With both next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, set to drop in just over a month's time, the hype for them is higher than ever, and Sony decided to fan the flames with their recent 7-minute teardown video. Here, the console's head of mechanical design Yasuhiro Ootori dissects the PS5 features bit-by-bit, and while we'll be guiding you through the more interesting bits in this gallery.


Ootori-san's first order of business is to run through the outside of the console, which includes the various types of ports. He shows off the all-important USB Type-A and Type-C ports on the front in this picture here, as well as two more Type-A USB, LAN, HDMI Out and AC-In ports on the back just after. Most of this package is pretty standard fare for a modern gaming console, with the exception of the Type-C ports - those are a new addition.

Now, this part is a real beauty - the PS5's stand. If you don't fancy your PS5 standing up, you can unscrew the base using a flat-head screwdriver and keep the screw in a slot within the stand itself.
The gap (where the screw used to be) can also be covered using a small black pin kept in the same compartment.

Afterwards, the stand can then be rotated to reveal a set of hooks, which you can then use to clip it onto the console, letting you position the PS5 on its side. There's even a "recommended" marking where the stand should be clipped on - note the symbols on the edge near Ootori-san's right thumb.

After showing off the stand, which also doubles as a fixture holding the console's iconic white fins in place, Ootori-san starts dismantling the device for real. In the next few minutes, he proceeds to show viewers the cooling fans, dust catchers, CPU, GPU, and Blu-Ray drive. At this point, the PS5 looks as easy to service and clean as a shelf from IKEA, which is helpful. We don't recommend doing that though, as it will void the warranty.

When it comes to keeping the console cool, the PS5 has a triple-layered plan. Here, Ootori-san dismantles and shows us the first piece: a 120mm double-sided cooling fan that sits snugly in a circular compartment at the rear of the console. Upon closer inspection, the edges of the fan blades are noticeably sharper than conventional options as well - these supposedly give the console better control of the airflow within it.

The PS5's CPU is an eight-core x86-64-AMD Ryzen "Zen 2" chip, which has been noted to be slightly less powerful than the chip in the Xbox Series X. However, specs aren't everything, as those in the know will tell you - the former is still able to deliver impressively smooth gameplay which, when coupled with the switch to SSD storage for the PS5's main hard drive, makes for a seamless gaming experience worthy of a next-gen console.

Here, we've got the console's long-touted 4K Blu-ray drive, although this bit will be absent if you're getting the disc-less Digital Edition of the PS5. Now, this doesn't appear to be very different from the conventional Blu-ray drives you find in some modern TV consoles nowadays, but for everyone's benefit. Ootori-san still opens up the cover so viewers can have a little look-see at the internal wiring.

Moving on to the rest of the cooling package: heatsinks and this liquid metal cooling solution. The former enhances airflow and is basically the same as a vapour chamber cooler, while the latter reduces pesky fan noise. Interestingly, although liquid metal is way more efficient at transferring heat than regular thermal paste, it is also much more difficult to apply, which is why it's used less often in consumer electronics.
Ending off, Ootori-san displays the various pieces of the PS5 that he's dismantled, all neatly spread out across the table. You can check out the full video here, and it's actually rather relaxing to watch! Getting back on point, the console releases on November 12th if you're in the U.S., and November 19th for other parts of the world, including Singapore. Check out the local pricing here!