PlayStation 3 Super Slim WiFi Antenna Replacement

Step 1

Primed and ready to bare all and prove its worth, the PlayStation 3 Super Slim packs a lot of power in a super compact form factor. Notable specs include:
HD 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i output
LPCM 7.1ch surround sound, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, AAC
Cell Broadband Engine™
RSX® GPU
256MB XDR Main RAM and 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
Available with 12 (flash memory), 250, or 500 GB (upgradable!) internal storage

Beware of step 8! Failing to remove the torx screws on the side of the console first will result in broken bezels!

Name - 14/06/20

Step 2

Not that we're complaining, but we had to get our PlayStation 3 Super Slim in a bundle. It seems that after countless adventures, Nathan Drake finally found a treasure worthy of praise.
What exactly is included in this bundle? Glad you asked:
250 GB PlayStation 3 Super Slim System
DualShock 3 Wireless Controller
AV Composite Cable (sadly no HDMI cable is included in this bundle)
AC Power Cord
USB Cable (required for charging the DualShock controller)
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Game of the Year Edition) + Dust 514 (Downloadable content included)

Beware of step 8! Failing to remove the torx screws on the side of the console first will result in broken bezels!

Name - 14/06/20

Step 3

We wanted to see how the PS3 Super Slim stacks up to the standard slim model, the console it replaces.
Call us silly, but our test gave us the results we were expecting. The Super Slim might have gotten a bigger name, but it shed some serious size.
Though the backsides of both consoles look similar, they give us a lot of insight into some of the revisions made for the Super Slim.
For starters, the cooling vents are considerably smaller, which most likely means that the fan itself is smaller and has less heat to deal with.
Secondly, the port layout is shifted ever-so-slightly, answering a question we get a lot about motherboard compatibility: No, you cannot swap Slim and Super Slim motherboards.

Beware of step 8! Failing to remove the torx screws on the side of the console first will result in broken bezels!

Name - 14/06/20

Step 4

Perhaps the biggest change in the new model—and biggest gripe from consumers—is the switch to a manual top-loading disc drive.
The door is thin, cheap-feeling plastic, and means this PS3 now requires overhead clearance to change the disc. No more cramming the PS3 into a short shelf.
We suspect that ditching the tray was necessary to cut both costs and size in the Super Slim. It's a design choice that has been met with a lot of criticism, though, reminding us of another recent size-conscious change.
In addition to the immediate benefit to Sony's margins, lowering production costs also future-proofs the PS3. When the Playstation 4 is finally released, it's almost a certainty that the PlayStation 3 Super Slim will still be sold alongside the new console, but at a much lower price point.

Beware of step 8! Failing to remove the torx screws on the side of the console first will result in broken bezels!

Name - 14/06/20

Step 5

The bottom section of the Super Slim looks similar to its predecessor, with the exception of a missing Wi-Fi indicator light.
Fear not, the lack of a Wi-Fi indicator light does not actually mean that the Super Slim is lacking Wi-Fi.
Still present on the front of the Super Slim are two USB 2.0 ports, a hard drive indicator light, and a plethora of supported logos—including the typical Blu-ray Disc logo.

Beware of step 8! Failing to remove the torx screws on the side of the console first will result in broken bezels!

Name - 14/06/20

Step 6

The PS3 Super Slim's hard drive bay cover pops right off and reveals a bright blue Phillips screw.
After removing said screw, the Hitachi TravelStar Z5K320 2.5" SATA II 3.0Gbps 250 GB 5400 RPM hard drive comes right out.
In case you weren't keeping track, that's a single Phillips and no more than 5 or 10 minutes for a hard drive swap.
Perhaps the coolest thing about the PlayStation's hard drive is that Sony allows you to upgrade your console with any 2.5" laptop hard drive. No fancy firmware, no wacky enclosures—just you, your console, and as much storage as you can cram in there.

The cover SLIDES off to the rear! NOT pop off. Do not pull on it or you will break some tabs

Todd Dickens - 19/12/16

Wow, I wish I would have looked at the comments BEFORE I attempted this!

Thanks for the warning Todd. Looks like all the tabs on the back half of mine are now shored off. I’ve been coming here to ifixit.com for years and this is the only walk-through that i’ve come across that does a CRAP job of telling where the actual screws are or where the tabs are. Poorly done.

CharmPeddler - 11/09/18

Step 7

Small rubber feet hide three of the outer case's screws and provide the PlayStation 3 Super Slim with some grip.
We don't think that these feet are much of a nuisance; they are easy to remove, add function, and clean up the look of the console.
Blocking access to the fourth screw, a wild Warranty Void sticker appears! And, it's gone.
We think that stickers like this are bogus, and we think you should, as well.

There is only 4 screws and nothing under the two pads on the long left side

Peter Johansson - 13/01/16

Step 8

A plastic opening tool makes quick work of the outer bezels.
Located underneath the front outer bezel, we find the ever-tempting laser warning sticker.
Removing the bezels also provides access to the screws we need to remove to get inside the Super Slim.

On my unit, there's a T8 security screw holding the front bezel in place on one corner.

Jarod King - 31/05/14

There are two secure torx screws securing the case at the dvd/bdrom drive; they are visible by opening the dvd/bdrom sliding cover.

Popek Enterprises - 27/11/14

How do I fix the piece next to the laser radiation warning?

james - 10/06/15

Yep, more tabs broken for me.

Wow, I wish I would have looked at the comments BEFORE I attempted this!

I’ve been coming here to ifixit.com for years and this is the only walk-through that i’ve come across that does a CRAP job of telling where the actual screws are or where the tabs are. Poorly done.

CharmPeddler - 11/09/18

Two Screws on the side next to the hard disc holder. One is a security I think T8 but don’t have

.

Mark Crain - 28/10/18

Definitely poorly written instructions that strides more along a hip selling point than an actual step by step tear down.

Billy McFerron - 07/08/19

I followed these instructions and now I have two bezels with three broken tabs on each one. I am SO ANGRY with iFixit right now for destroying my PS3. I also had a torx screw holding down one of the bezels and now that’s broken too. It has been SIX YEARS, Why haven’t these instructions been updated, iFixit?!? There are also two torx screws down by the hard drive and 5 screws that were under the bezels. How do you fail to miss instructing us to remove eight screws? The bezels don’t pop off. They slide off. They slide to the side and then come off. Following your instructions DESTROYS them!

hidinhim777 - 17/04/20

Guys, as stated in the banner at the top of the page, this is NOT a repair guide and should not be used as instructions. There’s a link right there to detailed step-by-step instructions if you need them.

Jeff Suovanen - 15/05/20

^ Correct, this is not a repair guide. It is a teardown. And following along with this teardown will lead to you NEEDING detailed step-by-step instruction.

Name - 14/06/20

It happenend to me too in 2024. It hasn't even been clearly shown. The guide broke me 1 tab and the slot where you put the security torx. Where can I get a replacement, and the fat tab inside is bent

ThatYahoo -

These two parts slide off. Towards the hard drive side of the unit do not pry them off. You will break the tabs.

tommyb345 -

Step 9

And here we go! What wonders and surprises will we find inside the PS3 Super Slim? The only way to find out is by moving the top cover out of the way.
It looks like internal plastic casing covers almost every component.

And don’t forget about the two torque screws next to the laser lens before you remove the top of the system. Otherwise, the laser unit will be mounted to the cover that you’re trying to lift up.

tommyb345 -

Step 10

After removing the top cover, we continue our exploration by removing the manual top-loading disc tray.
Say what you will about the tray-free disc loader in the Super Slim, but it's definitely a repair-friendly design.
The laser lens is labeled as KEM-850 PHA 0672 23020A.
We read some conflicting reports about the noise level from the PS3 Super Slim's disc drive and were sure to include a look at Sony's noise reduction efforts:
We found the drive is mounted on super soft rubber bumpers and surrounded by a noise-reducing plastic tray, which should dampen vibrations.
However, this won't do much to muffle sounds coming straight off the drive through the thin, plastic tray door.

Hey I'm looking for the switch right there on his thumb does anyone know what it's called or where to get it

chris c - 24/04/15

Hi, i have a ps3 super slim CECH-4201C and it stopped playing any disk i put in it. So i wanna change it but my lens is a single lens and all the ones i can find is double, will it still work for mine? Also where can i get a single lens and which is better. The console is 500gb came with "The last of us". Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon.

temidayoabayomizannu - 15/06/16

Step 11

The power supply module is easily removed from the rear side of the case.
Despite the clean layout of components, the power supply's internals are very difficult to get at, as its internal case is held together by four screws and several tough plastic clips.
In a similar fashion to the PS3 Slim, the power supply is designed for inputs ranging from 100V to 240V AC, making it usable across the globe.
It seems the overall power consumption has been lowered as well. While the PS3 Slim was rated at 12 V and 18 A DC, the Super Slim is rated at 12 V and 13 A DC.

Is the CECH 4001B bivolt too? Its sign just say 120V and i'm in Brasil so I have 220 V..... very afraid to fry my PS3 :o

Daniel -

Did you got your answer? Or did you try it on 220v?

N Manoilov - 01/05/14

Hello guys

I bought a ps3 super slim (UC2 Cech-4001C GA), it's 120v,1.5A and 190 W,

Can i use it in germany with out power converter?In germany 220V and 50Hz

Amir hossein Ahmadi - 23/06/14

Hello Guys

I bought a ps3 super slim 500gig god of war bundle(UC2 Cech-4001C GA) in the box just write 120V,1.5A and 190 W.

Can i use it with out power converter in the Germany? in the Germany 220 V and 50Hz

Amir hossein Ahmadi - 23/06/14

Does anyone know if you can use a laptop power cord such as a 125V 7A?

Tk Garcia - 15/01/17

More broken tabs. It would have been VERY helpful to note where the actual locking tabs ARE AT. This thing was so darn hard to get apart.

CharmPeddler - 11/09/18

As stated at the top of the page this is not a repair guide. There is a service manual section for the PS3 Super Slim for actual repairs, this is just taking it apart to see what’s inside.

Mathieu Rohaly - 05/12/18

I can’t reply to Mathieu, so here I am. That’s EXACTLY what we are here to do. I’m trying to completely disassemble it so that I can clean it out. I’m not repairing anything but need to know where all that is in order to get it apart. where else are we supposed to go?

Ember - 23/07/20

Step 12

The motherboard/fan assembly is dispatched from the lower case as we continue our quest.
We were a bit miffed to find that the entire motherboard assembly must be removed to access the fan or heat sinks, but it does make for a very compact and solid design.
On the front of the fan assembly, we find the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas.
Engraved on the antennas we find the logo for TE Connectivity. According to TE Connectivity, their "antenna designs have been applied to a wide range of wireless products including…revolutionary gaming consoles."

Can I ask which one is the Bluetooth and witch one is the wifi I want to add an external ariel to mine want to make sure I solder to the right wire Ie white or black wire is bluetooth Thanks in advance

Shane Winter -

It is the white wire that is the Wlan It is written on the motherboard so you cant go wrong

Shane Winter -

The 4301A model only has one of these antenna arrays. There is still a spot for the second one on the corner, where the fan is so I’m guessing they might’ve integrated one of these antennas into the board somehow on this model.

tommyb345 -

Step 13

Under door number two…the motherboard!
After a few tense moments, we were finally able to lift the metal frame off the motherboard.
A quick inspection reveals adequate thermal paste on the GPU, but a less-than-perfect job on the CPU.
Room for improvement for happy hackers?

The "CPU" that you are referring to is actually a metal cover that acts like a heatsink. It has thermal paste between it and the actual cpu, as well as thermal paste on top of it. If you decide to pry it off, you will need to buy a heatsink glue/epoxy product to glue it back over the cpu.

Watcher Watchmen - 11/07/17

Step 14

Turning the motherboard 45 degrees gives us a look at some of the major players behind the PlayStation 3 Super Slim's processing power:
Cell Broadband Engine CXD2996BGB
Hynix H5RS5223DFA 512 Megabits GDDR3 VRAM (times four chips = 256 MB)
Sony CXM4027R MultiAV driver
Panasonic MN8647091 HDMI transmitter
Elpida X1032BBBG-3C-F 1 Gb (on two chips for 256 MB total) XDR DRAM

The nubers on this step dnt make sense(LEss ram on total than in one chip?)

masterx246 -

Mega"bit" 8 bits = 1 byte. Raw chips are labeled in megabits, systems and memory sticks go by megabytes.

b4ui8fastfood - 07/07/15

Step 15

Some of the more…Cartesian ICs on the top of the motherboard:
Sony RSX CXD530 "Reality Synthesizer"
Marvell Avastar 88W8781 SoC WLAN/Bluetooth chip
Sony CXD9963GB I/O bridge controller
Macronix MX29GL128FLT2I flash storage
Sony CXD5132R SATA/PATA Blu-ray drive controller
Integrated PCB Wi-Fi antenna

It appears that there's no more NEC caps, and the RSX no longer have an IHS too.

Is the ac jack soldered to the PSU PCB?If yes, it would be harder to replace if you break it.

One more request:Can you remove the cover of the Cell?

Honam1021 -

i have short electric under the hard disk connector (122932N)

that make my ps3 super slim not power on (it is light red then when press power button light green then turn of (fan also turn on and turn off, same light )

ALI ABDALHAMID - 29/06/19

Step 16

A few minor acts on the flip-side:
SW3-302 SCEI 1220EM42E
BD7761EFV 227 T25
Intersil ISL6332 MDRZ H223BCC
IDT 4227ANLG 1149L
Texas Instruments TPS53123 Dual Synchronous Step-Down Controller

Step 17

The Super Slim loses its cool as we remove the squirrel cage fan and two heatsinks.
The Super Slim has definitely dropped some size and weight in the fan since the Slim.
For this (final?) iteration of the PS3, Sony has leveraged new technology to make the same console smaller, lighter, and quieter, rather than significantly improving performance.

Step 18

PS3 Super Slim Repairability: 7 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair)
The hard drive is easy to access, repair, and upgrade.
The tray-free disc loader is modular, making it easy to replace.
Standard tools, except a T8 Security bit.
There is a pesky, but mostly harmless "Warranty Void" sticker.
Power supply is held behind lots of clips; however, we don't expect many internal repairs to the power supply.
The entire motherboard assembly must be removed to access the fan or heat sinks.
Sliding disc tray door feels janky, and may break after repeated use.

The design of the gpu heatsink reminded me about the original Xbox 360 cpu heatsink

Honam1021 -

does it go bad too

JOE -

The lasers are the first to go on most Sony equipment. Just look on eBay for all the "won't read discs" faulty ones, there's loads

SuperGeekJames - 30/11/14

As stated above- The main issue with my past 2 PS3's has been the Blu-ray drive going out after about 1500 hours of gaming, a few thousand hours of Netflix and listening to music. Console repair place down the street from me wanted $70.00 to fix it same day and give a 120 day warranty. Glad I read this and can probably do it myself next time there is an issue! :-)

undeadking - 14/02/15

Step 19

Remove the rubber feet from the underside of console.
Remove the screws hidden under the rubber feet and the screw under the warranty sticker.

Step 20

Use a flat-head screwdriver to remove the security screws on the side.
Remove the side cover and front flaps.

Step 21

Remove two screws from the disk tray to remove the top.

Step 22

Do not remove the disk tray. Instead, lift it to reveal the screw that holds that side of the power board in place.
Then remove the power assembly to uncover the Bluetooth and wireless connections.

Step 23

Remove the wireless aerial from the motherboard so that you can replace with a toggle antenna.

Step 24

Drill a hole for the toggle antenna through the top of the console and the flap.

PlayStation 3 Super Slim WiFi Antenna Replacement

Introduction

Tools

Step 1

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Step 9

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Author

Shane Winter

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