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Sony has quietly slipped in a fascinating modification to the PlayStation 5 Pro’s heatsink design. The innovative change was brought to light by the popular console repair YouTube channel, TronicsFix, which noticed that the PS5 Pro’s heatsink features a unique rectangular spiral surface pattern instead of being perfectly smooth.
In one of their videos, TronicsFix suggests that this crafted pattern is likely a strategic move to prevent dry spots and surface oxidation, which could result from the liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) spreading unevenly over the heatsink. Interestingly, this design might also offer a slight increase in the contact surface area, enhancing the overall efficiency.
If you’ve ever tried working with liquid metal, you’ll know it tends to pool and can easily seep into unwanted areas compared to traditional thermal pastes. Systems using liquid metal need to incorporate a seal around the heatsink to ensure the conductive material doesn’t stray and potentially damage other components within the system.
TronicsFix also points out that the issue of liquid metal movement seems to worsen in PlayStation consoles that are standing upright. Given Steve at TronicsFix has extensive experience with PS5 repairs and tuning other consoles, his insights likely reflect real-world situations quite accurately.
It’s intriguing to see Sony adopting these rectangular spiral grooves on the heatsink that connects with the AMD APU, as this diverges from typical cooling approaches. Enthusiasts often polish both the processor and heatsink surfaces to a mirror finish for optimal contact. However, with liquid metal, the rules have changed, and Sony must have conducted rigorous A/B testing to validate the effectiveness of this new design against a traditional smooth heatsink.
Considering the PS5 Pro’s enhanced capabilities, particularly with its upgraded GPU, it’s reasonable to conclude these heatsink grooves are part of the strategy to ward off thermal throttling issues.
The PS5 Pro was officially announced in early September and became available to the public earlier this month. Enthusiasts and experts are still busy dismantling and exploring the new design features, but most technical insights were shared by lead architect Mark Cerny during a launch live stream.
