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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →It is a cooling and packaging redesign, not a demonstrated game-performance upgrade. Sony made the 2023 PS5 Slim smaller while retaining the same core technology, and teardown reporting says it uses the same SoC as the original PS5. No cited source establishes a frame-rate gain from the Slim’s redesigned heatsink.
Why did Sony redesign the PS5 Slim’s cooling system?
The 2023 Slim fits PS5 hardware into a smaller chassis. Sony described the console as having the same technology features as the existing PS5 while reducing its volume by more than 30%. Its listed specifications include a Zen 2 CPU, RDNA 2-based graphics and a 1 TB SSD. Sony’s announcement frames the product as a smaller form factor, not a faster-performance model.
![PlayStation 5 Slim Digital with 1TB SSD Storage, Wireless Dualsense Controller - PS5 Gaming System, White [video game] (Renewed) [video game]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31GFnxuXZPL._SL160_.jpg)
In a teardown report, Tom’s Hardware says the Slim retains the original PS5’s SoC but has a redesigned cooling system for the smaller enclosure. The report counts five heat pipes in the Slim versus four in the original. A different number of heat pipes describes a design change; by itself, it does not show that games run at higher frame rates. Tom’s Hardware’s teardown also describes performance as sustained under load.
What do the reported noise and temperature results show?
Tom’s Hardware reported noise readings of 33.6 dBA for the Slim and 33.8 dBA for the original PS5 in its teardown coverage. These are readings from that report, not universal specifications for every console, fan or operating condition. They indicate similar reported noise levels in that comparison; they do not quantify a temperature advantage or a game-performance increase.
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#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
Later hardware revisions need to be considered separately. In its September 29, 2025 report on the European CFI-210, Notebookcheck describes Austin Evans’s testing as finding no increase in power consumption and only marginally higher temperatures, with the possibility of a quieter large fan. Those findings concern the tested CFI-210 unit and its test, not every regional or manufacturing revision. Notebookcheck’s CFI-210 report does not establish that the console throttles or that games run faster or slower.
Does a different heatsink mean better FPS?
No frame-rate gain from the Slim’s heatsink redesign is established by the cited reporting. Temperature, fan noise, power use and frame rate are separate measurements: a change in one does not prove a change in the others. The Slim teardown’s same-SoC finding and its description of sustained performance under load support interpreting the redesign as a way to cool hardware in a smaller enclosure—not as evidence of an upgrade to game performance.
Rank #2
- Model Number CFI-2000
- Includes DualSense Wireless Controller, 1TB SSD, Disc Drive, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC power cord, USB cable, printed materials, ASTRO’s PLAYROOM (Pre-installed game)
- Vertical Stand sold separately
A useful historical caution is the 2021 discussion of a smaller heatsink in a different PS5 revision. Tom’s Guide summarized Digital Foundry’s collaboration with Gamers Nexus as finding no meaningful end-user performance difference between the compared original and revised consoles. That comparison is context for why heatsink size alone does not prove a performance change; it is not a direct benchmark of the Slim. Tom’s Guide’s coverage concerns those earlier models.
How to compare PS5 Slim revisions fairly
For a meaningful comparison, identify the exact CFI model and region, then keep distinct measurements distinct. A temperature result from one revision cannot stand in for a frame-rate test on another. The available reporting does not provide a controlled, same-method temperature and frame-rate benchmark spanning every Slim revision.
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- Test conditions: Check the workload and, when reported, ambient temperature and console setup.
- Measurement: Distinguish temperature and its measurement location from fan noise and power draw.
- Game behavior: Look for frame-rate results under a comparable workload rather than inferring FPS from heatsink design or temperature alone.
Does an M.2 SSD heatsink cool the PS5 itself?
No. An optional M.2 SSD heatsink cools the storage drive installed for memory expansion; it is not the PS5 APU’s cooler or the console’s internal heatsink. GRAUGEAR describes its G-PS5HS05+ as an M.2 NVMe 2280 heat-pipe cooler designed for PS5 Slim and Pro storage expansion. Its temperature-reduction statements are manufacturer claims, not independently verified results here. See the manufacturer’s G-PS5HS05+ specification.
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Rank #4
- Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Console Bundle with additional Gray Camo Controller and DualSense Charging Station
- 1TB of storage / Ultra-High speed SSD / Integrated I/O
- 4K-TV gaming / HDR technology / Tempest 3D AudioTech
- Slim Design / Ray Tracing / Up to 120fps with 120Hz output / HDR Technology
- Adaptive Triggers / Backwards Compatibility & Game Boost
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