During a recent Kickstarter campaign, an innovative cooling unit for the PlayStation 5 has captured the attention of gamers, offering a potential solution to the notorious overheating issues console owners face, including the dreaded risk of melting rear I/O ports. When I checked it out, the campaign had already soared to an impressive $89,000, with ambitions of reaching a stretch target of $125,000. If you’re interested in the cooling gadget itself, it starts at a price point of $39.
They’ve named it the Arctic PS5 cooler, and the creators are pitching it as a groundbreaking piece of tech: the world’s first AI-powered PS5 cooler. This isn’t just a fancy fan—it’s a clip-on vent that attaches seamlessly to the rear exhaust of the PS5 console. Depending on whether you choose the four or six-fan version, this device actively works to dissipate heat efficiently. A bonus? It connects with a single USB port and even includes a pass-through port, so you won’t lose any of your PS5’s USB functionality.
SCRY, the brains behind this Kickstarter initiative, have introduced three distinct models tailored for every PS5 variant out there: the original model, affectionately labeled the “fat” version, the PS5 Slim, and the newest member of the family, the PS5 Pro. The Pro and Slim variants host four fans, strategically placed with three on top and one at the bottom, while the “fat” edition boasts a whopping six fans.
The campaign repeatedly emphasizes the use of “smart thermal AI” technology across all models, enabling them to adjust fan speeds based on the console’s internal temperatures. It seems reminiscent of how PC fans have been modulating speeds for years, yet what’s unique here is the proposed capability: once the PS5 hits 50°C, the fans are engineered to kick into high gear, aiming to maintain optimal coolness for your gaming sessions.
According to SCRY, their cooler can achieve a 30% decrease in temperature over the console’s default setup, promising a drop from a peak of 64°C to 55°C. They even provide thermal imaging on their site, showing a 9-degree Celsius drop at the PS5’s hottest rear point, near the ethernet port.
This cooling armament is meant to stave off any potential overheating, a problem that has been a headache for PS5 users, as seen with some titles like Final Fantasy XVI. In thankfully rare cases, these heat issues have reportedly been severe enough to cause damage to rear connectors.
On a side note, alongside these PS5 coolers, SCRY is also rolling out a Gen 4 M.2 SSD equipped with a heatsink, adding more value to their campaign offerings.
They’re also teasing a few more enticing stretch goals. Hitting the $125,000 mark might come with a bonus “vertikal” universal PS5 stand, and they seem to have additional goals pegged at $75,000 and $100,000, although those perks are still under wraps until unlocked. Keep an eye on this campaign if you’re looking to keep your console cool and your gaming uninterrupted!
