PS4 Motherboard Mutilation

xioft

(@xioft)

Posts: 2

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Topic starter

[#2738]

I’ve recently begun research to squeeze a PS4 into a smaller form factor and add a built in screen. I wish to make it roughly the size of an iPad mini. While the slim version provides a nicely sized motherboard, I believe being able to cut it into smaller bits would definitely make the engineering process much smoother.

With that said, my research unfortunately did not yield the results I am after, so I am turning to the forums. Does anyone know anything about cutting motherboards up (while retaining their functionality?

Posted : 14/08/2024 9:11 pm

marcdraco

(@marcdraco)

Posts: 1094

Moderator at Large and Cat's Butler

With a simple single or dual layer board, this is doable (not easy, but doable).

Beyond that it's an impossibility. Here's a recent design of mine on four layer (two layer would have been fine but this was cut from a four layer board.

This is a very simple board with just two, 8-pin ICs on it - and they are not especially miniature ones. Consider that the distance between the the holes (vertically) is 0.254" Now consider how narrow the visible traces are. Those are the one you can solder to - if you have a microscope and a very steady hand.

I picked this one to really show how impossible this is.

In there is a single "inner" trace (orange).

And there's no practical way that you can splice these because they are sandwiched in the actual board. I don't know about the Playstation but I don't need to guess that it's way more complex than this.

And it probably uses a 16 (or more) layer board which means there are two layers of "visible" traces and 14 more copper layers running criss-cross all over the board.

Sorry to be a buzzkill, but you deserved more explanation that just being laughed at, because we learn more this way.

Take everything I say with a pinch of salt, I might be wrong and it's a very *expensive* way to learn!

Posted : 15/08/2024 9:36 am

xioft

(@xioft)

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Topic starter

@marcdraco Thank you for educating me! And I fully expect to be laughed at — I’m very new to this world, but I strongly want to deep dive into it, and I can’t do that if I’m embarrassed by my inexperience. Anyways, thank you again, this was very informative.

Posted : 15/08/2024 6:09 pm

marcdraco reacted

marcdraco

(@marcdraco)

Posts: 1094

Moderator at Large and Cat's Butler

That's the right attitude. The problem with the internet is you ask a question like this and people just laugh at you. Matt is a great teacher and a great example for how we can re-use and re-purpose our old electronics.

This is a great community - I share my screw-ups (I could write a book on them, but it would be very long and rather dry) for this reason.

Most recently I ordered a set of boards (USB C microphone project) and somehow managed to set a small number of parts for "do not place". Which means I've had to buy them in specially and solder them by hand. And you can see the size of them in that image up there. It means working with a microscope.

But we continue because the end results are worth the pain along the road and we can all share in the triumph.

Take everything I say with a pinch of salt, I might be wrong and it's a very *expensive* way to learn!

Posted : 16/08/2024 9:27 am

emilianomacht

(@emilianomacht)

Posts: 2

New Member

@marcdraco All of what you said above is wrong. The one who needs to learn is you. All the things you imagined about the layers in the motherboard is wrong.

This is a video series of a guy who built a ps4 handheld. He cut the motherboard in two to make it thinner. Part 1 is

part 2 he cuts it in half. It's a 7 part series.

@xioft You can watch the series for inspiration. It's in spanish but I'm sure there's subtitles in english, or voice over. It's impressive, although it requires quite a bit of patience because you need to solder a lot of thin wires.

Posted : 26/07/2026 2:06 am

marcdraco

(@marcdraco)

Posts: 1094

Moderator at Large and Cat's Butler

I'm very used to being wrong, but usually people are able to point to the specific error rather than suggesting that years of practical experience count for nothing.

Unfortunately, the linked video is no longer available and I've been unable to find another copy. However, I'm always interested in learning more. You may also have missed the signature line on my posts—it's been there for years.

I don't claim to be infallible; quite the opposite. I make mistakes like everyone else. When someone is asking for hands-on advice, though, I try to err on the side of caution. This isn't an electronics repair forum, so I deliberately kept my reply simple and understandable for anyone reading the thread.

I don't have the schematics or PCB layout for the console, and neither does the OP. Suggesting that someone who is clearly underestimating the complexity should start cutting into a very expensive multilayer PCB would, in my view, be irresponsible.

Out of curiosity, I asked a couple of AI systems to critique my explanation. Their conclusion was that I overstated one point, but that the overall advice remained sound. I've posted the complete conversations—including Google Gemini locating the original video—without editing anything. I would encourage anyone to check my edit history.

When I make a mistake, I correct it. That's cost me a fair amount of my own money over the years, but I'd rather make my own mistakes than encourage someone else to make expensive ones.

For the record: yes, this kind of repair has been done. There is at least one documented example. That doesn't make it a practical recommendation. We don't know how many boards were damaged before it succeeded, nor how many others were subsequently damaged by people trying to reproduce it.

So yes—I was technically wrong to describe it as impossible. I accept that correction. It doesn't materially change the advice I gave to the OP.

"All of what you said above is wrong. The one who needs to learn is you. All the things you imagined about the layers in the motherboard is wrong."

If you're going to address me in future, please check your facts first. Pointing out a genuine error is entirely fair. Claiming that everything I wrote was wrong simply isn't supported by the evidence.

======= ChatGPT 5.x ======

Yes. The core idea is technically correct.

The main points are sound:

A single- or double-layer PCB can often be repaired by cutting tracks and adding jumper wires.
As layer count increases, repairability drops dramatically because many connections are buried in internal copper layers.
Internal traces cannot be accessed without physically destroying the PCB laminate.
Modern consoles, phones and PCs use high-density multilayer boards where many nets exist only on internal layers.
The complexity of routing on a PlayStation motherboard is orders of magnitude greater than on your example board.

The only parts I'd soften are where you're inferring details:

Rather than "it's an impossibility", I'd say "it's effectively impossible in practice" or "not a practical repair". There are specialist PCB repair houses that can sometimes repair internal layers, but they use X-ray alignment, micro-machining, epoxy reconstruction and other techniques that are well beyond normal electronics work.
"It probably uses a 16 (or more) layer board" is plausible for a modern console, but unless you know the specific model it's better to say "likely a high-layer-count board (for example, 10–16 layers or more)." That avoids stating a specific number as fact.

So the engineering argument is correct: if the damage affects an internal layer, there is generally no practical way for an individual to splice that connection, whereas exposed outer-layer tracks can often be repaired with fine wire. Your board is a good illustration of why.

============ GOOGLE Gemini (this is a detailed response) ===============

It looks like you’ve stumbled right into a classic forum debate! Both users are actually making valid points, even if things got a little heated.

emilianomacht is entirely correct that this has been done. Dedicated modders have successfully documented multi-part series where they trim down PS4 Slim motherboards to build incredibly compact, battery-powered handhelds.

But marcdraco wasn't entirely wrong about the underlying physics. He was describing exactly why 99% of people consider it impossible.

Here is what is actually happening when those modders "cut" a PS4 board in half, and what it means for your iPad-mini-sized project.

Trimming vs. Slicing

You cannot cut straight through the middle of the core components. Modern console boards have 8 to 10 layers, and modders approach them by dividing the board into zones:

The "Do Not Touch" Zone: The APU (processor), the GDDR5 RAM chips, and the high-speed traces connecting them. If you sever a single internal trace here, the board is permanently dead.
The "Trimmable" Edges: The outer sections of the board handle the optical disc drive, extra USB ports, and native power delivery. Modders painstakingly map out the board schematics and slice away these peripheral zones to shrink the footprint.

The Secret to a Successful Cut

When you saw through a multi-layer board, the blade violently smears the internal copper layers together, creating dozens of microscopic short circuits along the cut line. To make the board survive the cut, a modder must:

Sand the edge: Carefully sand the raw cut edge perfectly smooth under a microscope to eliminate all copper smears and prevent the layers from touching.
Re-route the severed connections: Many of those cut lines carried essential power or system-check signals (like the optical drive sensor). If the PS4 processor doesn't get the correct "handshake" from a missing component, it refuses to boot. Modders have to scrape away the board's protective coating, find the tiny traces, and hand-solder hair-thin magnet wires to trick the system into functioning normally.
Bypass the stock power delivery: The bulky internal power supply is discarded. Modders wire custom DC-DC voltage regulators directly to the board to feed the APU its exact required voltages.

What This Means For You

If your goal is to hit an iPad Mini form factor, motherboard trimming is the only way. A stock PS4 Slim board, even removed from its plastic shell, is just too large.

Since you're eager to learn, this is an incredible (if intense) deep dive. To follow in the footsteps of the modders emilianomacht mentioned:

Study the BitBuilt community: They are the pioneers of "console trimming." While they are most famous for Nintendo Wii portables (which is the best console for beginners to learn on), the exact same sanding, trace-wiring, and voltage-regulation principles apply to the PS4.
Watch the videos closely: Pay special attention to the cooling and power delivery segments. A PS4 pulls a massive amount of power compared to a Nintendo Switch, and managing the heat on a trimmed board inside a tiny 3D-printed case is often harder than the cut itself.

You are stepping into the deep end of hardware modding, but it is one of the most rewarding engineering projects you can tackle.

==== DEEP AI ====

It sounds like you're exploring some ambitious hardware modifications! Cutting and reassembling a multi-layer motherboard like a PS4's is extremely complex and generally not feasible without specialized equipment, expertise, and a deep understanding of PCB design and electronics. Most modern gaming consoles use multi-layer PCBs with numerous hidden traces and vias, making physical modification very difficult and risky.

From the discussion, some key points to consider:

Single or dual-layer boards are more manageable to cut and rewire, but even then, it requires precision and experience.

Multi-layer (4+ layers) boards have internal copper layers that are not accessible without advanced PCB fabrication knowledge and equipment. Cutting them usually destroys functionality.

Re-soldering and rewiring after cutting involves micro-soldering tiny wires, often with a microscope, and can be very time-consuming and error-prone.

However, there are some creative approaches:

Using ribbon cables or flexible PCBs to connect cut sections if you manage to physically separate parts.

Re-Engineering the motherboard layout to use smaller, more manageable components, or even designing custom PCB replacements.

In terms of practical advice:

Many hobbyists have built portable or mini versions of consoles by designing custom PCBs or using existing development boards (like Raspberry Pi or custom FPGA boards) to emulate the console's functionality.

For a project as complex as fitting a PS4 into a small form factor with a built-in screen, consider a custom PCB design that integrates necessary components rather than cutting the original motherboard.

If you're interested in learning from others who have undertaken similar projects, the series you mentioned about building a PS4 handheld by cutting the motherboard is a valuable resource. It demonstrates that, with patience and skill, such modifications are possible but require significant expertise.

Would you like help in exploring alternative approaches, such as designing a custom board or using existing mini-PC hardware for your project?

============= DEEPSEEK 4.1 ===========

Based on the conversation, the moderator (marcdraco) is correct in general principle, but the new member (emilianomacht) is correct in the specific case of the PS4.

Here is the breakdown:

marcdraco's general point is right: Cutting up a modern multi-layer PCB (like a PS4 motherboard) and having it work is extremely difficult and usually impossible for most people. The internal copper layers are sandwiched inside the board, and you cannot easily reconnect them. In most cases, cutting a complex board will kill it.
emilianomacht's specific point is also right: Despite the difficulty, it has been done. There is a documented build (by a creator named "PunkGeek" or similar, often in Spanish) where someone successfully cut a PS4 motherboard in half to make a handheld console. This required:
- Very careful planning to cut along lines where no critical internal traces ran.
- Hand-soldering dozens (or hundreds) of very thin enameled wires to reconnect the cut traces.
- A significant amount of skill and patience.

Final verdict: Neither is fully wrong. marcdraco gave the correct warning for a beginner - it is a near-impossible task for most people. However, emilianomacht is correct that it has been successfully done by a skilled modder, so it is not a universal impossibility.

Take everything I say with a pinch of salt, I might be wrong and it's a very *expensive* way to learn!

Posted : 26/07/2026 11:23 am

emilianomacht

(@emilianomacht)

Posts: 2

New Member

The original first message didn't mention OP was a beginner, you assumed they were. And then you said this: "I don't know about the Playstation but I don't need to guess that it's way more complex than this. And it probably uses a 16 (or more) layer board which means there are two layers of "visible" traces and 14 more copper layers running criss-cross all over the board." You completely made that up. I was referring to that when I said you were wrong. You don't need to bring up AIs to win arguments, you just need to read a bit more carefully and not make up verifiable information.

I don't know what happened to the video links, here they are:

channel https://www.youtube.com/@victorsanchez47/videos

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXtzT42anrM

part 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Co63KVu5I

part 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDqH10xu-bc

final thoughts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-yqfFfo5VQ

Part 2 is where he cuts it in half. Also in this one, the latest video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bdPiW209s

he cuts a ps3 board two times! Which is kind of crazy. I wouldn't say it's for a beginner (which, again, according to the first message, nobody knew which expertise OP had), but also not a senior expert. It just requires a lot of patience because it's a lot of small wires, but it doesn't really require specialized tools, apart from a dremel.

PS. I'm sorry if the earlier message sounded a bit rude, now that I've read it again. I think I took it the wrong way when you said something like "you should get the right information instead of being laughed at", when in fact this can be done, and the OP shouldn't have gotten an incorrect response.

This post was modified 2 days ago by emilianomacht

Posted : 01/08/2026 9:21 pm