PS4 Launch Problems
As with almost all console launches, any problems are immediately aired online and blogs and forums are full of people commenting about issues they have experienced with their brand new console. Looking at the uproar over the Xbox 360 RROD and PS3 YLOD I think people are weary or expecting there to be issues with future consoles. With the PS4, the Blue Light of Death was a fault that some people had experienced on its first boot up and it was well documented on all the major gaming websites. This is a good article on Gamespot that looks into the issue.
Whilst it is obviously very frustrating to receive a new product that you have been waiting for, for years, only for it to fail on its first attempt there is always going to be a failure rate amongst any electronic device. We are unsure on the percentage of fails there have been on the PS4 but we have seen some pretty common faults. On top of that we have seen that the design of newer PS4 consoles have changed to prevent the common issues from happening. Is this an indication that there is a significantly high failure rate that has pushed Sony into making improvements? Please read on to see the changes for yourself.
PS4 HDMI Design Improvement
The most common repair we carry out on the PS4 is replacing HDMI ports. HDMI port repairs on all other devices are a pretty rare occurrence for us but from the launch we have had a steady stream of PS4 HDMI repairs coming through our doors. The main problem seems to be with the construction of the port. The connecting pins that make contact with the HDMI cable are not very secure and unless you insert the cable very carefully and perfectly straight, you are at risk of damaging the port. The pins either lift out of the middle holding plastic strip, or are pushed through inside the console and therefore the connection between the port and the cable is broken.
This is one fault that Sony have already tried to limit by changing the design of the HDMI port. As can be seen in the pictures below, they have added a plastic backing to the port to help prevent the pins from pushing through to the inside of the console.
PS4 heat sink and fan case Improvement
The second most common repair we carry out is what's commonly known as the BLOD or Blue Light of Death. We also call it tripping as the console will boot up, show the blue light for about 1 second then trip off with a click sound.
Now this fault is normally to do with the APU chip (GPU and CPU together) and the fault can arise from normal use and is basically the same fault as the YLOD on the PS3 and RROD on the 360. The most common reason we hear though is that the PS4 has been dropped, or hit, or something has dropped on top of it. The solder connections between the chip and the board break and so comes the fault.
The reason why physical damage causes this fault is (we believe) because the casing of the PS4 is quite flexible. Also internally there is a plastic housing around the fan which sits on top of the heat sink which in turn sits directly on top of the APU chip. The plastic around the fan housing is very very weak on older models so any pressure on this area can put pressure directly on the APU chip and disrupt the connection between the chip and the motherboard. This is why some forum member’s have reported that pressing on top of the PS4 and switching the console on will result in a successful boot up. This can work but only temporarily. This is because the pressure on the chip reconnects it to the motherboard, until of course you stop pressing on top where it cuts off again.
The manufacturers have strengthened this plastic cover in an attempt to prevent this fault from happening. Now when you press on top of the housing it doesn't flex.
Another small adjustment to the design is the way the heat sink bracket is fastened. Sprung metal blades have been added which help increase the pressure on the underside of the chip and keep the heat sink more secure.
Also a plastic spacer has been added to stop the heat sink from pressing down onto the chip.
Summary
Whilst these changes won't completely eradicate the faults we feel they should reduce the rate of failures. There is no official documentation to back up what we have stated above from Sony but we feel it is pretty obvious why the changes have been made. The old adage of "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" rings true. We also have the opinion that if you possibly can, hold of for a few months before buying a launch product in future as they are normally less reliable that later models.
All the opinions written here are our own and are for reference and guidance only. They are written from our own findings and conclusions.
Have you had any problems with your PS4 or other consoles? Please comment below and we will answer any questions.
Thanks for reading!
Dan
Gamer-Tech Repairs. Serving both public and trade customers across the whole UK from our base in York
