There's no denying the success of Sony's PlayStation 4 console. The PS4 is one of the best-selling consoles ever made, and has seen its fair share of hugely successful video game releases. However, one complaint that has been commonly lobbed at the PS4 is its tendency to be loud and overheat due to dust build-up and its lack of a high quality cooling system. It looks like Sony will be avoiding this problem with the PS5 by spending a bit more on the next-generation console's cooling system.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the the PS5 components have been "locked down," including its expensive cooling system. As detailed in the Bloomberg report, most video game console manufacturers would spend less than $1 on cooling systems, but Sony has opted to spend "a few dollars per unit" so that the PS5 won't have any overheating issues. This will ensure that the "heath dissipation from the powerful chips" used to power the PS5 won't be a problem for Sony or consumers.
Video game consoles overheating have led to huge debacles in the past, so it makes sense for Sony to get ahead of the issue right away. The PS4 overheating problems haven't led to catastrophic console failures like we saw with the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death, but it's a problem best avoided entirely.
It's possible that Sony is spending extra on the PS5's cooling system because of the way the console itself is designed. Leaked dev kit photos and patent images have led to some worry that the PS5 will have an overheating issue, but perhaps its comparatively expensive cooling system will address that problem.
While many will be happy that Sony is reportedly spending extra to ensure that the PS5 has a top-notch cooling system, more budget-minded consumers may be worried about how that could impact the new console's price. One recent report pegged the PS5 building cost as $450, which could easily mean the console is sold at that price point or even higher. Hardware shortages may also drive up the PS5's price point and make the console much more expensive than the PS4 was at launch.
But before fans get too worried about the PS5 price and how the more expensive cooling system may impact it, it's worth pointing out that nothing official has been announced by Sony just yet. Fans shouldn't stress too much about any of this until the official PS5 reveal takes place, whenever that may be.
Source: Bloomberg