Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro has quietly slipped onto the scene with an intriguing change to its heatsink design. The well-known console repair YouTube channel TronicsFix discovered that this new heatsink isn’t your standard smooth surface; instead, it features a unique rectangular spiral pattern.
TronicsFix suggests that this deliberately machined pattern aims to minimize dry spots and surface oxidation, which can arise from the liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) slowly spreading across the heatsink. Interestingly, he also thinks this design tweak slightly increases the contact surface area.
For those who have dared to spread liquid metal, you’ll know it tends to form pools, and unlike typical thermal pastes, it’s quite keen on moving into places you’d rather it didn’t. That’s why setups meant for liquid metal generally incorporate a seal around the heatsink, to prevent this electrically conductive material from leaking out and potentially causing harm to other components within the system.
According to TronicsFix, the movement of the liquid metal tends to be more pronounced in PlayStations that are used in a vertical position. Given his vast experience in fixing and optimizing numerous PS5s and other consoles, it’s likely his insights are quite close to the actual scenario.
What’s particularly interesting is how Sony incorporated these rectangular spiral grooves on the heatsink where it meets the AMD APU. This approach seems a bit unorthodox since seasoned overclockers usually emphasize perfectly flat, polished surfaces for their processors and heatsinks. However, with liquid metal in the equation, the rules have shifted. Sony must have rigorously tested this grooved heatsink against a traditional mirror-smooth one and found the new design holds thermal advantages.
As the PS5 Pro ramps up its processing prowess, especially with its more robust GPU, these heatsink grooves are probably among the adjustments aimed at keeping thermal throttling under control.
Though the PS5 Pro was officially announced in early September, it only hit the shelves just recently. Experts and enthusiasts continue to dissect the new design, and while much of the technical insights were revealed by lead architect Mark Cerny during the launch live stream, there’s still a lot more to uncover about its engineered secrets.
