Console Technician Uncovers Innovative PS5 Pro Heatsink Design — Grooved Structure May Prevent Solder Paste Leaks

Sony’s latest PlayStation 5 Pro has sneaked in quite a fascinating heatsink design update. The ever-curious tech enthusiasts at TronicsFix, a well-known console repair YouTube channel, have discovered that the heatsink isn’t as smooth as we might expect—it’s styled with a unique rectangular spiral pattern.

In an intriguing video titled “The PS5 Pro Upgrade No One Is Talking About,” TronicsFix suggests this distinct surface detail isn’t just for show. It’s been deliberately designed to counteract potential issues like dry spots and oxidation. These can occur due to the migration of liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) across the heatsink. They also mention that this pattern could slightly expand the contact surface area, which is an added benefit.

If you’ve ever worked with liquid metal, you know it has a mind of its own—forming pools and wandering off to places it shouldn’t go. Unlike conventional thermal pastes, liquid metal is especially prone to this. That’s why systems using liquid metal heatsinks often have protective seals or barriers to ensure it stays put and doesn’t wreak havoc on nearby components.

TronicsFix also points out that the movement of liquid metal seems to be more of a challenge in PlayStations used in the vertical position. With extensive experience repairing PS5s and other consoles, Steve from TronicsFix likely has a pretty solid grasp of what’s going on under the hood.

It’s quite interesting to see Sony’s choice of the rectangular spiral grooves on the heatsink, which interfaces with the AMD APU. This approach somewhat bucks traditional cooling strategies. Extreme overclockers usually aim for mirror-like processors and heatsinks for maximum heat dissipation, but the advent of liquid metal has clearly prompted a shift in strategies. Sony likely conducted thorough comparisons between this new heatsink design and a standard smooth one, concluding the change was a smart move in terms of thermal performance.

Considering the PS5 Pro’s enhanced processing capabilities, especially the upgraded GPU, these nifty heatsink grooves are probably part of a broader strategy to avoid thermal throttling.

The PlayStation 5 Pro was officially revealed back in early September, and it’s only just becoming available to eager consumers this month. As enthusiasts and experts continue to delve into the console, more intriguing details about its design are coming to light. We got a comprehensive look at its technical prowess from lead architect Mark Cerny during the launch livestream.