Sony has revised its standard and slim PlayStation 5s with an updated cooling design to fix a longstanding liquid metal leak problem.
As reported by VideoCardz, the new system reportedly borrows from the PS5 Pro design, which uses an updated liquid metal application pattern and an adjusted heatsink layout.
When early PS5 and PS5 Slim consoles are stored vertically, or moved frequently, the liquid metal occasionally leaks from between the heatsink and the system on a chip (SoC). This reduces the contact area between the chip and heatsink, leading to overheating. It causes extra fan noise, reduced performance, and, in extreme cases, a system shutdown.
The new cooling system redesign uses a liquid metal application with deeper ridges, which reportedly helps it stay in place more effectively and deliver its promised performance over the lifespan of the console.
X user @Modyfikator89 claims the new cooling system is “100% free of liquid metal,” which isn’t what it looks like in the images. It could be that Sony is using a new formula for the liquid metal, making it more viscous and less likely to leech out of the cooling setup. Regardless, whatever is being used is held in place by new ridges that should prevent any leaking.
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The specific PS5 models that feature the upgrade include CFI-2100, CFI-2200, and the 2025 Slim CFI-2116 B01Y.
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Alongside this, Sony has reportedly provided a little added convenience for new buyers. New Slim PS5s no longer require an online activation step for the disc drive. Instead, they’re pre-paired with the console for quicker setup.
If you own one of the older PlayStation 5 consoles that are affected by this issue, you can have it fixed at a repair shop, or iFixit has detailed instructions on how to take your PS5 apart and replace the liquid metal yourself. It may void your warranty, though, so proceed with caution.
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Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He’s written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he’s a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas.
Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.
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