Hardware I just won a PS4 bundle from Taco Bell. Should I sell it?

[Pedeadstrian]

What do you think?

 

[McHaggis]

Doesn't that really depend on you; specifically your preferences and circumstances?

 

[MelodieOctavia]

I would just keep it, OP. Sony has outright said that everyone that wants the PS4 at release will get one, and they can pump out units at a rate as fast as they can be sold if need be.

I assume that you would want to be one of the ones selling it for $600+ at launch. That likely won't happen. In fact there will be so many people trying to offload their bulk order PS4s, you'll likely be lucky to get full retail price for it.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

I would just keep it, OP. Sony has outright said that everyone that wants the PS4 at release will get one, and they can pump out units at a rate as fast as they can be sold if need be.

I assume that you would want to be one of the ones selling it for $600+ at launch. That likely won't happen. In fact there will be so many people trying to offload their bulk order PS4s, you'll likely be lucky to get full retail price for it.

The prospect of getting extra cash (by selling it for $600+) is appealing, but the prospect of a dick totally overpowers the aforementioned, so I wouldn't do that. I hear a ton of people talking about how launch model consoles are bad quality, have yet to have the kinks unkinked, etc., so I was wondering what other peoples' view on that was.

 

[EyeZ]

It would depend on whether you wanted or were intending on purchasing a PS4, if you were, then you've saved yourself money.

On the other hand, if you've no interest in the PS4, then sell it.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

The prospect of getting extra cash (by selling it for $600+) is appealing, but the prospect of a dick totally overpowers the aforementioned, so I wouldn't do that. I hear a ton of people talking about how launch model consoles are bad quality, have yet to have the kinks unkinked, etc., so I was wondering what other peoples' view on that was.

The problems only affect a small number of people... unless you owned an Xbox in which case everybody got fucked by it. There are more people out there who have a working console than there are broken ones at launch. Also, I'd wait to be excited until you actually have the console in your hands. Taco Bell did the same promotion with the Vita.. and.. well, that didn't go over too well.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

The problems only affect a small number of people... unless you owned an Xbox in which case everybody got fucked by it. There are more people out there who have a working console than there are broken ones at launch. Also, I'd wait to be excited until you actually have the console in your hands. Taco Bell did the same promotion with the Vita.. and.. well, that didn't go over too well.

I'm intrigued...

Edit: just googled it.

"We have learned that during a short period of time on January 30th, some people entering our 'Unlock the Box' promotion erroneously received a message suggesting they had won a PlayStation Vita, pending verification," the company said. "It was confirmed these entrants viewed these messages as a result of others who attempted to gain illegal entry and defraud the system. Unfortunately, during this time period some saw a confirmation screen but were not valid winners."

Seems like a phishing attempt. But I've been using the same website for entries that I got from the Taco Bell website itself. Even got a confirmation email. If worst comes to worst, I shall sue. U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

 

[FAST6191]

I will have to get my hands on a board to call design properly but if Sony can hose up what is basically a PC design with a fairly established low power chip and in light of all the fun and games that happened last time around I will probably not be surprised but at least a little sad for my profession. On the other hand BGA still exists and lead containing solder is still a military and medical only thing.

About the only benefit might be for the would be hacker and finding the first models and firmwares are the buggiest. For a modern system that is a hell of a gamble though.

As TwinRetro said Sony are not predicting shortages so you may then have to settle for full retail. However if you have paid nothing for it then it is basically free money to the tune of several hundred dollars. Games wise you know it will probably take a little while to truly pick up and it is not like it is going to be a nice media box.
To that end flog it now, stash a couple of hundred dollars somewhere and spend the rest now and then in a year or so when there are some games out, the media capabilities have picked up, the "what the hell was the engineer thinking?" board revisions are out there, possibly some hacks are done and there has been a price drop (and given they are barely competitive with equivalently priced gaming rigs now I would bet on it happening).
On the other hand you have paid nothing for it and any money you lose would only be in the ways that accountants twist numbers and logic.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

I will have to get my hands on a board to call design properly but if Sony can hose up what is basically a PC design with a fairly established low power chip and in light of all the fun and games that happened last time around I will probably not be surprised but at least a little sad for my profession. On the other hand BGA still exists and lead containing solder is still a military and medical only thing.

About the only benefit might be for the would be hacker and finding the first models and firmwares are the buggiest. For a modern system that is a hell of a gamble though.

As TwinRetro said Sony are not predicting shortages so you may then have to settle for full retail. However if you have paid nothing for it then it is basically free money to the tune of several hundred dollars. Games wise you know it will probably take a little while to truly pick up and it is not like it is going to be a nice media box.
To that end flog it now, stash a couple of hundred dollars somewhere and spend the rest now and then in a year or so when there are some games out, the media capabilities have picked up, the "what the hell was the engineer thinking?" board revisions are out there, possibly some hacks are done and there has been a price drop (and given they are barely competitive with equivalently priced gaming rigs now I would bet on it happening).
On the other hand you have paid nothing for it and any money you lose would only be in the ways that accountants twist numbers and logic.

Every time you post, I understand about 40% of it. I should stop reading GBAtemp at 3am.

Your mention of the hack is actually a good point, though. What if, instead of a firmware ~3 years after the launch becomes the highest possible to hack from, it's now the very first one? Move over 3.55, here comes 1.0. Will that happen? Highly unlikely. Will I just stow it away in my closet in the hopes of that happening? No, but it's an interesting thought.

I just checked the launch title list, and a good number of the games are also going to be on the PC, and the rest is crap. The only game I'm interested in is Knack, and even that's not a must-play. The more I think about this, the more I'm leaning towards selling it.

 

[FAST6191]

Sorry, I will reword it as that was probably aimed at my personal notes rather than explaining things.

The PS4 and xbone are basically PCs using almost off the shelf chips from AMD as far as most people can see. Both MS and Sony design and build PCs so I doubt they will hose that up.
Similarly the PS3 ylod, the 360 RROD, the Wii slot failure/graphics issues, several mobile phones, HP laptops.... all use a technique of attaching chips called ball grid array which becomes BGA. In terms of some electronics performing at their best it is a very good method and as that near endless list I started on shows it is also a method prone to failure. The only failures I see more of are capacitors and switches which is always the case anyway.
Adding to the issue is that leaded solder was banned or at least has its use seriously discouraged for anything other than military or medical purposes in basically all the countries where consoles matter (as far as I am concerned for no great reason but the fact remains it is the case). Lead free solder has a whole bunch of issues but when combined with the less than brilliant track record of BGA it makes a circle of misery.
However this is now a very well known problem by all that play electronics and if nothing else the accounting people that took a look at warranty costs for this last go around are sure to have kicked up a storm. To that end I imagine Sony has taken a great many steps towards not having it happen again.

If stashing it or holding back a bit for hacking to catch up is not for you then fair enough, it is not really for me either. Though I can see the return of software driven hacking I imagine more of it will be the hardware this time around so it was less right firmware version and more right motherboard with all the right ports on it. Though it is a fairly logical possibility I am not putting any money on it happening though.

To bring it back around.
You have a PS4 (or will) at or near launch day. You can probably not profit over and above retail prices but I would be surprised if you were forced to go much lower.

What it will be able to do
Play a small handful of games, console launch games no less. Fewer still if you have a PC that can play games. Again as the consoles are basically PCs now I doubt you will have too many console only exclusives.
Not really be a media player of any great quality, doubly so if you can hook a PC/laptop up to your TV and have it be a media player. Hell I would probably even rate a nasty android tablet above the baseline PS4 from what we have seen so far if you decide you do not need DVD or blu ray.
Probably not be a web browser for your TV of any great quality.

Sounds like it has some serious dust gathering potential.

If you sell it now you have money. If you do not then it is not like it has cost you anything and the only way to say you lost something is if you think like an accountant.

As time passes it is not like the PS4 will go up in price, indeed as it barely competes against a PC of similar price at this moment in time I doubt it will even stay at the launch price for too long. Whether they cut the price of make bundles I am not sure about, it will probably depend upon what Microsoft does.

 

[Cyan]

That's what I thought too, if you don't need one just keep it untouched. Later (few years), people could search old consoles with old firmwares, and not only because of hacking: Some users looked for PS2 Backward compatible PS3, other users wanted a console with OtherOS, etc. Sony don't always update, they also downgrade their own features.


I was thinking that I could have bought two 3DS at launch, one to play with it, and one to keep just in case. This way I could have made a fresh firmware 1.0 NAND Dump.
It could be useful, or it could be not useful. all depends what's your interest in keeping a launch day version.

If you don't want to keep one for yourself to play with, just sell it.

 

[GameWinner]

I would keep it but that's just me.
Free PS4, ya know.

 

[DinohScene]

Keep it.
Like Gamewinner said.
Free PS4, ya know.

 

[VashTS]

you lucky bastard!

i vote for keeping it. i won an ipad mini not too long ago and i'm not very fond of apple products (especially ones that cannot be jailbroken yet). i was really considering just selling or trading for an android tab but i still have it and i think im glad i still have it.

things that are won are worth more than a purchased product. you paid $0 for the machine (or if you really want consider the $5 you spent on the meal) and can get $700 for it. where is that $700 gonna go? probably pissed away or on some other product that will eventually break or be sold. btw im estimating the $700, i assume you can easily get that for an early console.

look at the big picture and that will help you decide. i usually shy away from selling things that cost me almost nothing but i do consider up-trading. i went from a shitty 2003 laptop to an android phone to a kinect and ill stay at that.

 

[trumpet-205]

I would keep it. If you have PSN+ subscription already for PS3 and/or Vita you can register PS4 to PSN.

 

[Issac]

I would keep it. I've had many launch consoles and never had any trouble with any. So I wouldn't personally be bothered by that "fear" And the earlier the model, the better for hacking (along with firmware and stuff), if you're into that.

And free PS4, ya know.

 

[Gahars]

I've got a great idea, hear me out.

Alright, so collect your prize and take your console. Now, drive all the way out to central New Jersey (can't let those southern New Jersey hicks get their hands on it, can we?) and drop it off at my doorstep. Knock on the door and drive away before anyone can see you.

It's the perfect prank. The goofball's never going to see it coming!

 

[Pedeadstrian]

That's what I thought too, if you don't need one just keep it untouched. Later (few years), people could search old consoles with old firmwares, and not only because of hacking: Some users looked for PS2 Backward compatible PS3, other users wanted a console with OtherOS, etc. Sony don't always update, they also downgrade their own features.


I was thinking that I could have bought two 3DS at launch, one to play with it, and one to keep just in case. This way I could have made a fresh firmware 1.0 NAND Dump.
It could be useful, or it could be not useful. all depends what's your interest in keeping a launch day version.

If you don't want to keep one for yourself to play with, just sell it.

The thing about looking for PS3s other than to hack is that they actually had a reason for those earlier models. The PS4s don't have backwards compatibility with anything. And I don't know for sure, but I doubt they'll have OtherOS or something similar. I can't see any reason for wanting the early/launch PS4 model other than for hacking purposes.

things that are won are worth more than a purchased product. you paid $0 for the machine (or if you really want consider the $5 you spent on the meal) and can get $700 for it. where is that $700 gonna go? probably pissed away or on some other product that will eventually break or be sold. btw im estimating the $700, i assume you can easily get that for an early console.

In regards to the $5 meal thing, you're wrong. I entered for free. In fact, everyone can enter for free. In regards to the $700, the bundle is worth ~$500. And according to the people who posted earlier, there won't be a shortage of consoles, so unless I keep it for a few years (or longer) until a hack surfaces that only works on the early models, I won't make $700.

I've got a great idea, here me out.

Alright, so collect your prize and take your console. Now, drive all the way out to central New Jersey (can't let those southern New Jersey hicks get their hands on it, can we?) and drop it off at my doorstep. Knock on the door and drive away before anyone can see you.

It's the perfect prank. The goofball's never going to see it coming!

I've got an even better idea. I'll take the PS4 out of the box, and replace it with a jack-in-the-box with a pie in it. Since I'm going to go with the cheapest delivery available, the pie will probably end up being rotten. Oh well, free box!

 

[dragonblood9999]

if it was like a month early to the street date i would have sold it but its what 3 days at most?

 

[Pedeadstrian]

if it was like a month early to the street date i would have sold it but its what 3 days at most?

Actually they say they'll ship it on the 12th, meaning I probably won't get it until release day at the earliest.