Older PS5 consoles could soon die abundantly
Attention PlayStation 5 owners: The liquid metal cooling of the console could become death sentence for millions of older devices in the next few years. A game developer warns of a basic construction error that leads to overheating.
Fatal construction error in the PS5?
The PlayStation 5 was considered a technological masterpiece in November 2020 – especially innovative liquid metal cooling was celebrated as a progressive solution. Sony rely on gallium-based liquid metal, which offers significantly better thermal conductivity than conventional thermal paste. But what initially appeared as a clever cooling method now turns out to be a potential coffin nail for many consoles.
Because more and more players are reporting on a sudden switching off of their devices during intensive game sessions – a problem that may be due to a fundamental construction error in cooling. The problem primarily affects consoles that are vertically positioned. Here, due to gravity, the liquid metal used for cooling should drop down and leave dry areas on the APU. This uneven distribution leads to local overheatings that automatically switch the system off to protect against damage.
Developer raises the alarm
Like Matthew Cassells, founder of Alderon Games in Broken silicon podcast explained by Youtuber Moore’s Law is Dead (from 10:05), this critical error in the system causes increasing problems. Alderon Games originally received reports that her game caused Path of Titans sudden switch-offs in PS5 consoles. Initially, the developers gave the usual advice on troubleshooting, such as cleaning the console, but the problem remained.
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After a broader survey, they found that numerous players also reported similar problems with other titles. According to Cassells, the problem is therefore not limited to their game – forced system shutdowns were also observed in popular titles such as Call of Duty and Marvel’s Spider -Man 2. The internal troubleshooting led the team to the conviction that the liquid metal in the PS5 is the culprit.
Not all models directly affected
Fortunately, not all PlayStation 5 systems are equally affected. Sony knows the problem and has already tried to fix the difficulties in the SLIM version and the PS5 Pro by adding grooves to the APU and the heat sink. They are intended to prevent the liquid metal from dripping to the bottom of the console. However, it is still too early to say whether this adaptation has actually mitigated or resolved the problem.
Playstation 5 is the power guzzler among the consoles older models are therefore more at risk. Since most of these devices are no longer under guarantee, a repair could be expensive. The situation may not be as bad as with the many Xbox 360 consoles that failed with the notorious “Red Ring of Death”, but according to the Alderon Games founder, it is serious enough that many old PS5 models could be defective within the next two years-a worrying forecast for millions of console owners.
Protection measures for owners
There are some measures for PS5 owners to minimize the possible risk. The simplest solution is to lay the console horizontal. This prevents the liquid metal from sinking and ensures a more even distribution on the APU. In addition, players should make sure that the ventilation slots remain free and the console has enough space to absorb and blow out air to cool.
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