YouTuber builds 2cm-thick PS5 "Slim"
With custom copper cooling system.
PlayStation 5 may be a lot of things to a lot of different people, but one thing most would probably agree on is that it's a bloody big console. Now, however, one enterprising YouTuber has taken up the challenge of downsizing the machine to create the "world's first PS5 Slim console" - one that's less than 2cm thick.
This particular project is the work of YouTube channel DIY Perks, which specialises in videos about designing and building gadgets and technology at home, and begins with a tear-down of Sony's behemoth console to figure out exactly which of its innards should stay and which can go to hit that self-imposed 2cm limit.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of the PS5's bulk comes from its steel shrouding and CPU-cooling heatsink, and with those gone DIY Perks' target seems a little closer to reality. Ultimately, to hit that magic number, PS5's existing cooling solution is replaced with a custom water-channeling system made from copper sheeting. It's not a cheap option, costing an eyewatering $240 for the sheeting alone, but it appears to do the job.
DIY Perks' other main change to PS5's innards sees the removal of its sizeable internal power supply and the introduction of an external power brick to help save some additional space. Everything that remains after that is then squeezed into an attractive copper box, which brings the PS5's thickness down from over 10cm to an impressive 1.9cm.
Granted, the enormous external power supply DIY Perks constructs, which is designed to be mounted to a nearby wall out of sight, might be seen as a bit of a cheat given its size, but there's no denying the aesthetic appeal of the resulting diminutive, slimline copper console - even if the first attempt does end in a bit of an overheating disaster.
The full video is well worth a watch, even if the final build isn't something most people are going to be able to whip up themselves. Hopefully Sony's official answer isn't too far away.