Some PS5 consoles are louder than others because they use different fans

[midian182]

WTF?! If you're one of the people lucky enough to have grabbed a PlayStation 5 recently, you might notice that it's a bit louder than expected. It could even be noisier than other PS5 units. How is that possible? It seems Sony has been installing different types of fans inside different consoles.

French tech website Les Numériques (via Tom's Hardware) made the discovery after noticing that thier Sony review unit was quieter than a retail-bought console. The publication performed teardowns on several other consoles and found five different fans in five different PlayStation 5 machines.

As shown in the photo below, the quieter fan from the PS5 press unit features 23 thinner blades, whereas the one from the retail model has just 17 blades that are noticeably thicker. It's generally the case that fans with fewer blades will require more power to spin at a higher speed so they can provide adequate cooling, thereby making them noisier.

You can check your PS5's fan by removing the white side panels, which won't void the warranty. But don't try replacing it, otherwise, your warranty will be voided.

Tom's notes that using different fans in different units means PlayStation 5 teardowns/reviews that test the console's cooling and noise levels might not reflect buyers' experience of the consoles. But don't expect Sony to offer a replacement when the fan is doing its job.

For most consumers, loud PlayStation 5s aren't the problem; it's finding one. As with so many tech products this season, scalpers have grabbed huge quantities of the machines to sell on eBay. One group secured almost 3,500 PS5 consoles for resale, for which it has "no regrets."

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/87813-ps5-consoles-louder-than-others-because-they-use.html

 

[chrisGolf]

"Not fantastic news" .. I see what you did there

 

[chrisGolf]

"One group secured almost 3,500 PS5 consoles for resale" argh, horrible people

 

[dangh]

It is louder than another, but still very quiet, which is nice. Happy with mine

 

[Endymio]

The publication performed teardowns on several other consoles and found five different fans in five different PlayStation 5 machines.

As likely did many other readers, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Sony was intentionally sending superior hardware to press reviewers -- a deceptive practice.

However, based on the above quote, it seems far more likely that Sony is simply having (possibly pandemic-related) supply-chain issues with fans and other commodity-level parts. No one chooses intentionally to place so many different parts in a standardized unit unless they're forced into it by supplier shortages.

 

[R00sT3R]

Another example why I'd never buy a launch day example of a new piece of hardware like a games console.

There's always something like this...

 

[Daniele 00]

"One group secured almost 3,500 PS5 consoles for resale" argh, horrible people

.. to put their own interest in front of yours, there are a lot people like that, "horrible people" as you said. I can agree with your definition of people but still I'm no surpriced at all about the practise of buying and reselling to get a profit, infact it is a common practise lately.

 

[Kosmoz]

Never buy at launch, never the early adopter. I like the PS5, but by the time I will by it 6 month to a year from now I expect I will make an educated purchase and most bugs/quirks will be gone as well as maybe new revision models being out by that time. Also let's not forget that in 1 year time I will have more games to play on PS5.
It helps being a PC gamer 1st, then console gamer. I don't have to rush.

 

[chrisGolf]

.. to put their own interest in front of yours, there are a lot people like that, "horrible people" as you said. I can agree with your definition of people but still I'm no surpriced at all about the practise of buying and reselling to get a profit, infact it is a common practise lately.

yea, sure, it comes down to supply and demand that drives up prices. I don't mind if there is a middle man, usually they add some value, like stocking items at mall for your convenience, just as an example. But these "scalpers" are adding zero value, and exploiting the low supply... do I sound sour! yes I am!

Edit;
Suppose that's how the stock market works? buying stock with no intention of "using it", just to selling it later for a profit? (in an over simplified sense)

 

[Nobina]

yea, sure, it comes down to supply and demand that drives up prices. I don't mind if there is a middle man, usually they add some value, like stocking items at mall for your convenience, just as an example. But these "scalpers" are adding zero value, and exploiting the low supply... do I sound sour! yes I am!

Edit;
Suppose that's how the stock market works? buying stock with no intention of "using it", just to selling it later for a profit? (in an over simplified sense)

You'll just have to wait a few more months. Seriously, a minor inconvenience. The important thing is to not give these scalpers money or you're just fueling the fire.

 

[chrisGolf]

You'll just have to wait a few more months. Seriously, a minor inconvenience. The important thing is to not give these scalpers money or you're just fueling the fire.

good advice! I will stay STRONG!

 

[amghwk]

Another example why I'd never buy a launch day example of a new piece of hardware like a games console.

There's always something like this...

True. Just another of the reasons not to jump firsthand into the day 1 launch sucker.

Soon there will be PS5 forums which will tell us to look for the serial number to find out which series has these most quiet fans.

 

[amghwk]

Yes, never give in to these unscrupulous scalpers. Why pay even a dollar more than the listed MSRP?? Can play other current games that we have in any platform at our disposal and we can wait, while the price comes down. I'm sure we have many backlogged and unfinished games in our library. Especially those we collected during sales and the free games that we have collected. Even if it takes a year or two, why hurry? Never give in (to both the scalpers and our impulse).

 

[OptimumSlinky]

"You can check your PS5's fan by removing the white side panels, which won't void the warranty. But don't try replacing it, otherwise, your warranty will be voided."

Can we please stop repeating this BS? In both the USA and EU, manufacturers CANNOT void your warranty for opening up the device UNLESS they can prove in court that what you did damaged the device or made it operate out of spec.

The whole "warranty void if removed" thing is illegal.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...turns-out-feds-say-those-warnings-are-illegal

 

[bviktor]

I can only repeat myself. Sony sucks at hardware, and especially at cooling, period.

 

[terzaerian]

Of course their fans don't even use PWM. They spared no expense.

 

[Endymio]

.. to put their own interest in front of yours, there are a lot people like that, "horrible people" as you said. I can agree with your definition of people but still I'm no surpriced at all about the practise of buying and reselling to get a profit, infact it is a common practise lately.

Yes, I purchased a sweater from the mall yesterday, and the salesperson actually had the gall to charge me more than what the store had purchased it for. I gave her a piece of my mind, I tell you!

 

[Crashman95446]

As likely did many other readers, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Sony was intentionally sending superior hardware to press reviewers -- a deceptive practice.

However, based on the above quote, it seems far more likely that Sony is simply having (possibly pandemic-related) supply-chain issues with fans and other commodity-level parts. No one chooses intentionally to place so many different parts in a standardized unit unless they're forced into it by supplier shortages.

Sony's had reviews showing excessively high temps on the lower memory module. I believe the rollout of higher volume fans is a result of that.

 

[mattferg]

Yes, I purchased a sweater from the mall yesterday, and the salesperson actually had the gall to charge me more than what the store had purchased it for. I gave her a piece of my mind, I tell you!

***I went to purchase a sweater from the mall yesterday. Every shop in the mall had every sweater already bought by one person, who was standing outside with bags of clothes charging MORE THAN DOUBLE what he paid, minutes earlier in every store! I would’ve given him a piece of my mind, except he literally bought every sweater and was my only option.

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[Endymio]

There, I fixed it for you.

You do realize, don't you, that mall clothing stores have a markup more than double their wholesale price, don't you?

 

[mattferg]

You do realize, don't you, that mall clothing stores have a markup more than double their wholesale price, don't you?

you’ve missed the point entirely. This isn’t one person buying the items wholesale. This is an average joe going to a store or online, buying it, and selling a single unit for double because they can. This isn’t business, this is opportunism

 

[Endymio]

you’ve missed the point entirely.

I think it's clear who has missed the point. Both the shopkeeper and scalper buy at one price and sell at a markup. Both are doing it for the same reasons -- profit, and profit alone. Furthermore, some of these scalpers do indeed it as a full-time business, though they obviously change very rapidly which items they target .... as do many boutique stores, I might add.

And some of those stores buy inventory that you yourself could purchase directly online -- yet you blissfully walk into their shop and pay a 100% or even 200% markup without a second thought.

 

[mattferg]

I think it's clear who has missed the point. Both the shopkeeper and scalper buy at one price and sell at a markup. Both are doing it for the same reasons -- profit, and profit alone. Furthermore, some of these scalpers do indeed it as a full-time business, though they obviously change very rapidly which items they target .... as do many boutique stores, I might add. And in fact, some of those stores buy inventory that you yourself could purchase directly -- yet you blissfully walk into their shop and pay a 100% or even 200% markup without a second thought.

yup, you still don’t get it. Complete lost cause. Sad.

 

[Purplefox]

I think it's clear who has missed the point. Both the shopkeeper and scalper buy at one price and sell at a markup. Both are doing it for the same reasons -- profit, and profit alone. Furthermore, some of these scalpers do indeed it as a full-time business, though they obviously change very rapidly which items they target .... as do many boutique stores, I might add.

And some of those stores buy inventory that you yourself could purchase directly online -- yet you blissfully walk into their shop and pay a 100% or even 200% markup without a second thought.

Oh dear, you really don't understand economics do you, a business buys stock to sell in a shop, they need to make a profit to do numerous things, pay for rent, rates and utilities of the store, pay staff to make the store tidy and clean, help customers, they also need to pay taxes, direct and indirect.
Do you think scalpers are paying tax on the profits they are making, I can guarantee you they are not, they have no admin costs, they might have financing costs, hope they do and it ends up costing them money and they can't sell.

Thinking a shop is in anyway comparable to a scalper is ignorant beyond belief, I can only presume you yourself are a scalper, although I'm sure you will deny it.

Most shops, reputable ones at least, will sell at or below and msrp, they will not raise the price based on availability, what scalpers do is immoral, but anyone who buys from a scalper is equally as culpable. Personally I don't get why people can't just wait a few months, there is very little benefit to having the latest gen console right now.

Don't buy from the scalpers people, let their stock devalue and cost them money, unlikely to happen but is a nice thought.

 

[Endymio]

Oh dear, you really don't understand economics do you, a business buys stock to sell in a shop, they need to make a profit to do numerous things, pay for rent, rates and utilities of the store, pay staff....they also need to pay taxes

I got a nice chuckle out of this. Profit is what comes after all those expenses you mention. Many businesses do not have some or even all those expenses, and more importantly, no business in the world exists simply to "pay expenses". I'll give you a hint why they do: it involves an acronym known as "ROI". Google it.

Most shops, reputable ones at least, will sell at or below and msrp

This comment is quite strange, given many products do not even have a "MSRP", and for those some of those that do, resellers are often contractually barred from selling below that rate. In still others, the MSRP is just a convenient fiction, an artificial number published far above what the manufacturer knows the product will actually be sold at, in order to make their retail chain appear to be "discounting".

But most amusing of all is the total irrelevance of the argument. Let's illustrate with an example. Say Sony raises the MSRP of this console from $500 to $2000. They then instruct every authorized reseller to sell it at 75% off. A scalper buys it at $500, then resells it to you at $1000. By your own logic, you're getting a 50% discount from MSRP. You should be happy, right? Yet you're paying the exact same price for the exact same product.

....they will not raise the price based on availability.

Look, microeconomics really isn't that complex. Availability is the primary component of product price. Always and forever. Do you think it's simply "magic" that every year, millions of producers create just enough product for billions of consumers, without excess or overage, or coordination of production levels among themselves? Price is the oil that makes that machine run. When supply exceeds demand, prices drop. When demand exceeds supply, prices rise.