When people search for 'PS5 thermal paste replacement', they usually mean the thermal interface layer between the APU and the heatsink. The important correction: Sony did not use thermal paste in the PS5. They used liquid metal — a gallium-indium-tin alloy called Conductonaut or an equivalent. That distinction changes everything about how the service works.
It's not thermal paste — it's liquid metal
Liquid metal has a thermal conductivity of around 73 W/m·K. Good quality thermal paste sits between 8 and 14 W/m·K. That three-to-five-times advantage is why Sony chose it: the PS5 APU generates far more heat than the PS4's, and conventional paste alone couldn't maintain safe temperatures under a long gaming session at 4K.
The tradeoff is that liquid metal is, by definition, liquid. It sits in a defined area on top of the APU die, held in by a small foam dam. It is electrically conductive — if it escapes the dam and reaches a capacitor or trace on the board, it causes a short. This is the part that makes a PS5 thermal paste replacement different from the same job on any other device.
Why liquid metal fails over time
Liquid metal doesn't evaporate or dry out the way paste does. The failure mode is pump-out: over thousands of heat cycles, the alloy slowly migrates from the centre of the die toward the edge of the foam dam. Once the centre of the die is no longer covered, you get a dry spot — a gap in the heat path — and temperatures climb despite the fan working normally.
On the bench, we measure the result before and after. A PS5 that arrived shutting down during long sessions typically shows an APU temperature 15–22 °C higher than it should be under the same load. After liquid metal replacement and a new foam dam, the temperature drops back to within 5 °C of the Sony factory specification. The console stops shutting down.
| PS5 age | Liquid metal condition (typical) | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | Usually intact, may have migrated slightly | Clean only — monitor temperature |
| 2–3 years | Partial pump-out common, dam starting to compress | Full LM replacement + new dam |
| 3+ years | Pump-out likely, especially if console ran hot | Full LM replacement + new dam + fan check |
| Any age, bought second-hand | Unknown — previous owner may have opened it | Inspect and replace as needed |
What happens when it's replaced wrong
We see a few liquid metal jobs every month that went wrong before the console arrived at our bench. The two most common failure modes from DIY service: too much liquid metal applied (it overflows the dam under heatsink pressure and touches adjacent components), and the foam dam not replaced (the old compressed dam lets the new liquid metal escape within a few heat cycles).
Thermal paste is not electrically conductive — if it gets onto a capacitor it's messy but usually not fatal. Liquid metal is highly conductive. A single droplet bridging two pads on the PS5 motherboard is enough to short the board. This is why the job requires a clean workspace, correct volume, and a new dam every time — not because we're being precious about it, but because the consequence of getting it wrong is a board replacement.
What a correct liquid metal service involves
- —Full disassembly: side panels, EMI shield, fan, motherboard out of chassis
- —Old liquid metal removed from both the APU die and the heatsink cold plate with IPA 99% and lint-free cloth
- —Foam dam inspected — if compressed more than 30%, replaced as standard (included in service price)
- —New liquid metal applied in a measured amount: 0.4–0.6 g depending on die size. Not a 'drop', not an estimate
- —Heatsink seated and torqued in the correct star pattern to ensure even cold plate contact
- —30-minute stress test with temperature logging before the console leaves the bench
- —90-day warranty on the work
At our Helsinki bench, this is included in the standard PS5 clean at €79. It is not an upsell — you cannot correctly service a PS5 without doing the liquid metal. Any service that advertises 'just cleaning the fan' is leaving the thermal interface untouched and the job half done.
FAQ
Can I replace PS5 liquid metal with regular thermal paste?+
Technically yes — the surface is there. Practically, the temperatures will be higher and the fan louder because paste moves less heat. If you're uncomfortable handling liquid metal, a high-end paste like Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is a stable, if warmer, alternative. We use it when the foam dam is badly compromised and a customer doesn't want to pay for full LM replacement.
How do I know if the liquid metal has already pumped out?+
The reliable signs: the console shuts down 40–90 minutes into a gaming session, the fan ramps to full speed earlier in the session than it used to, or the temperature warning screen appears. If you have access to a temperature monitoring app via the PS5's developer menu, anything above 80 °C on the APU at 4K load is a clear sign.
Will replacing the liquid metal void my warranty?+
Opening the console breaks the void sticker, which ends Sony's manufacturer warranty. Inside the standard one-year window, use Sony's repair service. Outside warranty, the void sticker has no legal force in Finland (consumer rights law overrides it), and a professional workshop service is cheaper and faster than the official route.
Certified laptop and console repair master. Twenty years on the bench in Helsinki — tearing down PS5s, MacBooks, and gaming PCs and writing down what we learn.
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