Why Is AMD Selling Broken PlayStation Chips?

The video opens with Linus contrasting the PlayStation 5 experience with a PC built around the AMD 4700S, a silicon package that mirrors core PS5 technology but exists in a completely different form. The hosts explain that the AMD 4700S is available on AMD’s site, yet practically impossible to buy in North America, with alternative routes found on sites like New Egg at inflated prices and even AliExpress as a more feasible option. They begin to take the unit apart, commenting on the unusual enclosure from Huntkey and a motherboard that looks unlike typical AMD designs, including a nonstandard backplate and a bulky cooler that resembles an Intel stock cooler. The panel and power supply choices draw critical attention: a nondual-mode PSU lacking 110V support raises safety concerns, suggesting the system integrator opted for a 220V input to avoid extra circuitry, which the presenters frame as a cheap and potentially dangerous shortcut. Throughout, the hosts emphasize that while they are not blaming AMD for the hardware choices, the design and build quality raise questions about value, safety, and feasibility for normal consumers. The discussion then pivots toward the silicon under the hood, with a key moment where they compare the board’s traces to a PS5 layout, implying the 4700S is not a direct PS5 CPU but a highly similar companion design, which drives the core curiosity of whether this chip can actually function as a PS5-like APU in a PC context.

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