Sony Patent Suggests External Optical Disc Drive Prepped for Modular PS5 Refresh

[T0@st]

Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent that is now viewable to the public - as spotted by SegmentNext today - and the newly registered device could be designed to function as part of an updated variant of the PlayStation 5 home video game console. The 2020-era patent document showcases a type of detachable optical disc drive, and industry experts reckon that this mountable media reading device is destined, following past rumors, to feature in an upcoming PlayStation 5 hardware revision.

No reference is made to Sony's popular gaming console within the patent filing, but it is highly likely that the new optical drive will factor into the refreshed console's modular makeup - its overall shape shares design aesthetics with the PS5. Sony currently offers customers two variants of the PlayStation 5 - the more advanced model is fitted with an internal 4K Blu-Ray compatible disc drive, while the other one functions as a purely digital download device. The modular revamp is expected to arrive later this year, in a more compact form factor that industry insiders have called "D chassis" - it is not known whether this variant will outright replace the older models. A more powerful PlayStation 5 "Pro" model is expected to arrive after the modular redesign, with tipsters pointing to a launch window in mid-to-late 2024.



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[TechLurker]

Is the upcoming "modular" PS5 going to be the rumored "PS5 Pro"? Or a just a replacement of the original PS5 pair as the new regular version, with the Pro version being well, the Pro version?

 

[T0@st]

Is the upcoming "modular" PS5 going to be the rumored "PS5 Pro"? Or a just a replacement of the original PS5 pair as the new regular version, with the Pro version being well, the Pro version?

The rumors mainly point to the PS5 Pro (hardware refresh) coming out later in 2024. The small modular revision is expected to carry the same basic hardware spec sheet as the current models.

 

[Space Lynx]

I hope for Sony's sake they keep the liquid metal thermal interface. That is the only benefit to current PS5, is the paste will literally never need changed. Not even 20 years from now.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I hope for Sony's sake they keep the liquid metal thermal interface. That is the only benefit to current PS5, is the paste will literally never need changed. Not even 20 years from now.

It can also cause problems if not done perfectly (which thermal paste never is) or somehow leaks from under the heatsink, which has happened a few times now.

Personally I'd much rather they make it easily serviceable so thermal past is a 5 minute job.

 

[Space Lynx]

It can also cause problems if not done perfectly (which thermal paste never is) or somehow leaks from under the heatsink, which has happened a few times now.

Personally I'd much rather they make it easily serviceable so thermal past is a 5 minute job.

those articles were bs, about the leaking, proven to be false from what I understand.

Vertical PS5 Myth Debunked By PlayStation Expert

You can set up your PlayStation 5 vertically without any issues.

sea.ign.com

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

those articles were bs, about the leaking, proven to be false from what I understand.

Vertical PS5 Myth Debunked By PlayStation Expert

You can set up your PlayStation 5 vertically without any issues.

sea.ign.com

It's not a myth that liquid metal can cause issues if not applied properly or if it leaks. Asus has also had occasional issues with its gryphus line, which use the same liquid metal.

 

[Space Lynx]

It's not a myth that liquid metal can cause issues if not applied properly or if it leaks. Asus has also had occasional issues with its gryphus line, which use the same liquid metal.

that's true, but to my knowledge the only liquid metal issues that have happened on ps5, are people who used a torx 8 screw to open up the internals of their ps5. or ps5's that had previously been repaired.

its never happened to a single ps5 that was left unopened (dusting and nvme drive access not part of this btw)

that's what that article states anyway

 

[AMF]

it shoud be feed style ....no trays for disk sony................

 

[Space Lynx]

it shoud be feed style ....no trays for disk sony................

discs shouldn't even exist anymore with as cheap as flash storage is imo.

especially considering the volume discounts they would get + easier to ship, etc.

 

[AMF]

discs shouldn't even exist anymore with as cheap as flash storage is imo.

especially considering the volume discounts they would get + easier to ship, etc.

true that id buy game on flash drives just give me super fast port to plug it into auto install no input needed

 

[Blitzkuchen]

YeaH its time for an PS5 slim and not for an garbage Console in its release date it was bigger than the Zotac mini PC with RTX GPU.

 

[GhostRyder]

Eh, I think its a good idea mostly because I am finding the disk drive to be less and less necessary. Would be nice to be able to remove it and put it away when not in use.

But a PS5 Pro, I am not sure if I would want that because it sounds like were only a couple years away from another whole new generation.

 

[Bones]

I hope for Sony's sake they keep the liquid metal thermal interface. That is the only benefit to current PS5, is the paste will literally never need changed. Not even 20 years from now.

I hope not - That stuff etches, if it doesn't literally eat what it makes contact with which, over time WILL reduce cooling effectiveness.

Don't have one (PS5) BUT if I ever do, that the first thing to fix on my list about it.

 

[Space Lynx]

I hope not - That stuff etches, if it doesn't literally eat what it makes contact with which, over time WILL reduce cooling effectiveness.

Don't have one (PS5) BUT if I ever do, that the first thing to fix on my list about it.

I think you will be proved wrong in 20 years time personally, I am sure Sony took measures

 

[Ferrum Master]

It's not a myth that liquid metal can cause issues if not applied properly or if it leaks. Asus has also had occasional issues with its gryphus line, which use the same liquid metal.

Asus uses LM in all latest top ROG laptops for few years already.

Your thinking that all LM is the same is wrong. Their ratios differ. ASUS had problems, not actually them but TG, new revision fixed everything. No RMAs with LM issues been seen lately, only if the user itself opened the device and screwed up.

 

[The Von Matrices]

I'm just confused about what is proprietary enough about this to warrant a patent. It's just an external optical disc drive.