A new Kickstarter initiative is gaining traction with its innovative cooling unit designed for the PlayStation 5, promising to tackle overheating issues and prevent the melting of the rear I/O ports. At the time of writing, the campaign has already garnered $89,000, with aspirations to reach a $125,000 stretch goal. You can snap up one of these cooling units for as low as $39.
This nifty gadget, called the Arctic PS5 cooler, stands out as the first AI-powered cooler for the PS5. It cleverly clips onto the rear exhaust of Sony’s gaming console, using a series of four or six fans to actively eliminate heat. The device connects via a single USB port and even includes a pass-through, ensuring you don’t lose precious connectivity options.
The creators, SCRY, are offering three different versions to complement each PS5 model: the original PS5 (lovingly dubbed the “fat” model), the more streamlined PS5 Slim, and the newly unveiled PS5 Pro. While the Pro and Slim variants each come with four fans—three situated at the top and one at the bottom—the “fat” model packs an additional two fans for a total of six.
A major focus of the Kickstarter page is the “smart thermal AI” technology that drives these cooling add-ons, automatically adjusting the fan speed based on the PS5’s internal temperature. This concept isn’t new to the world of PC modding, where similar techniques have long been used. However, SCRY claims that at 50 degrees Celsius, the fans will crank up to full speed to keep your console as chill as possible.
SCRY boasts a 30% reduction in temperature compared to the PS5’s standard operating metrics, bringing the peak temperature down from 64 to 55 degrees Celsius. Thermal imaging showcased on their site illustrates a 9-degree Celsius drop at the rear’s hottest point, namely the ethernet port.
The ultimate aim of these cooling solutions is to nip overheating issues in the bud on Sony’s latest piece of hardware. Last year, several games, including Final Fantasy XVI, made headlines due to PS5 overheating reports. Extreme cases even mentioned the risk of rear connectors melting.
Beyond cooling solutions, SCRY is also rolling out a Gen 4 M.2 SSD with an integrated heatsink as part of their Kickstarter lineup.
Hitting the $125,000 funding stretch goal unlocks a neat bonus: a free universal “vertikal” stand for PS5 users. Meanwhile, there are also targets set at $75,000 and $100,000, with their specifics to be revealed as they are achieved.
