The PlayStation 5 relies on liquid cooling as its cooling system. However, this also reminds us of an evil robot from Terminator 2. Because the android assassin T-1000 seems to be made of the same material at first glance.
For the first time, the PlayStation 5 uses liquid metal for cooling. This was demonstrated by Sony during the teardown of the PS5. In the long run, this is supposed to improve the stability of the system and ensure good cooling performance. Sony itself says: “This is one of the components that required a lot of creativity from us when designing the PS5.”
Why does this remind us of Terminator? In Terminator, there is the android assassin T-1000, the main antagonist from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He is supposed to kill John Connor, who is later to become the leader of mankind.
The special thing about T-1000 is his shape. He is made of liquid metal and can manipulate this mass to take on different forms.
Now imagine the liquid, silver metal core of the PS5 starting to move and making weird noises. Just like the T-1000 in the Terminator film. That would be quite creepy.
In the trailer for the 3D remake from 2017, you can actually get a glimpse of T-1000 yourself.
PS5 Liquid Metal – Advantages and Disadvantages of Cooling
What is the advantage of liquid metal? But enough about Terminator. What is the real deal with liquid metal?
Liquid metal for cooling mainly consists of gallium. It melts at a temperature of 29.76 degrees. So you have a block of metal in the console that starts to melt during operation.
The metal offers significantly higher thermal conductivity compared to conventional thermal paste. Additionally, it is more resistant to aging, which is also beneficial for the longevity of the console.
What is the disadvantage? The electrical conductivity of liquid metal is significantly higher. This also means the risk of a short circuit is greater when handling liquids. This is one reason why beginners are often advised to use conventional thermal paste rather than liquid metal.
More things about the PS5 Teardown: During the teardown of the PS5, other interesting things were also shown. Now we know what Sony came up with to prevent the PS5 from getting dirty from dust. Because behind the white cover, Sony has hidden a dust trap.
