Have you ever taken it apart before? I wonder if the liquid metal thermal interface has leaked out or oxidized.
this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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I didn't see anything like that but I didn't take it completely apart.
The PS5 uses liquid metal as the thermal interface material. That stuff conducts heat super well, which is why they used it, but it has some serious downsides. It's electrically conductive for one, and unlike thermal paste or epoxy it stays liquid and can flow over time. Most liquid metal applications use some kind of gasket to ensure the liquid metal stays between the CPU and the heatsink. Apparently it's a known issue that the PS5's liquid metal can settle over time and develop gaps, especially if your PS5 is normally kept vertical. Since your PS5 still works, it's unlikely it's leaked out entirely because if it had it probably would have shorted something and killed the unit. Check out this ifixit article for details on how to get to the CPU and reapply liquid metal. Fair warning, it looks like a hell of a disassembly.
I'll take a look at the article.
I have lots of small tools since I do work on my laptop and 3d printer, so it'll be a matter of making sure I keep everything organized.