An ‘updated’ PS3 hardware mod unlocks CELL and RSX overclocking on the Super Slim using a Raspberry Pi Pico – NotebookCheck.net News
A new Raspberry Pi Pico-based hardware mod for later-model PlayStation 3 consoles unlocks quasi-custom firmware, enabling unprecedented CELL and RSX overclocking, native PS2 ISO support, and Linux compatibility through direct XDR RAM exploitation. By achieving stable RSX clocks of up to 850 MHz and CELL speeds reportedly reaching 4.1 GHz, this community-driven breakthrough transforms the once-limited PS3 Super Slim into a powerful retro and homebrew platform, albeit with a hardware installation barrier.
A new PlayStation 3 mod has unlocked previously “impossible” levels of performance on the PS3 Super Slim, the Slim 3000, and the later 2504 iterations of Sony’s seventh-generation console.
The mod was brought to light by Polish modder @Modyfikator89. In his mod, he deployed a fully functional Quasi-Custom Firmware (qCFW) called BadWDSD on a Raspberry Pi Pico. Since this method uses hardware RAM injection on the Pico, it can’t be patched out by an official Sony system update.
The modder then showed a PS3 Super Slim running qCFW 4.92 with a “massive 850MHz RSX overclock.” For context, the RSX initially shipped with a stock clock speed of 500MHz in launch units. While users may have expected to encounter significant temperature spikes, the console maintains a stable 55°C. Furthermore, this mod allows users to run Linux, enables modders to unbrick consoles stuck in factory mode, and supports running PS2 games too.
This revelation has taken the PS3 modding community by storm, with recent developments suggesting the console’s performance can be pushed even further than previously expected. For nearly a decade, PS3 Super Slim owners could only use hybrid exploit tools like HEN, which allowed them to run basic homebrew but still left much of the system’s potential locked.
However, this new mod ups the ante by directly exploiting the console’s XDR RAM hardware. Where this mod really shines is in the performance gains that were otherwise unachievable. On qCFW 4.92, modders can now overclock the RSX graphics chip to 850 MHz, a feat that was practically impossible due to design limitations.
Further developments in this modding adventure include an overclock of the PS3’s CELL processor, where community efforts have managed to crank clock speeds up to 4.1GHz at 76°C using Syscon, with no additional modchips.
The mod also unlocks many other features that PS3 fans have been craving without the risks of bricking their consoles. Native PS2 ISO support is now available, allowing players to load original PS2 games directly from their storage without conversion.
These modding escapades are not for beginners, as they involve opening the console and soldering new components. However, for those brave enough, tutorials and installers are popping up to help newcomers ease into the PS3 modding scene, which has continued to evolve over the past few years.
With PS3s still going for cheap on the used market, this could signal a retro revival of Sony’s console, which has sold over 87 million units to date.
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Rahim Amir Noorali – Tech Writer – 663 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025
I am a UAE-based tech writer who likes to build and benchmark PCs both professionally and as a hobby. I contribute to multiple tech publications, including TechRadar and Notebookcheck, as well as Game Rant, where I focus primarily on news, commerce, and buying guides. When I’m not scouring the internet for the latest in tech stories, you will find me playing a game of Civilization or DotA with friends and frenemies alike while dropping recommendations for Apple TV+’s Foundation to everyone I come across.
Rahim Amir Noorali, 2026-01-25 (Update: 2026-01-25)
