Sony updates PS5 and PS5 Slim with a refined liquid metal thermal interface from the PS5 Pro, reducing leak risk and improving cooling. Look for CFI-2100/2200.
© E. Vartanyan
Sony has started rolling out a quiet but meaningful hardware tweak to the standard PS5 and the PS5 Slim: both consoles are now getting an improved liquid metal thermal interface, similar to the one in the PS5 Pro, to reduce the risk of leaks and improve cooling efficiency. It’s not the kind of update that grabs headlines, but it’s the sort of refinement owners tend to appreciate over time.
Originally, the liquid metal solution was meant to boost heat transfer. In practice, it proved sensitive to uneven distribution and tricky to service. Early units — including the PS5 and PS5 Slim — sometimes suffered liquid metal seepage despite a small barrier around the SoC die, an issue that could lead to overheating and, in worst cases, hardware failure.
The PS5 Pro addressed this head-on. Sony reworked the area around the APU with deeper grooves and changed the liquid metal application pattern, which substantially lowered the chance of leaks. That same approach is now making its way into new batches of the regular PS5.
According to enthusiast Modyfikator89, the upgrade is showing up in models CFI-2100 and CFI-2200. You can spot them by the distinctive lines and notches in the TIM application area. If that surface looks completely smooth, it’s an older revision that hasn’t received the update.
Owners of earlier PS5 units don’t need to worry if their consoles run cool and stable. If issues do arise, specialists advise against replacing the liquid metal on your own — it’s a delicate procedure that demands experience — and recommend taking the console to a service center.
For anyone planning to buy a new console, it’s worth looking for the CFI-2116 B01Y model, which already features the revised cooling design.