Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11In HardwareBusters’ 2021 comparison, the revised PS5 CFI-1100B01 had an SoC/CPU reading about 11°C lower than the launch model—but its VRAM and VRM readings were higher. So the smaller heatsink did not make every measured part hotter, nor did the SoC result mean every component ran cooler. These are results from specific test units, not Sony’s temperature specifications or a guarantee for every console.
What the 2021 comparison measured
The figures below compare a launch PS5 with the revised CFI-1100B01. The temperature readings are historical test results; ambient conditions, workload, sensor placement and test setup can affect them. They should not be read as official Sony limits.
| Comparison | Launch PS5 | Revised CFI-1100B01 | Change in the reported comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heatsink mass | 1,639 g (Digital Foundry) | 1,368 g (Digital Foundry) | 271 g lighter, calculated from the reported masses |
| Heat pipes | Six (Digital Foundry) | Four (Digital Foundry) | Two fewer |
| SoC/CPU temperature | 51.15°C (HardwareBusters) | 40.08°C (HardwareBusters) | 11.07°C lower on the revised test unit |
| VRAM temperature | 40.88°C (HardwareBusters) | 48.20°C (HardwareBusters) | 7.32°C higher on the revised test unit |
| VRM temperature | 44.97°C (HardwareBusters) | 46.32°C (HardwareBusters) | 1.35°C higher on the revised test unit |
| Exhaust-air temperature | 39.85°C (HotHardware and Tom’s Hardware) | 42.11°C (HotHardware); 41.11°C (Tom’s Hardware expanded comparison) | HotHardware reported a 2.26°C increase; Tom’s Hardware reported a 1.26°C increase in its expanded comparison |
| Gaming power draw | Exact value not stated in the cited comparison summaries (Tom’s Hardware) | Exact value not stated in the cited comparison summaries (Tom’s Hardware) | Reported as broadly similar |
| Fan noise | Exact level not stated in the cited comparison summary (Tom’s Hardware) | About 1 dB louder (Tom’s Hardware) | About 1 dB increase reported for the revised unit |
The exhaust readings differ between reports: HotHardware gives 42.11°C for the revised unit, while Tom’s Hardware gives 41.11°C in an expanded comparison. They should not be combined as if they came from one identical test. The component readings tell a more specific story than exhaust temperature alone.
Why the smaller heatsink raised concern
Digital Foundry reported that the CFI-1100 heatsink is lighter, uses four heat pipes instead of six, and contains less copper. Its fan has more blades. Those are real design changes, but heatsink size and pipe count alone do not determine the temperature of every chip or the console’s overall cooling result.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Model Number CFI-2000
- Includes DualSense Wireless Controller, 1TB SSD, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC power cord, USB cable, printed materials, ASTRO’s PLAYROOM (Pre-installed game)
- Vertical Stand sold seperately
Materials matter, too: aluminium has roughly 60% of copper’s thermal conductivity. But the heat path, airflow, fan and power-control strategy also shape temperatures. A lighter heatsink can therefore look less capable on paper without proving that the SoC will run hotter in use.
Why cooler SoC and hotter exhaust can coexist
Exhaust temperature is the temperature of air leaving the console, not a direct measurement of the SoC. A hotter exhaust stream can indicate that more heat is being carried out of the system; it does not, by itself, establish that the processor is overheating. The HardwareBusters component readings are the evidence behind the claim that the revised test unit’s SoC/CPU ran cooler.
Rank #2
- CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 8 Cores / 16 Threads at 3.5GHz.GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine.
- 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Memory; 825GB SSD Storage Capacity
- Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
- HDR technology, 8K output, 4K TV gaming, Up to 120 fps with 120Hz output, Tempest 3D AudioTech
- What's Included: Sony PlayStation 5 Disc Version; Wireless controller; USB cable, HDMI cable, AC power cord. Nogtox PVT HDMI_cable
Separate later testing discussed by TechSpot compared temperature increases over ambient rather than relying only on absolute readings. In that separate comparison, the revised model was broadly favorable, with an APU about 10–12°C cooler and lower comparative VRM and memory deltas. That result is not interchangeable with the initial HardwareBusters figures: the test method and comparison are different.
How PS5 cooling relates to clock speeds
In his Road to PS5 presentation, system architect Mark Cerny described Sony’s approach: “We supply a generous amount of electrical power and then increase the frequency of GPU and CPU until they reach the capabilities of the system’s cooling solution.” He also explained that the console uses workload activity to set frequencies for a deterministic, repeatable experience, rather than simply reading the die’s instantaneous temperature.
Rank #3
- 🚀 CPU: 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2
- 🚀 Storage: Custom 825GB SSD
- 🚀 RAM: 16GB GDDR6
- 🚀 GPU: 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU
That design context helps explain why a heatsink change cannot be judged from its mass alone. The cited comparison reports broadly similar gaming behavior and power draw, and does not establish a meaningful performance penalty for the CFI-1100. It does not, however, prove that every workload, unit or ambient condition will produce identical temperatures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What PS5 owners should take from the results
- The specific CFI-1100B01 unit in HardwareBusters’ comparison had a substantially lower SoC/CPU reading than the launch unit.
- In that same comparison, VRAM and VRM readings were higher, so “runs cooler” applies to the SoC/CPU result—not to every component.
- The smaller, lighter heatsink and reduced heat-pipe count are not, by themselves, evidence of a cooling failure.
- The available comparisons do not show a need for a cooling accessory to make the CFI-1100 safe. They also do not establish a universal temperature result for every regional model or individual console.
When identifying a console, check the full CFI model code on its label rather than relying only on “launch” or “new” PS5 shorthand. The detailed temperature result cited here is specifically for CFI-1100B01; do not assume every suffix or region was measured in the same test.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Slim Design, players get powerful gaming technology packed inside a sleek and compact console design.
- 825GB of storage, keep your favorite games raeady and waiting for you to jump in and play
- Ultra-High Speed SSD, maximize yoru play sessions with near instant load times for installed PS5 games
- Integrated I/O, the custom integration of the PS5 console's systems lets creators pull datat from the SSD so quickly that they can design games in ways never before possible
- Ray Tracing, immerse yourself in owrlds with a new level of realism as rays of light are individually simulated, creating true-to-life shadows and reflections in supported PS5 games
Rank #4
- Enjoy smooth and fluid high frame rate gameplay at up to 120 fps for compatible games, with support for 120Hz output on 4K displays.
- PS5 consoles support an 8K output, so you can play games on your 4320p resolution display.
- Maximize your play sessions with near-instant load times for installed PS5 games.
- 825GB SSD allows ultra-fast load times, while 3-D audio output produces crisp acoustics.
- Explore uncharted virtual territories and slay dragons with this sleek Sony PlayStation 5 gaming console.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
