The redesigned PlayStation 5 may be lighter in weight, but it comes at a price.
Several months after its release, Sony’s next-gen console is getting a redesign. While whether it comes with a performance boost or not has been obscure, it was nonetheless promised to be lighter. Also, part of the redesign is a detachable stand, which doesn’t require special tools. Lastly, there’s the notion that it runs quieter, too. But it appears that such modifications may have come with a trade-off.
The Issue Underneath
In a recently uploaded video, YouTuber Austin Evans shared a disassembly of the latest model in a bit to see certain changes. This specifically concerns how Sony has managed to make the original weigh less than it does originally. Which according to the numbers is 0.6 pounds lighter at 7.8 pounds. The console in question is a PS5 with a model of 1100B, which is a stark different from the original 1015B.
There was not much of a disparity when looking at the externals of the hardware design. But it is when looking deeper that changes became visible and the issue evident. One is the replacement of the old Delta fan with a new one, but is dismissed as trivial. It was when looking at the heat sink where his heart sank, however (pun intended). The new heat sink is clearly inferior as it is smaller in dimension and is lacking something copper-like component at the base. Upon discovery, Evans claims:
“I don’t think there’s any doubt here, this a cost reduced, lighter weight, less material [system]”.
Importance of Heat Sink
To the unaware, a heat sink is a critical component of many electronic devices. The purpose of which is to dissipate heat coming from the system in order to maintain safe level of heat. Furthermore, the bigger the heat sink is, the better it does its job of maintaining that balance for an electronic system. But the opposite is also much as true. Which, logically, what makes compact and small systems harder to maintain at the thermal aspect.
As it appears, the notion is on point with the new PlayStation 5 model. According to the testing, while the original runs at a warm 51-52°C, the new model reaches a hotter temperature at 55-56°C. But this is just when running the two models at their basic setup. Putting additional components in each device could still add to those numbers, considering that each part deals with electricity.
Image used courtesy of Austin Evans/YouTube Screenshot