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What you need

This teardown is not a repair guide. To repair your PlayStation 3 Slim, use our service manual.

  1. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown, PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • It's here! We got our dirty hands on a PS3 Slim a full day before it was set to arrive in the mail!

    • The box, just like the unit, is, well, slimmer.

    • Did you know you can post your own teardown on iFixit? Share what's inside your gadgets! Take apart an old cell phone, microwave, or toy robot.

    • Our free online editor makes it super-easy to publish step-by-step teardowns.

    • We host everything for free, and make it easy for you to have high-resolution photos, professional layout, and full-screen slideshows like ours!

  2. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 2, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 2, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 2, image 3 of 3
    • Along with the PS3 Slim you get:

    • Sixaxis DualShock 3 controller

    • RCA Cables

    • USB Cable

    • Power Cord

    • QuickStart Guide and Instruction Manual

    • Welcome to PS3 and PS Network Blu-ray Disc

    • One of those "Guide to Video Game Ratings" guides that nobody gives a [redacted] about.

  3. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 3, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 3, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 3, image 3 of 3
    • On the front left, we have two USB ports, a hard drive indicator light, and a Wi-Fi indicator light.

    • Front right yields a slot-loading Blu-ray drive, power button, and eject button.

    • The back has a LAN connection, HDMI port, digital audio-out, multi-connector (RCA or component video) and a new type of power plug.

    • Owners of the current-gen PS3s will notice an absence of the rear manual power switch. All your powering needs are now served by the front power button.

  4. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 4, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 4, image 2 of 2
    • Now that we've dispensed with the pleasantries, let's get into the meat of the subject, so to speak.

    • We start with the hard drive first.

    • A blue Phillips screw is hidden beneath "the blue Phillips screw cover," as we call it. Remove this screw.

    • Next, remove the hard drive cover.

  5. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 5, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 5, image 2 of 2
    • The drive enclosure has a metal pull tab attached to it. Pull on it to release the drive from the bay.

    • The 120 GB Toshiba drive, in all its glory. We have a feeling that it's going to be super-easy to upgrade this drive to 500GB...

  6. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 6, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the three (or on some models, four) TR8 security Torx screws on the underside of the PS3 slim.

    • What's that, you say? Security screws? Yes, that's right. These screws have a pin in the center of them that prevents an ordinary Torx screwdriver from working. These screwdrivers are widely available, just not quite as easy to come by as a normal Torx.

    • Sony did this to prevent people like us from taking it apart.

    • Those three TR8 security Torx screws seem to be the only non-Phillips head fasteners on the entire device.

    • This seems a little spiteful-- hardware hacking is a fine American tradition. No worries, we'll make sure it's easy for you to get these screwdrivers.

  7. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 7, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 7, image 2 of 2
  8. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 8, image 1 of 1
    • Seven Phillips screws need to be removed from the bottom.

    • Interestingly enough, the rubber pad on the front-right corner of the PS3 has no screw hidden underneath it. Imagine our surprise when we removed it!

  9. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 9, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 9, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 9, image 3 of 3
    • Flip the PS3 over.

    • Wait for it, wait for it...

    • MEGA FAN revealed!

    • This 12V, 1.3A monster rivals the best fans found in desktop PC machines. Sony spared no expense.

  10. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 10, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 10, image 2 of 2
    • Closeup of the massive fan and controller antennas.

    • This is a brushless DC motor, which is fairly standard for fans in devices like this. Brushless motors are quieter than more traditional fans, but require fine computer control to function. It is not a maglev fan like Apple is known to use, however.

    • The Bluetooth and WLAN antennas, intentionally three-dimensional in design, are attached to the lower case with Phillips screws.

  11. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 11, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 11, image 2 of 2
    • Disconnecting two power supply cables.

    • The AC inlet cable is devoid of a third 'ground' pin, surprising for a unit that draws nearly 250W.

  12. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 12, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 12, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 12, image 3 of 3
    • Removing the power supply. This is quite a bit smaller than the original PS3's power supply, and presumably has better thermal characteristics.

    • Much to the relief of users worldwide, the power supply is designed for inputs ranging from 100V to 240V AC.

  13. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 13, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 13, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 13, image 3 of 3
    • Digging a little deeper into the new power supply.

    • This is a startlingly compact unit. It will be interesting to see what the thermal dissipation is like.

    • This puppy cranks out 18 amps at 12V DC! Fingers beware.

  14. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 14, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 14, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 14, image 3 of 3
    • This is the largest fan we've come across in a consumer electronics device of this size.

    • Sony is really taking cooling quite seriously.

    • The ~95 mm diameter 17 blade impeller was definitely designed with quiet in mind. It is extremely stiff and presumably made of ABS plastic.

  15. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 15, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 15, image 2 of 2
    • Tape holding down antenna and power cables.

    • That tape is just begging to be ripped off.

    • We indulged.

  16. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 16, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 16, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 16, image 3 of 3
    • A tug at the plug, a twist of the screwdriver...

  17. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 17, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 17, image 2 of 2
    • ...and the Blu-ray drive comes right out.

    • This drive is still quite large, and takes up the bulk of the space inside the PS3.

    • We disassembled the drive, and found that it appears to be a proprietary Sony-manufactured part.

  18. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 18, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 18, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 18, image 3 of 3
    • More connectors and screws to unplug/unscrew.

    • The design aesthetic of this machine is quite a bit more bare-bones-functional than Apple's, but is still beautiful in its own way.

    • Several components, including the AC power inlet, are simply held to the unit by the pressure of the screws connecting the top and bottom cases.

  19. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 19, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 19, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 19, image 3 of 3
    • A few more screws, and the logic board lifts free of the chassis!

    • Those three T8 security Torx screws seem to be the only non-Phillips head fasteners on the entire device.

  20. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 20, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 20, image 2 of 2
    • Unscrewing several screws securing the EMI shield.

    • The two identical matte finished brackets in the first picture are designed to apply pressure to the center of the processors, keeping them firmly planted on their heat sinks.

  21. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 21, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 21, image 2 of 2
    • Separating the metal electromagnetic interference shield from the logic board.

  22. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 22, image 1 of 1
    • The whole [slim] enchilada!

    • Counterclockwise from the left:

    • Power supply, main board, hard drive, EMI shield, heat sink, fan, Blu-ray drive, controller, and plastic case.

  23. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 23, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 23, image 2 of 2
    • That's it for the disassembly, but we'll continue to post board photos and analysis as the information pours in.

    • The logic board. Sony's going green on the inside, to reflect their commitment to the environment.

    • We've never seen cool snowflake-like patterns in the thermal paste after we removed a heat sink before. This may indicate that the thermal paste was overapplied or that it was not distributed evenly.

    • If you look closely at the thermal paste, you'll see it is a fractal!

  24. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 24, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 24, image 2 of 2
    • The Cell processor looks very spiffy under our lights.

    • We didn't think it was possible to synthesize reality, but the RSX chip (from an Acura?!) proves us wrong.

    • Chip labels: RSX Reality Synthesizer CXD2991EGB 0916HFZ 114477

  25. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 25, image 1 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 25, image 2 of 3 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 25, image 3 of 3
    • Multiple manufacturers, multiple functions. The first picture shows two of the four NEC/TOKIN 0e108 capacitors.

    • NEC/TOKIN Corporation creates "next-generation, value-added devices that integrate." Whatever that means.

    • High Speed Decoupling Device Proadlizer PF/A SeriesProadlizer PF/A Series.

    • Dual Elpida 512Mbit RAM chips (there are four total on the board).

    • The third picture shows, from left to right:

    • Marvell Ethernet controller

    • Panasonic HDMI controller

    • Sony AV multi-out controller

  26. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 26, image 1 of 2 PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 26, image 2 of 2
    • But wait -- there's more!

    • Clock generators from left to right:

    • Clock generator (1): ICS 9249AGLF

    • Clock generator (2): ICS 1493DG

    • Samsung K8Q2815UQB-PI4B

    • SW2-301 0920KMOOT

    • Sony CXD9963G8

  27. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 27, image 1 of 1
    • We put the latest iPod Shuffle on top of the processor. The shuffle is just slightly longer, but the overall area of the processor is vastly larger.

  28. PlayStation 3 Slim Teardown: step 28, image 1 of 1
    • Roll call: all parts and pieces, assemble!

18 Comments

Just a question.. Where's the wifi card? And can I update it to the new wifi ac? Id love to have gigabit speeds on my Sony.

Xander Zoolander - Reply

this was extremely helpful, I had to replace the 450aaa, shop cost $125.00, after finding the part on ebay (w/ebay credit) and doing it myself...26 cents!

jedimasta1 - Reply

If I bought a PS4 in the USA can I play UK DVDS and Bluray

Matty - Reply

Hi, I am about to order a PS3 power Ribbon for mine because i have an issue that just started. When you turn it on, it cuts off and you have to keep turning it on over and over until it finally stays on. This is now all the time from being powered off and back on. It literally just started a few days ago. So after some research it looks like it could be the power/eject ribbon. My model number is CECH-2001A. In which picture is the ribbon that needs to be replaced? Is it 18? Thanks!

anthony - Reply

This is a great guide! That was very detailed and the pictures/advice really helped a lot. Thanks!!

Don - Reply

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