Over the past few decades, most console manufacturers have come up with a larger flagship model, and then a few years later, a smaller, more compact slim version. Not satisfied with waiting, [Matt] A. DIY specialty Made its own PS5 Slim, and the results are amazing.
Typically, a thinner version is made by lowering the TDP of the chip under the hood. A low power draw means less cooling is required, a smaller power supply can be used and a design that is easier to manage overall. Unfortunately, [Matt] None of these features existed and instead had to contend with a full 180 W that could draw AMD CPUs inside the PlayStation.
The separation of the console left him with the original board which was quite thick because it had heat pipes on both sides. His first thought was to cool the water because it could quickly transfer the required heat, but even with the right-angle fittings, it did not fit within its ambitious thickness goal of less than 2 centimeters (about 3/4 ″). . To do this, [Matt] A copper water block had to be made from three sheets of copper. The first connects to the motherboard via standoff and has cut-outs for various connectors and parts. The middle layer has a channel through which water can flow and the last layer seals it together.
Putting the three layers together, he soldered them into a toaster oven that was recreated as a reflow oven. Cleverly, he used silicone grease to prevent the solder from entering areas he did not want, like the fins of a CPU block. Fortunately, the grease was dissolved in alcohol and after flushing the chamber, it had a hard copper, water-tight, custom loop. However, in the way of his glory, [Matt] Ran into a snag. He accidentally covered the radiator’s intake vent and the PS5 overheated and died. With a fried motherboard and a project nearing completion, he resorted to using the PS5 obtained for the B-Roll.
Aside from the last-minute motherboard shuffle, the final project is fantastic. Its polished exterior and mere thinness are attractive. [Matt] Before and after his PS5 has already been disguised, we’re not sure where he might take it next. But we are excited to find out.