up to Sony’s asking price for the redesigned console.
[iFixit]
