Since the system's launch in 2020, Sony has released multiple PlayStation 5 models. The smaller hardware revisions of the original base model were eventually replaced by the PS5 Slim model, which also saw a few revisions to address issues, liquid metal cooling chief among them. The latest of these revisions has just been quietly launched, and the silence is rather surprising, as this new model comes with a refreshed motherboard featuring several critical changes.
"Sony quietly refreshed the PS5 Slim again and this one is much more interesting than it looks," said console and controller technician @Modyficator89 on X. "We opened the new Wolverine Limited Edition and inside found the refreshed EDM-051 motherboard. This isn’t just another cosmetic revision."
The changes found in the new PlayStation 5 hardware revision are significant and seem to be geared toward making the system last longer. These include:
- Different motherboard layout
- Replaceable CR2032 battery
- Redesigned and simplified internal layout
- Revised cooling system with the PS5 Pro-style liquid-metal interface
- A noticeably different heatsink construction/material compared with earlier Slim revisions
- A newer, lower-cost and more optimized HDMI retimer implementation
Besides being able to replace the CMOS battery, which has long been a cause for concern with PlayStation systems, the most notable of the above changes is the cooling system.
"The area around the APU / die and its protective surface looks different, and the liquid-metal containment appears to be closer to the approach used in the PS5 Pro. The new protection seems to expose less area directly to the liquid metal and should help keep it better controlled around the processor. So even after the 2025 cooling update, Sony clearly kept refining the thermal design."
As the liquid metal cooling employed for the PlayStation 5 has caused many systems to malfunction (and its degradation may eventually make all older systems require maintenance at some point), it's not surprising to learn that Sony has continued to improve it over the years.
With the price of gaming systems having risen significantly due to the AI craze, and its own reputation damaged by the unpopular decision to sunset physical discs (a decision that could yet be revised), it makes sense for Sony to avoid more PlayStation 5 systems failing, preventing its public perception from further souring ahead of the launch of the PlayStation 6, whose expected high price is going to make it a hard sell at launch.
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