The PS5 Pro impresses with strong performance, but different fan models lead to mixed experiences. Users report high noise levels, annoying whistling sounds, and heat development.
What exactly is the problem? Some PS5 Pro owners find that their consoles are louder than expected. On resetEra, X and Reddit, experiences with Sony’s new high-end console are being compared. Initial impressions show that different fan models from manufacturers Delta Electronics and Foxconn are installed – with varying results.
Some users find the Delta fans louder, while others perceive the Foxconn models as more annoying. There is also disagreement on whether the PS5 Pro dissipates heat worse depending on the fan model or if it’s just poorly positioned.
How does this manifest in practice? Measurements from GamePro found that the PS5 Pro reaches a noise level of 37 decibels under full load directly next to the console and 28 decibels at a distance of two meters. For comparison: 30 decibels corresponds to quiet whispering.
However, some users on Reddit and resetEra report a high-frequency whistling that is perceived as disturbing depending on individual sensitivity. This is referred to as coil whine. Coil whine occurs when components vibrate due to current flow, producing a high-frequency sound. This high frequency is mainly associated with the fan model from Delta.
Poorer heat dissipation due to the different fans is not clearly verifiable, contrary to some opinions. The PS5 Pro generates up to 220 watts of waste heat under full load, as tests from PCGH show. This heat is dissipated from the underside and the back. Since the fans are nearly identical in design, it is rather unlikely that the heat production of the PS5 Pro depends on this.
Foxconn or Delta? It’s a matter of luck
What does this mean for buyers? The different fan models turn the purchase into a bit of a gamble, where buyers don’t know which model is installed in their console and what noise development to expect. Some users have therefore ordered two PS5 Pros to reduce the risk.
On YouTube and Reddit, you can now find many videos and comparisons showing and testing the various fan models of the PS5 Pro. The tech YouTuber frankyfife has, for example, disassembled both fans and compared their design, and on Reddit, someone describes their experiences with both model variants.
This means you can listen in advance to how loud or high the sounds of the individual models are and consider whether that would bother you. It is important to note: Everyone perceives sounds differently. What is hardly noticeable to one person may be extremely annoying to another.
Are there solutions or recommendations? Currently, there is no official way to identify the installed fan model before purchase. Regarding the heat development of the PS5 Pro, sufficient space is the most important factor – especially if it is placed in a closed TV cabinet. If the ventilation paths are blocked, the temperature inside the case rises, leading to more intense and louder cooling. The official stand by Sony also slightly hinders air circulation at the bottom, according to PCGH, but you should definitely avoid completely blocked ventilation paths (e.g. by objects).
Sony’s latest high-end console has a significant advantage over previous models. What Nvidia has already demonstrated with DLSS, the PlayStation can now also do with the so-called PSSR. Sony’s AI-supported technology scales lower resolutions to higher ones. You can read how this works and what it effectively changes here: What is PSSR? The new technology of the PS5 Pro explained
