A TikTok creator who repairs consoles for a living claimed that nearly every PlayStation 5 he fixes has the same problem, and it all comes down to how people set it up.

In a recent video, The Board Repair Guy (@the.board.repair.guy) showed the inside of a PlayStation 5 while explaining why owners should stop standing their systems upright. “If you have a PS5, do yourself a favor. Lay it flat,” he said. According to him, most of the consoles that come in for slow performance or overheating share one key issue. They have all been used vertically.

He pointed to the base of a PlayStation 5 in the clip. The TikToker said, “Here, we have the bottom of the console, and notice right here? Yeah, that’s a dry spot. The liquid metal, over time, pools at the bottom. Now I’ve sucked some of this up already, but that’s a dry spot, and the start of oxidation. Lay it flat. Your console will thank you.”

Why liquid metal may be the issue

The PlayStation 5 is the only console on the market that uses liquid metal to keep the processor cool, according to tech website Club386. While that gives it strong thermal performance, it can also cause complications when the system is left standing upright for long periods. Club386 reported that Sony has been aware of potential design flaws related to this cooling method, despite adjustments to later models.

Developers have noticed similar issues. On the Broken Silicon podcast, Path of Titans developer Matthew Cassells said hundreds of players and team members had their PlayStation 5 shut down unexpectedly, and all signs pointed to the liquid metal as the problem.

@the.board.repair.guy PS5 – lay it flat! #ps5 #repair #tiktoktech ♬ original sound – The Board Repair Guy 🇨🇦

In an email to the Daily Dot, The Board Repair Guy said, “Many have asked about cooling stands with a fan, and if this will prevent the issue from affecting their console. While this will definitely help move hot air away from the console, there is still the potential for gravity to cause pooling of the Liquid Metal when in a vertical orientation.”

Reactions and takeaways

TikTokers filled the repairman’s comment section with concern and denial. Many said they planned to reposition their consoles immediately, while others wondered why Sony still markets vertical placement as an option. 

“[Mine] lays flat and still overheats,” one TikToker commented. The repairman replied, telling them that they should get it cleaned because there may be dirt and debris getting in the way.

Others disagreed with the assessment of the problem. They claimed they’ve never had any issues with their vertically standing PlayStation 5s and weren’t planning to change them.

One person commented, “I have a launch day PS5 that has been sitting vertically since day one. No problems with it.”

There were also those who defended the TikToker, saying that people’s comprehension was lacking.

“Dude literally said WHEN they complain of slow performance or overheating. Meaning if yours doesn’t have issues with slow performance and overheating, then cool, yours doesn’t have this problem or just doesn’t have this problem yet,” one commenter pointed out. “But he’s recommending everyone do it because who wants to just wait to find out if your expensive ah console just happens to be one that ends up having issues.”

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The post “That’s a dry spot”: Game repair man says all PS5 consoles that come in for slow performance have one issue in common appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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