Tiny PS5 Redux: A 60% smaller, 6-litre PlayStation 5 you can build yourself that runs cooler than the original
Following the growing wave of PlayStation modding, from Devyn Johnston’s minimalist BoxPlates that give Sony’s console a sleeker, horizontal-friendly design, to Zac Builds’ liquid-cooled “PS3 Pro” that overclocks the 2006 PlayStation 3 to run Gran Turismo 6 at 60 FPS, another creator has re-engineered the PS5 into something smaller, smarter and accessible to enthusiasts.
YouTube channel Not From Concentrate (NFC), has unveiled the Tiny PS5 Redux – a refined version of the viral small-form-factor project that’s now designed for fans to build themselves. According to the video description, the Redux is “the refined, simplified version designed so that you can finally make it”, with a full step-by-step guide available through the NFC store.
Design and construction
The original Tiny PS5 shrank the console by around 60 percent, fitting it inside a 3.3-litre SkyReach 4 Tiny case with custom 3D-printed mounts and cooling. It ran a few degrees warmer than stock and also suffered from power-supply instability. The 6-litre Redux rebuild addresses that weakness and improves the enclosure’s quality and serviceability.
The aluminium chassis and wrap-around bezel are coated with Cerakote for a matte industrial finish, paired with dark-smoke acrylic side panels for a subtle internal view. The top plate features precision-cut openings for the USB ports and spring-loaded power and eject buttons, secured magnetically by four embedded magnets for quick cleaning access.
Lighting is handled discreetly: the system LED sits inside a recessed polished-aluminium pocket handle, diffused by a 3D-printed light guide. The handle doubles as a functional carry grip and a directional exhaust vent.
Cooling performance
Inside, the YouTuber retained the original heatsink plates but paired them with an Alpenföhn Black Ridge CPU cooler and two 120 mm slim Noctua fans in a push–pull configuration. Three 60 mm Noctua fans vent heat through the pocket-handle exhaust.
Thermal testing on Expedition 33 (Quality preset, motion blur off, film grain off) produced the following results:
- Stock PS5: 230 – 235 W draw, ~59 °C average
- Tiny PS5 (2023 build): 220 – 225 W, ~56 °C
- Redux version: < 220 W, ~50 °C average
The improvement came from a completely redesigned intake system. Video host Erick 3D-printed a new shroud with larger intake channels and a neoprene gasket to prevent hot air from recirculating. The redesigned airflow lowered temperatures by around 6 °C and eliminated the frame drops previously caused by thermal throttling.
Connectivity, storage, and digital transition
Because the aluminium enclosure weakened wireless performance, the Wi-Fi antenna is now mounted internally beneath the top acrylic panel, while foldable external Bluetooth antennas on the rear panel eliminate lag and connection dropouts.
Storage has also been significantly improved. The earlier Tiny PS5 was limited to short 2230 M.2 drives capped at 2 TB, but the Redux version integrates an M.2 extension cable and 3D-printed bracket, making room for a full-size 2280 SSD, shown here with a 4 TB drive and dedicated heatsink.
The optical drive from the original build has been removed in favour of a cleaner, digital-only layout. Since the PS5 cannot complete firmware updates without detecting a drive, the YouTuber kept the disc-drive control board powered and connected inside the chassis. The console recognises it as functional even without the mechanical components. A custom 3D-printed mount secures the board behind the motherboard, maintaining update compatibility without external clutter.
To round off the build, a redesigned controller charging dock complements the titanium-and-black theme. It reuses NFC’s magnetic pogo-pin charging system but adds a steel-plate base for extra weight and stability.
Power and community build
The older Tiny PS5 had one recurring issue: random shutdowns during graphically intensive games. Thermal testing confirmed that the these shutdowns weren’t due to overheating but rather the 250 W GaN power supply, which struggled with newer games drawing over 230 W. Upgrading to a 500 W GaN unit completely resolved the issue.
The Redux is also a community project, with design files for the PS5 model 1215A available on NFC’s Patreon. Builders can order aluminium parts from SendCutSend, 3D-print the rest, and use a mounting bracket for the Black Ridge cooler, though the mod still requires careful assembly and some soldering skills.
You can watch the entire setup process in complete detail below for a closer look at the Tiny PS5.
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