New PlayStation 5 Slim variant gets major quality-of-life upgrade

Sony has stealthily upgraded the cooling solution on its latest PlayStation 5 Slim model (CFI-2116). While it still uses liquid metal, the heatsink has been redesigned to prevent spillage into nearby components and potentially cause shorts. The PlayStation 5 Pro's heatsink has finally trickled down to the non-Pro models, as confirmed by X user @Modyfikator89.

It isn't clear how many of the new PlayStation 5 consoles sold worldwide have the upgrade, but it is only a matter of time before all older models get replaced with CFI-2116. Existing PS5 owners, on the other hand, will still have to be on the lookout for stray liquid metal leaks, especially if the console is placed vertically.

While those have been relatively few and far between, liquid metal's life depends on how hot it gets, which, in turn, is entirely dependent on how often the console is used. Most repair shops offer liquid metal replacement, and for DIY-ers, iFixit also has a detailed guide.

The poster has noticed another small, but crucial upgrade for CFI-2116 models. Unlike their last-gen counterparts, the PlayStation 5 does not require an internet connection to pair with a disk drive. However, these units are only available in bundles at a handful of retail stores.