PS5 patent teases the console’s design and clever cooling

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PS5 patent shows how the console will bring its gaming power to bear

PS5
(Image credit: VRPlayer.fr)

Sony has yet to reveal the design of the PS5, but a patent spotted by LetsGoDigital showcases how the console will keep cool and hints at its design. 

The patent shows a v-shaped cooling system that looks like it funnels air from one end of the console to the other, while potentially having a negative space in the middle to also aid with airflow. And that airflow will be needed since the console’s processor will run at “constant power” continuously. 

We’ve seen hints of this cooling system from leaked images of the PS5 development kit, and this patent could simply be for that kit rather than the final PS5. However, Microsoft made a big deal about how it keeps the Xbox Series X cool, so we’d not be surprised to hear that the PS5 has a significant cooling system. 

While it’s reasonably unlikely that the PS5 will look like some of the concept renders we’ve seen based on the v-shape, there’s a good chance that the system will feature an advanced cooling system. But it’s more likely to be an internal element that’s not so visible from the console’s outside. 

PS5 cooling patent

(Image credit: LetsGoDigital)

Sony has done a deep-dive into the PS5’s specs but has kept other details, including the console’s design and cooling system, under wraps. 

"We then tackled the engineering challenge of a cost-effective and high-performance cooling system, designed for that specific power level,” said PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny. “As for the details of the cooling solution, we're saving them for our teardown. I think you'll be quite happy with what the engineering team came up with."

The power level Cerny refers to is the idea that the AMD CPU at the PS5’s heart will run at a constant fixed speed with the aim that steady performance can deliver smoother games. But chips running at high-speeds for a while can get very warm and will eventually throttle their speeds to prevent getting too hot. However, if they can be kept cool then they can run at high-speeds for a long time. 

As such, the PS5 could deliver its 10.28 teraflops of power continuously, which should make it easier for game developers to tap into that performance and make games that run smoothly at high resolutions. 

We were expecting a PS5 games showcase this week, but Sony postponed its event so as to not distract from the protests in the US over the killing of George Floyd. Sony has said its big PS5 event will be happening "soon," so we shouldn't have to wait much longer to see the console in action.

Roland Moore-Colyer
Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.