Differences between Demo consoles and consumer consoles?

[Deleted User]

here's an interesting topic, are there any consoles that are different on the demo shelf from the one any consumer would buy?

For example,

Compared to the one you would setup at home and play normally, or the PSVita demo unit and the normal one


Are there any differences with the firmware?

 

[daxtsu]

As far as I understand they're usually locked down so they can only play the software that's installed to them, so they're more or less useless for the typical user. However, there are exceptions; the PS3, for example, could have its demo/kiosk units converted to retail (but I don't know if it's still possible nowadays), in order to run regular games and not just demos or promo vids.

 

[Deleted User]

I remember these few times where i tried a PSVita, a 3ds and an xbox 360, the home button was completely disabled on all three but the vita, which kept complaining it didn't have a SIM card

 

[DinohScene]

Demo units sometimes have a modified OS on them.
Hardware wise, their exactly the same as retail ones.

 

[Duo8]

For the Vita, the retail demo units are in a "Demo mode". You can exit it but it returns when the system is restarted.
IIRC it also shuts down if unplugged.

For the 3DS, they use demo carts instead, which cause the system to behave like that.