Sony's PS5 has been out since November of last year, though it hasn't been easy for PlayStation gamers to get a hold of one. Some reports by data engineers state that a significant number of PS5 consoles have been scalped, and this number is something like 10 to 15 percent of all PS5's in the U.S. For lucky gamers who have managed to get one, it's likely that the first thing they did with the PS5 was to not take it apart. However, Vietnamese hardware modder Nhenhophach has done exactly that, and then he rebuilt the PS5 with new parts to create a fully-functional water-cooled unit.
Nhenhophach normally does extreme hardware builds for PCs, creating custom pieces to give the computers a unique look. He finds stylish yet functional ways to include all the important components too. Custom PC builds can match and exceed the capabilities of next-gen consoles, and some PCs are built with entry-level ray-tracing capabilities. A few of Nhenhophach's PC builds have also used a water-cooling system, but this time he decided to try out the system in what he claims is the world's first fully thermal performance tested water-cooling system for a PS5.
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In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Modding Cafe, Nhenhophach splits up the disassembly and reassembly of the custom PS5 into four parts. He also shows off plenty of pictures of his design at the end of the video. In the first portion of the video, he completely takes apart the PS5 all the way down to the motherboard. He then cleans off the motherboard and other internal electronics to prep them for attachment onto what looks like an acrylic backplate.
With the watercooling technology, Nhenhophach's custom PS5 is actually smaller and thinner than a regular PS5. A few of his custom pieces stick out high above of the top of the device, and it definitely looks different than the PS5's recognizable white shell appearance. The size of Sony's PS5 is due in part to a large 120mm cooling fan, but with Nhenhophach's design there is no need for the fan. Besides the missing PlayStation 5 hardware, the PS5 functions normally, and Nhenhophach is able to test the effectiveness of the water-cooling system by monitoring the water temperature and the temperature of the console's backplate.
Apparently the build process for this water-cooled PS5 took around two months. Nhenhophach has indicated that he might make some of his custom water-cooled PS5s available to buy, though he also says "there will be so many more versions" he plans to design. This PS5 is just another example of the many custom pieces created by PlayStation fans using PlayStation hardware. Modders and fans have also created custom DualSense controllers and PS5 faceplates.
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