Sony has quietly introduced an intriguing change to the PlayStation 5 Pro’s heatsink design. The folks at TronicsFix, a well-known console repair YouTube channel, spotted that the PS5 Pro’s heatsink has swapped its sleek, glossy finish for a new rectangular spiral pattern.
This adjustment, according to TronicsFix, seems intentional. The pattern likely helps minimize dry spots and curbs surface oxidation that comes when the liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) spreads across the heatsink. Furthermore, this elaborate design tweak could slightly boost the contact surface area.
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of trying to spread liquid metal evenly, you’ll know it tends to form pools and can easily end up where it’s not wanted, unlike traditional thermal pastes. To tackle the challenges liquid metal presents, systems often have seals around the heatsink to prevent this conductive material from escaping and potentially wreaking havoc on other components.
There’s another interesting point TronicsFix brings up: the movement of liquid metal appears to worsen over time in PlayStation systems that are used in a vertical position. Given Steve’s extensive experience with repairing and optimizing PS5s and other consoles at TronicsFix, his insights are likely quite close to reality.
Seeing Sony incorporate these rectangular spiral “grooves” on the heatsink that connects to the AMD APU is fascinating, as it’s a bit unorthodox compared to standard cooling norms. Enthusiasts who push hardware to its limits often favor polishing the processor and heatsink surfaces to a smooth finish. However, the rise of liquid metal has challenged this approach. It’s safe to assume Sony conducted side-by-side tests with this new heatsink design against a polished version and found this change beneficial for thermal management.
With the PS5 Pro boasting enhanced processing power – particularly its upgraded GPU – it makes sense that these heatsink grooves are part of Sony’s strategy to prevent thermal throttling woes.
Though officially unveiled in September, the PS5 Pro only hit the shelves earlier this month. Experts and fans are still digging into its new design, unraveling various secrets. We gleaned most of the technical specifics directly from Mark Cerny, the lead architect, during a launch event.
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