Kickstarter Campaign Introduces $39 AI-Enhanced PlayStation 5 Add-On Promising to Lower Exhaust Temperatures by Up to 9°C

A new Kickstarter campaign has caught the attention of gamers with its promise of solving the notorious overheating issue in the PlayStation 5. The campaign, aiming to raise $125,000, had already reached $89,000 at the time of writing, with the innovative cooling unit priced from $39.

They’re calling this nifty device the Arctic PS5 cooler, and it claims to be the first AI-powered cooling system for the console. Essentially, it’s a clip-on vent that fits onto the PS5’s rear exhaust, equipped with either four or six fans to tackle unwanted heat. Plug it into a USB port, and it runs without hogging your console’s precious ports, thanks to its pass-through feature.

The brains behind this Kickstarter, SCRY, offer three versions of this cooler to fit each version of the PS5: the original, which they charmingly refer to as the “fat” model, the PS5 Slim, and the fresh-off-the-line PS5 Pro. The latter two models boast four fans—three on top and one beneath—while the “fat” version packs in six.

A key selling point, which SCRY emphasizes throughout their campaign, is the “smart thermal AI” tech. This clever system adjusts fan speed according to the PS5’s internal temperature. However, it’s not crystal clear how this AI approach differs from traditional PC fan-control methods. When temperatures hit 50°C, the fans reportedly kick into high gear to keep things chill.

According to SCRY, their cooler can cut the PS5’s temperature by 30%, bringing it down from a peak of 64°C to 55°C. They even showcase thermal camera images revealing a 9°C drop at the PS5’s hottest spot—the rear ethernet port.

These coolers aim to nip any potential overheating woes in the bud, something that’s been a concern for PS5 owners—especially with games like Final Fantasy XVI pushing the system to its limits. There have even been reports of the console heating up so much that it can cause the rear connectors to melt.

But that’s not all on SCRY’s plate. They’re also using this campaign to drum up interest in a Gen 4 M.2 SSD with a heatsink.

On the campaign page, they’ve lined up stretch goals that go up to $125,000, promising a complimentary “vertikal” universal PS5 stand if they hit that target. They’ve also teased stretch goals for $75,000 and $100,000, which they’ll reveal once these milestones are unlocked.

It’s definitely an intriguing project for anyone looking to keep their PS5 running smoothly in the long haul.