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The next generation of console gaming is here. Sony launched its PlayStation 4 last week, and Microsoft launches the Xbox One today, ushering in a new battle between the hardware titans.

Over the last several months, we've become very familiar with the exterior design of both consoles. But with both devices now available, iFixit has torn them open for a look at everything that's packed inside. Both companies expect these products to remain on the market for up to a decade, so the Xbox One and PS4 will be powering the games you play for years to come.

For more information on what each of these consoles can actually do (and which is worth your money), be sure to follow our coverage of both next-gen systems.

Grid View The Xbox One dwarfs PlayStation 4 in terms of sheer footprint. Many onlookers have likened Microsoft's latest console to a VCR. (Image credit: iFixit)

Sony's console shares the split gloss and matte design of the Xbox One, but does so at an angle. (Image credit: iFixit)

Perhaps the PS4's greatest engineering feat is that it contains a built-in power supply. (Image credit: iFixit)

Unlike the Xbox 360, the Xbox One uses a regular 2.5-inch hard drive. Microsoft doesn't permit users to install a larger-sized drive. Removing the PS4's hard drive requires only a Phillips screwdriver, but that's all the hardware exploring Sony wants its customers to do. Moving further voids your warranty thanks to tamper seals. (Image credit: iFixit)

The Blu-ray drive inside the Xbox One is easily replaceable, according to the teardown experts at iFixit. And as the purveyor of Blu-ray during the last console generation, it's no surprise that Sony has remained loyal to the format. (Image credit: iFixit)

Microsoft clearly wants to avoid the overheating issues that plagued the Xbox 360 in its early years. The Xbox One features a large fan, which along with the console's roomy interior, should cut down on the chances you'll run into trouble. For Sony, a smaller fan is a huge contributor to a smaller chassis. (Image credit: iFixit)

Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PS4 in their disassembled glory. (Image credit: iFixit)

All images reproduced with the express written permission of iFixit.



