Playstation VR 2 teardown by iFixit reveals good repairability
The iFixit teardown of the Playstation VR 2 draws interesting comparisons with Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro.
Sony engineers have already disassembled the PSVR 2 and Sense controllers, as we've reported earlier. Now, iFixit follows up with their own teardown.
The teardown was done by Fixit expert Shahram Mokhtari, who disassembled the $1,500 US dollar Meta Quest Pro a few months ago. The device received a poor repairability score due to excessive use of glue.
PSVR 2 teardown: Much easier than Meta Quest 2
Playstation VR 2 is a tethered system that uses a Playstation 5 to power the headset and deliver rendering capabilities.
As a result, it has far fewer electronics built into the housing than standalone VR headsets like the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro. This translates to a simpler interior and, in the case of the PSVR 2, better repairability.
The PCBs compared to each other. | Image: iFixit
"It’s at this point that I get some really strong Quest 2 vibes off this headset. The layout seems familiar yet less cluttered – if only the Quest 2 was half this easy to disassemble," says Mokhtari.
The head mount, front and back padding, and light shield can be removed from the case without tools, and the iFixit expert also found the plastic cover to be easy to remove.
Optical module comparison with Meta Quest Pro
Mokhtari makes some interesting comparisons to the Meta Quest Pro: The teardown video shows how much more complex the standalone headset's PCB is and how much slimmer its optical modules are compared to those of the Playstation VR 2.
The latter is because the PSVR 2 uses Fresnel lenses, which require a longer optical path between the display and the lenses. The Meta Quest Pro's modern pancake lenses can be placed closer to the display, saving a lot of space and making the headset less bulky.
The optical module of Playstation VR 2 (left) and that of the Meta Quest Pro (right). | Image: iFixit
The disadvantage of pancake lenses is that they are more expensive to manufacture and absorb much more light. Sony uses OLED displays for the Playstation VR 2, which per se are not bright enough for pancake lenses to compensate for the light absorption, but with Fresnel lenses allow for higher contrast and richer colors than conventional LC displays.
A promising solution for the future are OLED microdisplays. However, these types of displays are currently so expensive to manufacture that they would have pushed the price of the Playstation VR 2 well over $1,000. Not even the $1,500 Meta Quest Pro uses OLED microdisplays.
iFixit praises the repairability of PSVR 2
Towards the end of his headset teardown, Mokhtari exposes the haptics motor behind the headmount as well as the new Sense controllers.
"So there you have it: a truly great VR experience and also a pretty comfortable teardown experience. This device was seemingly designed with repairability in mind," says the repair technician in his final verdict. "From the thoughtful use of clips and rubber standoffs instead of glue, to a deliberate controller design with a relatively easy battery replacement – a hearty 'well done' to the teams involved."
A written iFixit article with more technical details should follow shortly on the official website. For now, the Youtube video will have to do.
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