Console Gaming Under Water: First Custom PS5 "Slim" Employs PC-like Watercooling System

[Raevenlord]

YouTuber Matt Perks, known as DIY Perks on Google's video-sharing platform, has achieved the title of owning the world's first "PS5 Slim" console... by creating a custom watercooling system that's aimed at keeping the AMD-designed chip in check while rendering some of the most impressive games of this generation. Thanks to the custom watercooling unit, the PS5's usual 4-inch width was reduced to a mere inch - and due to improved operating temperatures, it's likely the hardware will see increased longevity. Barring any catastrophic leakage, of course.

Perks made use of a copper sheet to channel water over the PS5's APU, while also including thermal bridges that distributed the contained water throughout the consoles' SSD and power delivery subsystem. There is a secret to the consoles' slim profile, however, which should also answer one question you're holding on your mind: where, in that single inch frame, did he fit the pump and radiator for the embedded watercooling?





The answer lies outside of the console proper, as Perks moved both the consoles' power supply and watercooling unit towards an external carcass that can be hidden away, leaving only the svelte, copper-colored PS5 on show in your media center. Al in all, this is a very impressive mod - and the YouTuber has even been so kind as to share the steps necessary for you to build one of these yourself.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[Space Lynx]

I did not realize the RAM reached 94 celsius on the original PS5...

Why is this acceptable temps...

custom PC for life.

timestamp in video is 27:59

yet, tom's hardware says the ps5 ram is around 77 max...

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ikjmeqJ6VodJbcZUvzUBS-970-80.png

Xbox Series X vs PS5: Which Console Stays Coolest

Which console has the most efficient cooling system?

www.tomshardware.com

@Raevenlord I call bs on this guy's testing methodology.

 

[erocker]

Beautiful work again.

 

[Rhein7]

I'm more amazed by the fact that he only used solder and an oven to create the water tight cooling system from a bunch of copper sheets tbh.

 

[Space Lynx]

I'm more amazed by the fact that he only used solder and an oven to create the water tight cooling system from a bunch of copper sheets tbh.

I'm not amazed at all. He says the ram in PS5 is 94 celsius... yet every other review of the PS5 I find has it not even coming close to 80 celisus.

He clearly did not do his testing right, which makes me question his other skills by line of logic.

timestamp in video is 27:59 where he shows 94 celsius. meh.

 

[zlobby]

I'm more amazed by the fact that he only used solder and an oven to create the water tight cooling system from a bunch of copper sheets tbh.

And yet many professional manufacturers with large R&D budgets can't.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

I'm not amazed at all. He says the ram in PS5 is 94 celsius... yet every other review of the PS5 I find has it not even coming close to 80 celisus.

He clearly did not do his testing right, which makes me question his other skills by line of logic.

timestamp in video is 27:59 where he shows 94 celsius. meh.

He says in the video others have reported it as 94°. IDK if you've watch GNs video but the temps were not able to be take directly off the ram, I'm guessing even thats a guess-timate reading. I havent read reviews so no idea how they are getting their temps.

 

[walker15130]

He says the ram in PS5 is 94 celsius... yet every other review of the PS5 I find has it not even coming close to 80 celisus.

He clearly did not do his testing right, which makes me question his other skills by line of logic.

Thermal numbers for stock console were lifted up from Gamers Nexus's PS5 thermal review. There is no comparison of temps before/after the modding. What matters is that he successfully created this one-off design, used an estabilished method of thermal probe placement to prove that the cooling works well and both his viewers and sponsors are happy. There is no point in questioning anything here - he could have done more rigorous tests but being quantitative is not in line with getting youtube views.

 

[lowrider_05]

He says in the video others have reported it as 94°. IDK if you've watch GNs video but the temps were not able to be take directly off the ram, I'm guessing even thats a guess-timate reading. I havent read reviews so no idea how they are getting their temps.

Yes, even GN took the calibrated sensor and placed it on top of the RAM, the actual temp of the Ram chip would be even hotter! The 94C were the hottest Max Temp during the test and not the average but one can see many PS5´s dying of fried ram chips in the long term when the systems get older and the dust gets in.

 

[BorisDG]

While impressive copper/solder job, the rest is big joke. He is trying to make the PS5 slim, but his cooling/psu job is 5x the size of the original. Big no no.

 

[Durvelle27]

I'm not amazed at all. He says the ram in PS5 is 94 celsius... yet every other review of the PS5 I find has it not even coming close to 80 celisus.

He clearly did not do his testing right, which makes me question his other skills by line of logic.

timestamp in video is 27:59 where he shows 94 celsius. meh.

At launch PS5 definitely had heat issues especially the RAM. Sony fixed the issue later

 

[chodaboy19]

But overall the volume of the whole system has increased?

 

[ZoneDymo]

I saw this vid before, this is a pretty cool guy, but here I really wish he did not advertise it as a PS5 Slim and instead said he was going to watercool the ps5 as a goal and as a bonus the physical console is now a nice small elegant box

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

DIY Perks is a great channel, been subscribed to it for a while, he builds really cool things... When I saw this video over my subscription feed the other day, I knew it would find its way out into the wider world.

While impressive copper/solder job, the rest is big joke. He is trying to make the PS5 slim, but his cooling/psu job is 5x the size of the original. Big no no.

How would you have done it... Can't you just be impressed by this insanely creative work instead of trying to tear it down?

I'm not amazed at all. He says the ram in PS5 is 94 celsius... yet every other review of the PS5 I find has it not even coming close to 80 celisus.

He clearly did not do his testing right, which makes me question his other skills by line of logic.

timestamp in video is 27:59 where he shows 94 celsius. meh.

Yet another one, failing to recognize that it is a DIY project...the whole point of the channel and video was to create something with fairly common and accessible tools, are you seriously picking apart the least important part of the video? And didn't he replicate GN's methodology? Jeez

 

[BorisDG]

How would you have done it... Can't you just be impressed by this insanely creative work instead of trying to tear it down?

The whole idea/point of slim model is to be SMALLER not 5x bigger. Like I said, his work with the console itself - copper case it's impressive, but the rest felt flat on it's face.

 

[Raevenlord]

The whole idea/point of slim model is to be SMALLER not 5x bigger. Like I said, his work with the console itself - copper case it's impressive, but the rest felt flat on it's face.

To be fair, the exposed console IS smaller than the original. You can just tuck the increased volume somewhere out of sight.

Microsoft did something of the sort with the original Xbox 360 and its monster, external power brick.

 

[BorisDG]

Compare this with his HUGE combo of PSU + Cooling. Still imaging carrying vanilla PS5 vs his... you got it now?

 

[Raevenlord]

Compare this with his HUGE combo of PSU + Cooling. Still imaging carrying vanilla PS5 vs his... you got it now?

Got it the first time, thank you. Let's agree to disagree while things are still civil

 

[qwerty_lesh]

Matts made quite a lot of cool shstuff in the past. I'm surprised to see him mentioned here, but moreso surprised (and disappointed) to see people here are throwing him shade. he deserves more appreciation. just because he may have a penchant for particular hardware (server psu's and ultra high CRI leds) and just because he conveys an unconventional modding approach, doesn't mean that he's not talented.

 

[Space Lynx]

Matts made quite a lot of cool shstuff in the past. I'm surprised to see him mentioned here, but moreso surprised (and disappointed) to see people here are throwing him shade. he deserves more appreciation. just because he may have a penchant for particular hardware (server psu's and ultra high CRI leds) and just because he conveys an unconventional modding approach, doesn't mean that he's not talented.

I have seen his stuff before, he does do neat stuff from time to time. My issue was the ram temps... I had no idea the original PS5 had ram that hit 94 Celsius... cause all the reviews I read showed differently.

Also, I have to question Sony quality control... allowing PS5 ram to hit 94 celsius is an atrocity... they should have discovered that very early on in the RND phase of the PS5... kind of mindblowing...

My problems is less with him and more with Sony at this point...

 

[lexluthermiester]

allowing PS5 ram to hit 94 celsius is an atrocity

It really is! It's like they were trying to rush to market..

 

[BArms]

It really is! It's like they were trying to rush to market..

Isn't everything rushed to market? Like ever?

 

[BorisDG]

Got it the first time, thank you. Let's agree to disagree while things are still civil

I never had other wish anyway. Cheers.

It really is! It's like they were trying to rush to market..

That depends what kinda of fan you have. (Yes, it's true) While Nidec had bit more noise/whine, their airflow is the best for all (vs NMB / Delta). That's why they are also the most common fan in newer revision.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Isn't everything rushed to market? Like ever?

No, not really. Some companies actually do their due diligence before product release. Sony was "competing" with microsoft and didn't want to be beaten to market to badly. The PS5 is the Sega Saturn of the modern day, except with better software on release.

 

[ppn]

the PS5 PCB should be 75% smaller to begin with, there is nothing special on it. just a regular 256 bit GPU with a regular looking full cover water block with the transparent channels. no need for full copper, and then fit a 240 20mm thin water radiator +20mm fan next to it. all in one 24 by 24 by 4cm.