Pro tip: stop using a flathead screwdriver to pry open console cases

I've seen this so many times in repair videos and even in guides. People grab a flathead screwdriver and just start prying at the seam of a PlayStation or Xbox case. It almost always leaves deep gouges in the plastic and can even crack the shell. I learned this the hard way about six months ago on a PS4 Slim I was trying to clean. I used a small flathead and left a nasty white stress mark on the edge. The right way is to use a plastic spudger or a set of guitar picks. I bought a set of five colored picks for $8 online and they slide right into the seams without any damage. You can work your way around the whole case and it pops open clean. Has anyone found another good tool for this that doesn't scratch things up?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin83617d ago

My butter knife collection is for display only.

mark_hernandez1217d ago

My buddy Jake tried to open his old Xbox 360 with a flathead last year. He ended up with a huge crack along the bottom seam that looked awful. The whole point was to clean it, but he made it way worse. He showed me the damage and I felt bad for him. Now I always tell him to use the plastic tools from my phone repair kit. They are just thin pieces of plastic but they work perfectly for consoles too.