PlayStation 5 users discover serious design flaw that can wreck consoles

There are two ways you can store your PlayStation 5, horizontally or vertically. Personally, I’m team vertical but I can report that we do have a 50/50 split here at GAMINGbible. That does mean though that 50% of us were horrified to discover yesterday that storing your console vertically could actually damage it.

PlayStation 5s are not cheap - nor were they easy things to get your hands on. I say ‘were’ because according to PlayStation boss Jim Ryan, the PS5 shortage is over - and a very rapid internet search online proves that seems to be the case. Most major retailers now have good stocks - something I never thought I’d see. Point is, none of us want to damage our consoles after what we’ve been through to get them but a rumoured design fault could be killing our consoles without our knowledge.

Controversially, the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West DLC Burning Shores is a PS5 exclusive. Take a look at the trailer below.

According to tech experts, standing your PlayStation 5 vertically could lead to a malfunction with the console’s cooling solution. Twitter user 68Logic, a hardware shop owner, took to Twitter to write, “Do not put your PS5 upright. Here is the result. The liquid moves and the freezes are there.” Essentially, the cooling solution supposedly dribbles to places it shouldn’t. This could damage other components.

As reported by Dexerto, expert Ben Montana has been trying to raise awareness about this issue for several months. He advises that those who are storing their console vertically, should lay it flat as soon as possible. You may be wondering, how could Sony overlook this? Well, they apparently sealed the liquid metal but this seal can be “moved or damaged.” With this in mind, there will be vertical consoles out there with the seal intact, performing just fine - I’d imagine.

Still, it’s a risk that many may not be willing to take. Sony is yet to comment on the problem and the PlayStation 5 continues to be marketed as a console that can be stood either way.