While it wasn’t a drastic overhaul as some might have been hoping for, PlayStation recently released a slightly updated PS5 model that made a few improvements to the design, though there might be a tradeoff. A new video circulating the internet is raising some concerns about the revision, as it appears that the changes may have hindered the console’s ability to keep cool, which can lead to long-term problems.
The video, uploaded to YouTube by Austin Evans, details some of the changes that have been made to the revised version of the console. Namely, the newer version has removed a lot of the console's heatsink – though that makes it weigh slightly less, along with a few other tweaks – and it seems that's having a negative effect on the console’s performance. The primary issue is that the console seems to run hotter than the launch version of the system.
Evans clocked the older version’s temperature at 52 degrees Celsius and the revised version’s temperature at 55 degrees Celsius, which translates to about 125.6 degrees Fahrenheit and 131 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. It’s not a massive increase, though it is enough to raise an eyebrow at, especially because temperature increases can have a negative effect on the console’s performance. It’s worth noting, however, that Austin Evans only tested the PS5 Digital Edition in the video.
The culprit appears to be the newer PS5’s heatsink, which is substantially smaller than the original version’s. The new design seems to simply be less efficient at managing the heat from the CPU. Judging by Evans’ video, the primary changes to the new PS5 are cost-cutting measures using cheaper and fewer materials, which may upset some fans.
There are a few things here to keep in mind, though, including a few details that the temperature difference could be affected by. As some have pointed out since Evans’ video was released, the increase could mean that the new PS5 model is better at distributing heat than its older counterpart. However, Evans addressed this in a comment on the video, stating, “The thing is, Sony removed a SIZABLE amount of the heatsink on this new model. With fewer fins and smaller heatpipes it simply isn't as efficient at moving the heat out of the console.”
There’s an ongoing PC component shortage that could be affecting Sony’s decision here, which seems like the most likely answer to why the change was made. Video game consoles are traditionally sold at a loss, then the cost is recuperated with games sales, which Sony earns a percentage of. However, if the shortages are affecting things too much, it makes sense for Sony to reduce production costs on the system, at least from its standpoint.