But 2 years in the console’s life, hardware experts from console repair shops are telling a different story: According to
68Logic, a PlayStation scene member who owns a hardware repair shop in France since 2010, using your PS5 vertically can damage it permanently, and
he’s seen the result first hand with his clients’ consoles.
The problem, he says, is that the liquid metal used to cool the APU can sometimes spill, and become uneven, which impacts (at least) the cooling. Ben Montana, owner of specialized repair shop ILoveMyConsole in France, has also been trying to
bring attention to this issue for months.
He says these are not isolated cases.
According to him, the risk is high for PS5s that have been standing vertically for a long time, and he says all models are impacted.
However it appears that several cases have shown that the PS5’s “seal” between the APU and its cooler can sometimes move or be damaged. When that is the case, if your PS5 sits horizontally, the liquid metal will stay flat and keep most of its thermal properties to help cool the PS5. But if your PS5 is vertical and “something” bad happens to the seal, then there is a risk the liquid metal will progressively fall down, becoming uneven, impacting its cooling ability and possibly reach components it shouldn’t.
Youtuber and console repairer
TheCod3r equates it to a design flaw by Sony. In a popular video from earlier this year (below),
he’s showing a PS5 that has never been unpacked, but stood for months in a vertical position in its box.