Ed Jarick, the modder who turned an Xbox One into the Xbook One “laptop,” is back with a new project. This time, in the interest of console parity, Jarick has transformed a PlayStation 4 into the PlayBook 4.
Okay, so the name’s not quite as catchy. Personally I would’ve gone with the Play-Not-Stationary 4.
The device is almost exactly the same as the Xbook One—a 22-inch Vizio TV hooked into a cadre of 3D-printed parts. You also need to plug it into an outlet to make it work. In other words, “laptop” is just a cuter name for “mildly portable PlayStation 4-welded-to-a-TV combo.”
Like the Xbook One, this thing comes with a price tag that pretty much removes it from my Christmas list: $1,395 if you don’t want to sacrifice a preexisting PS4, or $1,095 if you have one lying around. That’s the same price you’d pay to buy a pretty decent gaming laptop, which relegates this to more “novelty device” than must-own.
Still, the PlayBook 4 looks sharp. I think my favorite detail is the PlayStation-shaped vent on the inside. It’s definitely a gorgeous device, regardless of practicality.
Oh, and as always: You void your warranty by doing this, which should go without saying. Jarick offers his own 30-day warranty on the PlayBook, the same as the Xbook One, but that’s obviously far shorter than Sony’s warranty. Buy at your own risk.