There’s a bit of a stir in the gaming world, all about how PlayStation 5 (PS5) users could be unknowingly putting their beloved consoles at risk.
Everyone who owns a PS5 knows about the console’s design flexibility, meaning it can be placed either vertically or horizontally, depending on different preferences or space constraints.
However, according to one gamer on TikTok, this flexibility comes with a hidden cost. They suggest that using the PS5 in its vertical position could lead to long-term damage due to a critical design flaw involving the cooling system.
The video said there's an issue with the PS5’s liquid metal cooling system and that when the console is placed vertically, there's a risk that this liquid metal could spill or become uneven. This, in turn, affects, the cooling of the APU, the TikToker said, potentially leading to overheating and damage.
And this TikToker isn't the only person concerned by this. Several cases had been reported online where the seal between the PS5's APU and its cooler became compromised. The idea is that, in such scenarios, if the console is stood vertically, the liquid metal could flow unevenly, potentially causing damage to its internal components.
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Given these concerns, the recommendation from some corners of the tech world was to play it safe and keep your PS5 horizontal until Sony provides an official statement on this issue.
However, follow-up reports challenged the notion that standing your PS5 upright is a one-way ticket to console destruction.
Console hacking site Wololo.net, which had initially reported on the issue, later clarified its stance. Apparently, the real risk of liquid metal leakage is rare and not specifically tied to the console's orientation. It might be that the issue could only affect PS5 consoles that have been tampered with, as opposed to a widespread problem inherent to all PS5 units as originally reported.
That hasn’t stopped TikTok users and the like from chatting about the debunked theory. So if you see posts on social media highlighting how you shouldn’t stand your PS5 console vertically - feel free to ignore them and position it however you like. Phew!