Sony’s latest PlayStation 5 Pro has come with an understated but notable tweak in its heatsink design. The ever-popular console repair channel on YouTube, TronicsFix, stumbled upon an intriguing change: the heatsink in the PS5 Pro doesn’t boast a shiny, smooth finish. Instead, it has a unique rectangular spiral surface detail.
In one of their insightful videos, TronicsFix speculates that this carefully crafted surface pattern is likely introduced to minimize dry spots and prevent surface oxidation, which often occurs when liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) spreads over the heatsink. They also suggest it slightly boosts the contact surface area.
Anyone who has worked with liquid metal knows how it tends to pool and is more prone to spreading unintentionally compared to the conventional thermal pastes. For systems equipped with liquid metal heatsinks, it’s imperative to use a seal or barrier around the heatsink to prevent this electrically conductive material from leaking and damaging other system components.
TronicsFix also believes that the issue of liquid metal shifting over time is more pronounced in PlayStation systems that are used in a vertical position. Considering that Steve from TronicsFix has a wealth of experience in repairing and fine-tuning numerous PS5s and other consoles, his insights likely reflect the practical realities of this situation.
The addition of the rectangular spiral ‘grooves’ on the heatsink connecting to the AMD APU is intriguing, as it runs counter to the usual cooling strategies. Enthusiasts and overclockers often go to great lengths to ensure the processor surface and heatsink are polished and flat, but liquid metal has changed the rules. Sony must have definitely conducted tests comparing this new heatsink to a traditionally smooth one and found enough merit to adopt this thermal design adjustment.
Given the PS5 Pro’s elevated processing power—particularly its powerful GPU—these heatsink ‘grooves’ appear to be part of the strategy to ward off thermal throttling concerns.
The official reveal of the PS5 Pro took place in early September, but it only began reaching consumers earlier this month. Enthusiasts and experts are still opening up the new designs, but most of the technical details were shared by lead architect Mark Cerny during a live stream at launch.
