So here you are, decided and steeled. You have your passport in hand, sifting through the pages to check if your visa is there. You’ve checked your baggage, once, twice, and thrice. Everything’s in order. But there’s one thing that’s bugging you. Your Sony Playstation 4. Should you just give it to your beloved relatives or should you bring it with you on your loneliest adventure?
“The best place for you is at my side”
Such was my predicament a month ago and I did have a hard time looking for answers in the Internet. Answers to the question: can you bring your PS4 to another country? Others might say, “DUH!” but there are things to consider such as the weight of your stuff, the electrical standards of the place that you’re going to, internet connections, and the device’s transportation. So, without having anything but a bit of research and a gamble, I brought my Sony PS4 to Japan.
Obviously, I did land successfully and am once again playing with the PS4. But I want to give answers to those having the same questions in mind. Well, here they are:
1. Should I hand carry it or should I check it in?
Probably the most asked question is how to transport the Sony PS4. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For one, having it checked-in leaves you less baggage to carry into the cabin. And, uh, I guess that’s it. However, peace of mind is likely to be the cause of having it carried with you into the plane. Firstly, we do know some horror stories of checked-in baggage being hurled like demonic babies across the tarmac. Second, things might get a bit jiggly inside the plane’s compartment which might cause the PS4 to miss some screws or altogether lose them.
By experience, I did carry it with me onto the plane. It was safely stowed into a laptop bag (ROG Backpack) together with its controller, power adapter, HDMI, LAN cable, and camera. Just to tell, the bag also contained my laptop.
2. Will the Playstation 4’s PSU be alright? Will it work in the country that I’m going to?
Different countries have different power standards. In the Philippines, we have 220V at 60Hz. In Japan, it’s 100V at 50 to 60Hz (depending on which part you live in). Now, would the PS4 brought from the Philippines work in Japan? Yes!
Photo from iFixit
The Power Supply of the Sony Playstation 4 has a rating of 100V to 230V with frequencies at 50/60Hz. In a way, it can be called as a “universal power supply”. Even though what’s written underneath my PS4 unit was a 220V rating, adhering to the standard back in the Philippines, it still worked like a charm.
A word of advice, it’s best to bring a universal adapter lest you begrudgingly face an alien power outlet.
“Uhm… So, what now?”
3. Should I bring it with the box?
If you want to keep things tidy, why not? But it might take some space. If you’re not that particular with the warranty or would rather travel light, best have it wrapped in a cushion or bubble wrap.
4. Will my PS4 Region X Account work in Region Y?
The Sony Account is tied depending on your type of account regardless of the place you go. My account still registers in Singapore and uses the currency whenever I visit the PS Store. If you have PS Plus or would like to buy into some region-specific discounts, bonuses in won’t apply regardless if you’re in the country or region itself.
Sadly, there’s no other way to change your location or account’s region as of the moment.
5. Should I Bring My Game Discs with Me?
Now that is a question that I couldn’t answer. As I was kind of strict in my weight limit (2 Years worth of Baggage), I had to cut down to the essentials. I did leave all my physical game disks back at home as I think that my digital copies would suffice. Arriving at my destination, I was able to immediately play that games that were stored into my PS4.
Physical Discs obviously take space and some weight, and I deemed them as inessential to my trip. I guess, they’re safe back at home, patiently awaiting their beloved masters return.
*whispers “My precious…”*
To be honest, I was actually surprised with the robustness of the Sony PS4. It underwent a journey across a vast sea that was filled with tumbles and turbulence. I also feared for the integrity of the internal HDD. More than once during the trip, a thought of having it repaired in a foreign country crossed my mind. But thankfully, there’s the ingenuity and the promise of getting a product that works.
If you have any questions about taking your PS4 into a land far, far away from home, please write it at the comments’ section below.
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