IFixit: PS5 optical drive cannot simply be replaced by user

Repair website iFixit has discovered in its repair tests with the PlayStation 5 that you cannot simply replace the optical drive of the console. When the site’s editors tried, the new one refused to read discs.

The site does note in its written teardown that there may be a possibility to place the printed circuit board of the old disk drive in a replacement, but that has not yet been tested. IFixit states that the drive is “[software] linked to the motherboard” and that a replacement drive “simply does not read discs.” For a repair of this part, one can therefore only go to Sony or a party approved by Sony. The Xbox Series X also has the same feature according to the site.

The console also gets a repairability score of 7 from the website. The site was positive about how easily the device disassembles and that it is also easy to keep dust free, but was critical about the use of special security screws and the difficult replace thermal paste . They already committed the teardown of the device on November 12 , but the extensive written report of it has just been posted.

It is not the first time that a hardware manufacturer has restricted repairs by means of software blockages. For example, Apple requires the digital serial number of a replacement display to remain the same on certain models or the True Tone functionality will no longer work.