PS4: How to get your hands on a PS4 with a 4.05 firmware or lower

Team Fail0verflow have revealed all the details for a PS4 Kernel exploit running on firmwares 4.05 and below. Although at the time of this writing, no functional PS4 Jailbreak has been released for firmware 4.05, it is believed to only be a matter of days before a fully operational Jailbreak is released. Update: The PS4 4.05 jailbreak was released in December 2017. We expect the price of 4.05 and lower firmware PS4s to skyrocket, although at the time of writing there are enough bundles out there for it to still be a reasonable purchase.

About PS4 Firmware 4.05

PS4 Firmware 4.05 was released on 2016/10/25 (October 25th, 2016). Any bundle released before that date will have a firmware below 4.05. Bundles released shortly after that date might also have the right firmware, but your mileage might vary.

Some advice when shopping for a PS4:

1. It’s easier to ensure you have the right firmware version if you get the device new and sealed, not “used”
2. If you get a “used” console, be careful: most sellers update the console to the latest firmware before selling it. Ask them to confirm the firmware version before buying anything. This is true both online and in brick&mortar stores.
3. On Amazon and eBay, some sellers sell a different product than what the description says. I have seen some sellers offering the Star Wars bundle instead of the Killzone Shadow Fall bundle, for example. Be careful here, as always, ask the sellers for details if possible. Similarly, some sellers might sell a console + the game as a “bundle” without actually selling “the” bundle as it was originally released. If this happens to you, see point 4 below.
4. Amazon have a great return policy. Use it if the PS4 is not the one you expected!

Buying a PS4 new, with a low firmware

The ideal way to get yourself an “old” PS4 firmware is to buy one of the old bundles, and to get it new.

On eBay, you can look for PS4 4.05. Make sure to get a “sealed” unit.

Specific bundles below, keep in mind the list is not exhaustive. Let me insist that you need to do your homework: contact the sellers to confirm as much information as possible before buying, make sure you understand their return policy, etc. There is no guarantee that the links below will consistently ensure a lower firmware. Again, leverage the return policy if you’re not getting what you want.

Alternatively, buying online might not be the best option for you: you might have better luck going to your local “used and new” shop, and actually try the console to verify its firmware. Most local shops will let you check the firmware version if you explain your situation. Remember they just want to sell stuff, not judge you on why you want to buy a lower firmware console. “I’m a tinkerer and need a console on firmware 4.05 or below in order to install Linux, I’m not interested in a more recent firmware” usually gets the point across 🙂

Note: the Amazon links below are affiliate links. You don’t pay anything extra but we get a small commission if you purchase through our links.

• PS4 Black Friday GTAV + TLoU bundle (2014)
• Arkham Knight Limited Edition (06/2015)
• Destiny Taken King Limited Edition (09/2015)
• Uncharted Nathan Drake Collection Bundle (10/2015)
• Star wars battlefront bundle (11/2015)
• Star wars battlefront limited edition bundle (11/2015)

• Call Of Duty Black Ops III bundle (12/2015)
• PS4 Slim Uncharted 4 Bundle (09/2016)
• Uncharted 4 limited Edition bundle (05/2016)
• The Last of Us Remastered bundle, reported to ship with firmware 2.03

• Call of Duty infinite Warfare bundle , black (12/2016) reported to ship with 4.01. Careful: glacier White edition reported to ship with 4.06.
• The old “Phat” PS4 model has apparently been discontinued in 2016, so it will most likely always ship with a firmware below 4.05, even outside of a bundle, if you can buy it new. You might want to try your luck.

What about PS4 Pro?

The PS4 Pro initially shipped with firmware 3.70. Unfortunately multiple revisions have happened already and the most recent ones ship with firmwares 4.07, 4.70 or higher. Because there were no bundles initially, your only way to ensure that you get a firmware below 4.05 for a PS4 Pro if you buy online is to ask the seller.

If you look for a PS4 pro at your local store, you might have luck looking at the manufacturing date. A PS4 Pro manufactured in January 2017 or earlier might come with firmware 3.70.

Leave your feedback to make this list better!

If you know about other bundles that ship with a low firmware, please let us know in the comments section! Also, if one of the bundles above shipped to you with a firmware above 4.05, please report with as many details as possible (where you bought it, did you contact the seller, did you have any issues doing a return, etc…)