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Sony's 2012 PlayStation torn down, shows its evolved roots (update: another teardown)
We've looked intensely at the outside of the redesigned PlayStation 3 ever since it was unveiled in Tokyo last month. Getting a look inside has proven unusually tougher, but French YouTube member K0st3yr has volunteered to do what few gamers dare and tear down Sony's updated console. As we've quickly learned, Sony hasn't chosen to radically rework the insides like Microsoft did with the slim Xbox 360. The Cell processor and its RSX graphics companion are still separate parts, and a similar power supply capacity suggests that neither of the main chips has been built on a more efficient manufacturing process. Instead, it's everything else that has been given the shuffle: a smaller Blu-ray drive and more clever overall construction appear to be the tickets to the 20 percent volume reduction compared to the last model. While the revealed internals might be disappointments to those who were hoping the PS3's possible sendoff would involve more of a bang than a whimper, they do hint that Sony might have breathing room if it wants to advance the design any further. Just have some popcorn and a grasp of French on hand if you'd like to have a peek at the three-part video dissection found after the break. Update: Not to be outdone, iFixit has conducted its own teardown. There aren't any shockers in the mix beyond improved repairability, but you'll find many of the components given their exact names as well as more explanations of what's been changed to shrink the PS3 a second time.
Sony PlayStation 3 (2012) up close and personal (eyes-on)
Just after their pre-TGS announcement, we were able to snag a closer look at Sony's new slimmed-down PlayStation 3 consoles. While we weren't able to put our grubby mitts on the pair, we did get a peek at some of the exterior differences. Aside from the obvious color variations (at least in the white model that's definitely headed for Japan), the first change that immediately jumps out is the absence of the visible disc slot on the console's front. We surmise that discs now load via a sliding tray mechanism of some sort -- a feature that we'll definitely take a closer look at when we grab a full hands-on on the show floor. There's also a grooved design up top, which makes a departure from the smooth casing from the previous models. From the display we took a gander at, an attachable base is included to secure the unit when used vertically. Want a closer look for yourself? Dive in to the gallery below to do just that. %Gallery-165865%
