DIY Sony PlayStation 4 Thermal Paste Replacement Guide
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 32 Steps
Ready to give your PS4 a little love? This guide walks you through the process of swapping out the thermal paste inside your console. Thermal paste is that nifty silver liquid that helps your processor transfer heat to its cooling buddy. Over time, this paste can dry up, so it’s good practice to change it out every few years. In your PS4, you’ll find the thermal paste nestled right beneath the heat sink—the spot where dust loves to party. By cleaning that heat sink and refreshing the thermal paste, your PS4 can feel brand new again! After six years of action, my own PS4 went from overheating to whisper-quiet after this little tune-up. You don’t need to be a wizard to tackle this; all it takes is the ability to screw and unscrew a few screws. It’s straightforward, though it might take a bit of time, so set aside a day when you can dive in and enjoy the process! And remember, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
– Grab your PS4 with both hands, finding that sweet spot in the top cover’s gap.
– With your thumbs, give the shiny side of the top cover a little push until it gives way and pops to the side.
– Now, gently lift that glossy top cover up and back to free it from the PS4.
Step 2
– Grab your trusty Phillips screwdriver and remove the 6.5 mm screw holding the hard drive bracket to the enclosure. It’s like a little treasure hunt, but with electronics!
Step 3
Handle the hard drive with care – it’s got some super fragile parts inside that don’t mix well with sudden drops or bumps. Be gentle and you’ll be just fine!
– Slide that hard drive bracket out of the enclosure, you’ve got this!
Step 4
– Flip your PS4 upside-down so the backside is facing you.
Step 5
– Grab your trusty tweezers and gently peel off the two stickers lurking in the center of the PS4’s back—they’re hiding a couple of case screws. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Tools Used
Step 7
– Unscrew those four 7.2 mm Torx security screws on the back of your PS4 like a pro! You’ve got this!
Step 8
The lower case is secured with some feisty plastic clips. You might need to channel your inner strength to pop that lower case off!
– Give those thumbs a workout! Use them to gently lift the lower case up and away from the PS4. It’s like giving your console a little hug, but in reverse! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair
Step 9
Whoa, connector feels like it’s glued in? No worries, grab a spudger and *gently* pry it loose. We don’t want to go all Hulk on it!
– Grab a trusty pair of tweezers and gently tug the power supply cable straight out to free it from the motherboard, disconnecting the power supply unit like a pro.
Step 10
– Pop out three 9.7 mm-long TR8 Torx security screws.
– Take out two 41 mm-long Phillips screws and their brackets.
Step 11
The power supply is snugly secured by prongs on the left side. Give it a few tries, and it should pop out eventually.
– Gently lift the power supply straight up and out of the PS4, like you’re giving it a little hug.
– When putting it back together, make sure those prongs are lined up just right, then give the power supply a firm press to lock it in place.
Step 12
– Gently pry the antenna cable away from the motherboard using the spudger’s tip. You’ve got this!
Tools Used
Step 14
– Grab some tweezers or your fingers and gently snake the antenna cable out from under the optical drive cable. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 15
– Twist out that 9.7mm Torx security screw holding the antenna in place.
Step 17
– Use your fingernail to press down on the metal release lever of the ribbon cable on top of the optical drive.
– Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to disconnect the ribbon cable by pulling on the black tab.
– You don’t need to press the metal lever when inserting the ribbon cable back in. You’ll hear a click once it’s fully inserted.
Tools Used
Step 18
– Give that metal release lever a little press with your fingernail to loosen the ribbon cable connected to the motherboard.
– Next, grab your fingers (or a pair of tweezers if you’re feeling fancy) and gently pull on the black tab to disconnect the ribbon cable.
– Set the ribbon cable aside for now. You’ll need it later when putting everything back together.
– When it’s time to reinsert the ribbon cable, no need to press the metal lever. Just slide it back in and listen for the satisfying click when it’s fully seated.
Tools Used
Step 19
– Grab your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers and gently unplug the optical drive cable from the motherboard. Easy does it!
Tools Used
Step 20
– Gently coax the optical drive cable out of its snug little home by using your fingers or a trusty pair of tweezers. It’s like giving it a little hug to help it break free from the cable guides that are holding it in place!
Tools Used
Step 21
– Alright, let’s roll up those sleeves and get to it! Unscrew the four fasteners keeping the optical drive in place.
– You’ve got three 9.7 mm Torx screws to tackle.
– Don’t forget the little guy—a single 6.2 mm Phillips screw is in the mix!
Step 23
– Unscrew those two 9.7 mm Torx screws holding down the upper case and let’s get this party started!
Step 24
The upper case is held in place by plastic tabs on the front side. It may take some serious muscle to pop them apart.
– Gently lift the upper case up and back to detach it from the PS4. Just a little nudge and it should pop right off!
Step 25
– Unscrew the twelve 9.7 mm Torx screws holding the upper EMI shield in place.
Step 26
Be careful not to fully unscrew one side before loosening the other, or you might end up with a damaged processor – and nobody wants that!
In this step, we’ll guide you through the art of unscrewing the pressure plate like a pro!
– Let’s get started! Remove the two 15.6 mm Phillips screws to begin the process.
– Now, carefully loosen the pressure plate by turning each screw a half turn at a time. Take your time, you got this!
– Alternate between the two screws to keep the pressure even on the pressure plate. Easy does it!
Step 27
– Time to get started! Remove the pressure plate to begin the repair process.
Step 28
– Time to get started! Begin by carefully removing the upper EMI shield.
Step 29
– Gently slide the flat end of your trusty spudger between the fan cable and the motherboard. You’ve got this!
– Give that spudger a little twist to lift the connector straight up and pop it off the motherboard. Easy peasy!
Tools Used
Step 30
– Gently grab the front edge of the motherboard on your PS4.
– Carefully lift the motherboard until the USB ports are free from the PS4 case.
Step 31
Skipping proper thermal paste application? Oh no! That’s a fast track to overheating your PS4. Keep it cool and do it right!
– Gently lift the motherboard out from the PS4.
– Slather a fresh layer of thermal paste on the processor before popping in the motherboard with this guide.
– Slide the I/O side of the motherboard in first, then ease the other side in.
Step 32
Don’t forget to wipe off that thermal paste from both sides!
– To put your device back together, just reverse these steps and you’ll be good to go.
– Changed your mind? No worries, you can bail out anytime.
– If it gets tricky, remember, you can always schedule a repair.
Success!
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