It turned out that the optical drive is software-bound to the motherboard. Physical replacement is no big deal, but any third-party drive won’t read discs. Therefore, if the drive fails, you will have to contact Sony. This will disappoint many, especially those who have already experienced the failure of the optical drives of consoles in the past. IFixit noted that a similar solution is used in the Xbox Series X.

But owners of the diskless digital version are not affected by this problem due to the complete absence of this component. And, as we have seen before, adding an additional SSD will be easy when the console finally gets support: you just need to unfasten one side panel and remove the screw.

Disassembly also gives you an inside look at a PSU that Sony hasn’t shown before. The system relies on a power supply unit with a power of only 350 W, and under load, it consumes almost half of the maximum rating – only 200 W.

Turning to the DualSense controller, iFixit found its battery relatively easy to replace – which is a good thing considering it still uses a built-in lithium battery that degrades over time. Its capacity has increased compared to its predecessor – 5.7 Wh versus 3.7 Wh for the DualShock 4. Adaptive triggers and tactile feedback motors must require more power. We also got the opportunity to take another look at the small motor and worm gear.

There doesn’t seem to be an easy way to detach the LEDs surrounding the DualSense touchpad. Some gamers have been annoyed by the DualShock 4’s backlighting, and while they are not as bright in the new controller, I still wish Sony would let them be turned off.