Kickstarter Campaign Introduces $39 AI-Enhanced PlayStation 5 Add-On That Lowers Exhaust Temperatures by Up to 9°C

A Kickstarter campaign has emerged, spotlighting a cooling unit for the PlayStation 5 that claims to tackle overheating issues and prevent the rear I/O panel from melting. When we checked in, the campaign had reached $89,000, with a stretch goal set at $125,000. If you’re interested, the cooling unit kicks off at $39.

This new gadget, known as the Arctic PS5 cooler, is marketed as the first of its kind with AI capabilities for cooling the PS5. Designed as a clip-on vent, it attaches to the exhaust at the back of the console. Depending on your model, it’s equipped with either four or six fans actively working to disperse heat. The cooler draws its power from a single USB port and comes with an additional pass-through USB, ensuring you don’t lose any connectivity from your console.

The creators, SCRY, have tailored three specific models for different versions of the PS5. You have one for the original version, lovingly referred to by SCRY as the “fat” model, one for the sleek PS5 slim, and another for the newly released PS5 Pro. Both the Pro and Slim models feature four fans—three positioned at the top and one at the bottom, while the “fat” version boasts a six-fan setup.

A central theme on SCRY’s Kickstarter page is the “smart thermal AI” powering these attachments. This fancy tech automatically adjusts the fan speeds according to the internal temperature of the PlayStation 5. At a toasty 50°C, for example, the fans kick into high gear to chill the console as efficiently as possible. It’s a little reminiscent of the way PC fans have managed temperature for years, though it remains unclear just how different the approach is.

According to SCRY, this cooling enhancer achieves a noteworthy 30% drop in temperature during operation, reducing the max temperature from 64°C down to 55°C. Thermal imaging on the site shows a marked improvement, with the hot spot at the back of the console, right near the ethernet port, cooling down by 9 degrees.

The overarching aim here is to nip any potential overheating problems in the bud for Sony’s latest console. Reports last year, citing games like Final Fantasy XVI, pointed to overheating as a significant issue and, in some extreme cases, the heat led to the melting of some rear connectors.

Additionally, SCRY is also using this Kickstarter campaign as a platform to promote a Gen 4 M.2 SSD with a heatsink, which might interest some tech enthusiasts.

On their main page, SCRY outlines a stretch goal of $125,000, which promises a complimentary “vertikal” universal PS5 stand if they reach it. Other stretch goals stand at $75,000 and $100,000, but details on those rewards will be shared only “when unlocked.”