Here's a nice little surprise about some of the tech about the upcoming next-gen console the PlayStation 4, and surprisingly, it's not coming from Sony.
We've known for a while know that at launch, the PS4's initial HDD is 500 GB. Sure sounds like a lot, but it's just not enough for some gamers, and they'll want to upgrade to something larger as soon as possible.
Thankfully, it's been revealed that switching out the HDD is as easy as strudel.
The editorial staff of German tech site Computer Bild managed to their hands on their very own PlayStation 4, and proceeded to do what I would be far too timid to do after spending $400 plus tax on that thing: they tore right into it, and looked under the shiny black plastic hood to see what makes it tick. In doing so, they found that swapping out the HDD for something more sizable is actually a pretty simple process, which should come as great news for anyone planning to not only pick themselves up a PS4, but load it up with all sorts of digital content.
The hood pops right off, allowing easy access to the console's techy guts. You can see the pictures of the process below, courtesy of Computer Bild and NeoGAF:
Beyond the HDD, the PS4 boasts Supercharged PC architecture, X86 CPU, Enhanced PC GPU, and 8GB Unified Memory under the hood. It will support the same PlayStation Plus service as the Vita and PlayStation 3. However, a Plus subscription will be required for online multiplayer games, but not for additional media services like Netflix. Sony has also updated the Dual Shock controllers with a touch screen and improved shoulder triggers, and bundles the console with a headset.
Demo kiosks have already started making their way to various retailers, with more and more rolling out the closer we get to the console's launch date.
The PlayStation 4 is set to release on November 15 in North America and on November 29 in Europe. Day one games available for the system include Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Killzone Shadow Fall, Madden NFL 25, Minecraft, NBA 2K14, Need for Speed: Rivals, and more. It will retail for $399.