AC Power adapter and cord

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

AC power adapter

The PSP Go has a 5V AC adapter.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Front - Screen closed

With the display panel closed, we can see the speakers, WLAN indicator, Bluetooth indicator, and PS button on the front of the PSP Go.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Front - Screen open

With the display panel open, we can see the directional buttons, analog joystick, microphone, Start button, Select button, and control buttons.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Back

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Bottom

On the bottom of the PSP Go are the multi-use connector and headset connector.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Top

On the top of the PSP Go are the L button (left trigger), display button, volume up/down button, sound button, and R button (right trigger).

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Left side

Along the left side of the PSP Go are the Memory Stick Micro slot, Memory Stick Micro indicator, wireless switch, and strap holder.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Right side

Along the right side of the PSP Go are the power indicator and the power/hold button.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the back panel screws

The first step in disassembling the PSP Go is to remove the four Phillips #00 screws on the back panel.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the top screws

Two more Phillips #00 screws are located along the PSP Go’s top edge. You’ll also need to remove these.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the back panel

With all six external screws removed, you can lift the back panel away from the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Back panel - Interior

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Back panel - Exterior

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First look inside

With the back panel removed, we get our first look inside the PSP Go. Unfortunately, this is about as far as you can go without voiding your warranty.

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Void Warranty sticker removed

With the warranty sticker removed, we can see the battyer connector.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Disconnecting the battery

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Battery 3.7V Li-ion

The PSP Go has a 3.7V Li-ion battery.

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With the battery removed

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Removing the bottom plastic cover

With the battery and back panel removed, the thin plastic cover the run along the top of the PSP Go should pop off.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Trigger button screw

Before removing the logic board, we’ll need to remove the two trigger buttons. A single Phillips screw holds each in place.

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Trigger button cable

Before removing the triggers, you’ll also have to disconnect their ribbon cables.

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Trigger button removed

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Bottom cover screws

Two screws hold the plastic cover that runs along the PSP Go’s bottom edge in place. You’ll need to remove both screws before removing the cover.

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Bottom plastic cover

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Removing the headphone jack

A single screw and thin ribbon cable hold the PSP Go’s headphone jack in place.

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Headphone jack

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Analog joystick screw

To the left of the headphone jack is the screw for the analog joystick.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Disconnecting the analog joystick cable

With the screw removed, you can disconnect the analog joystick’s ribbon cable and separate it from the logic board.

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Analog joystick

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Last logic board screw

A single screw remains in the logic board.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Ribbon cables

With all the screws removed, you’ll also need to disconnect several ribbon cables from the logic board.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Case and circuit board

With all the screws removed and the ribbon cables disconnected, you can lift the logic board from the case.

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Case with circuit board removed

We’ll turn our attention back to the logic board in a bit. But now, let’s concentrate on the case and the components that remain inside.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Direction buttons

The direction buttons are part of a single cross-shaped button. It should just fall from the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the screen assembly screws

Four small, black screws remain in the case. These screws hold the sliding display assembly to the black plastic case. You’ll need to remove all four screws.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Screen assembly removed

With the display assembly removed, you can more easily see the four screws holes in the black plastic case.

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Case

At this point, there’s not much left attached to the PSP Go’s case.

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Display assembly - Back in "closed" position

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Display assembly - Back in "open" position

The display assembly contains the sliding hinge, a base plate, the display, and the exterior plastic frame. There are a total of 10 screws on the back of the display assembly. Six of the screws hold the hinge to the plastic base plate. You don’t need to remove these.

The four outer screws hold the display’s exterior frame (and thus the display) to the base plate. You’ll need to remove these four screws to remove the display.

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Display ribbon cable

A thin ribbon cable connects the display plate to the display. You’ll need to disconnect this cable before proceeding.

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Display, front case panel, base plate, and hinge assembly

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Display base plate and hinge assembly

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Removing the display

With the base plate removed from the display assembly, you can separate the display screen from the exterior frame. You could use a thin metal blade or a plastic PSP case opening tool. But, I found the my fingernail work just as well and didn’t scratch the frame or display.

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Display and front case panel - Exterior

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Display and front case panel - Interior

The speakers and PS button are still mounted to the display’s frame.

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Circuit board (with EMI shields) - Top

We’ll need to remove the EMI shields before we can see the main chips on the PSP Go’s logic board.

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Circuit board (without EMI shields) - Top

Unfortunately, the EMI shield bases have cross beams, which obscure some of the chips. As I want to reassemble this PSP Go in working order, I’m going to leave the beams in place.

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Sony CXD2986A1GG chip

Sony Computer Entertainment CXD2986A1GG

SL38007C1C0934C9165B

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SL38 007C1C 0934 C9165B

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Samsung flash memory and stereo codec

The Samsung 922 flash memory module provides 16GB of storage. The Cirrus Logic 42L52CNZ CFTW0937 MAL is a stereo codec.

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SHARP LR388G1

OKI L86V7657 9405903J

SHARP LR388G1

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Circuit board (with EMI shields) - Bottom

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Circuit board (without EMI shields) - Bottom

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ZVF 9AK CLP3

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Foxconn T60H975 802.11b WLAN chip

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SCEI 940EM0E 4053 and other chips

SCEI 940EM0E 4053

U2021 9T127

S158 0719

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Fujitsu chip

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Completely disassembled

The Sony PSP Go was fairly easy to disassemble. Sony used standard Phillips #00 screws and didn’t solder any of the key components in place. Although disassembling the PSP Go will likely void the warranty, it’s definitely serviceable with the right tools and a little patience.

If you’re thinking about buying a PSP Go for your favorite gadget geek this holiday season, check out our Geek Gift review.

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