Repair shops claim that PS5 consoles placed in an upright position could be damaged beyond repair by a design flaw, and therefore recommend using the console lying down.
The PlayStation 5 is designed to be placed either vertically or horizontally. Sony made this clear when presenting the console and the system includes a stand that allows it to be laid down or left standing depending on the user’s preference. Using your PS5 vertically may seem like the best option, since it’s in this position that it looks the prettiest, but in the end it might not be a very good idea.
Indeed, according to new reports circulating on the Internet, the PS5 would only be safe if it is lying on its side. Several reports from third-party repairers suggest that a design flaw could damage the console if it is positioned upright for too long.
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Why is it better to leave your PS5 lying down?
For those who don’t know, the PS5 does not use a classic thermal pad or even thermal paste like you can find in most computers. Rather, it relies on a liquid metallic compound.
The latter has the advantage of transferring heat more efficiently than conventional thermal paste, but they also have drawbacks. According to repairers, if the system is placed vertically, there is a risk that the liquid metal does not really appreciate the earth’s gravity. In other words, we are talking about a possibility of liquid metal leaking out of the area in which it is supposed to stay.
Repair shops therefore warn that this defect could cause the system to overheat and damage the motherboard if liquid metal leaks. Repairers have shared evidence that liquid metal can leak from its casing in tweets, but this likely represents a very small sample of gamers. For the moment, we doubt that Sony speaks officially about it, since the cases are very rare, and the official Sony line is that the system will work in both orientations, horizontal and vertical. Anyway, if you don’t have a PS5 yet, good news, the Japanese giant recently announced that the shortage is over.
Collective answer: I am only warning, all the PS5 that I open, very often the liquid is moved and can sometimes damage the surface of the CPU. In some cases this affects operation. I’m not the only Technician to notice this. pic.twitter.com/XWJrtkwg0L
— System Consoles (@68Logic) January 5, 2023