A newly surfaced patent filing suggests Sony is exploring a redesigned cooling architecture for its next-generation console, moving away from the liquid metal thermal interface that defined the PlayStation 5.
A shift from liquid metal to heat pipes
The documentation, published on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website on January 26, 2026, outlines a cooling assembly built around heat pipes and heatsinks arranged to maintain consistent thermal performance regardless of the console’s physical orientation. According to the filing, a liquid—understood to be water—would circulate within a sealed loop, continuously transferring heat away from the processor whether the unit sits horizontally or stands vertically.
That would mark a meaningful departure from the PS5’s thermal strategy. Sony adopted liquid metal as the interface between the APU and its cooler to handle the system’s high heat density, but the solution came with a documented caveat: the PS5 is recommended for horizontal placement. In a vertical orientation, the liquid metal has been known to migrate over time, potentially leading to uneven heat dissipation and, in rare cases, short circuits if it reached adjacent components.
Addressing orientation risk and longevity
Sony partially addressed the concern with the PS5 Pro and updated standard PS5 models by introducing grooves around the APU area to help contain the liquid metal. The patented PS6 concept, however, sidesteps the issue entirely by abandoning the liquid-metal approach in favor of a more conventional vapor-chamber-like system. The described heat pipe and heatsink structure closely resembles cooling solutions already common in high-end desktop PCs, promising robust thermal management during extended gameplay sessions and potentially extending the console’s overall lifespan.
Patent as a signal, not a commitment
As with any patent filing, it is important to note that the technology may not appear in a commercial product. The accompanying drawings still depict a console body resembling the PS5, and a mid-cycle hardware refresh at this stage of the generation would be unusual. Still, the filing offers a credible early look at how Sony engineers are approaching the thermal challenges of more powerful console hardware, balancing performance headroom with long-term reliability.
Sources: patentscope.wipo.int, www.spaziogames.it