A modder has shrunk Sony’s PlayStation 5 to 6 liters – and the mini console runs cooler and consumes less power than the original. The community is celebrating the project as a technical masterpiece.
The PlayStation 5 was released around five years ago and surprised everyone with its appearance. In addition to its striking shape, it was primarily the size of the case that came in for criticism, earning the Sony console a reputation as a “bulky device.”
A YouTuber is tackling this feature of the PlayStation 5 for the second time: Erick from the channel “Not From Concentrate” presents a new case for the PS5 that reduces the console’s volume by 43 percent – while also improving cooling and energy efficiency.
The “Tiny PS5 Redux” project: A miniature PS5
The (recent YouTube video) nbsp;shows the modding project from the concept phase to its actual completion. The result is called “Tiny PS5 Redux” and compresses the console into an aluminum case measuring just 6 liters. By comparison, the original PlayStation 5 has a volume of around 10.5 liters.
Erick had already caused a stir in 2023 with the first generation of the Tiny PS5, which was even more compact at 3.3 liters. However, this model suffered from power supply instability and restricted airflow.
The Redux version fundamentally addresses these weaknesses and has been specifically designed so that you can build it yourself. To this end, Erick set up (
Optimizations on and under the hood
Instead of cheap plastic panels, the Tiny PS5 Redux features an aluminum chassis with a matte coating to prevent fingerprints and smudges.
- Dark acrylic side panels provide a view of the motherboard and fans – similar to what has been popular with gaming PCs for years.
- One detail highlighted in the video is the polished aluminum handle on one side of the case, which not only serves as a carrying aid but also functions as an exhaust vent.
- The top cover is held in place by four magnets and can be removed without tools. If you want to dust the heat sink, simply lift off the plate – done. The power and eject buttons and USB ports are integrated into the top.
Speaking of heat sinks: Erick has obviously given this some thought. Although the modder retained the original PlayStation 5 cooling plates, he upgraded them with an Alpenföhn Black Ridge cooler. The CPU cooler itself uses six 6-millimeter heat pipes and is designed for a thermal power dissipation of 95 watts.
- Air circulation is provided by two 120-millimeter Noctua fans in a push-pull configuration and three additional 60-millimeter Noctua fans that transport hot air to the outside via the side handle.
- A specially manufactured 3D-printed air duct with a neoprene seal prevents already heated air from being sucked in again.
The measurement results speak for themselves: during extensive gaming sessions with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the Redux version reached an average of 50 degrees Celsius with a power consumption of less than 220 watts. The original PlayStation 5 reached 59 degrees Celsius at 230 to 235 watts.
Original PS5 features unaffected – community pays tribute
In addition to improved cooling, Erick also addressed other weaknesses of its predecessor. The Redux version uses a compact 500-watt GaN (gallium nitride) power supply; the 250 watts of the previous version were simply not enough. The console now also supports M.2 SSDs in 2280 format with up to 4 TB capacity.
Since both the copper of the main housing and the aluminum of the cooling unit would block Wi-Fi signals, Erick moved the antennas to the outside for uninterrupted reception. All of the original features of the PlayStation 5 remain intact, including the ability to connect an external disc drive.
The “incredible amount of work” that Erick has put into the project has also been well received by the YouTube community. The NFC channel is generally seen as one of the pillars of the SFF community: This refers to “small form factor” cases, which, true to their name, aim to pack as much as possible into as little space as possible.
For some users, the next modding project is already set – what about you? What do you think of the Tiny PS5 Redux? Let us know in the comments!
