WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.320 Sony has stolen the headlines lately 00:00:02.320 --> 00:00:04.960 for how the PlayStation 5 uses a cooling method 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:08.040 that's pretty different from what we've seen in consoles. 00:00:08.040 --> 00:00:10.200 And while people have modified their consoles 00:00:10.200 --> 00:00:13.280 to be liquid cooled, similar to what you'd see on a PC, 00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:16.520 we're not talking about putting the CPU under a water block. 00:00:16.520 --> 00:00:18.040 Instead, Sony has replaced 00:00:18.040 --> 00:00:20.280 the traditional thermal interface material 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:22.040 with liquid metal. 00:00:22.040 --> 00:00:24.240 Sounds like something out of a James Cameron movie, 00:00:24.240 --> 00:00:25.800 but what exactly is it? 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:26.940 And is it actually better 00:00:26.940 --> 00:00:29.720 than your typical goopy thermal paste? 00:00:29.720 --> 00:00:32.080 Liquid metal is actually a eutectic alloy 00:00:32.080 --> 00:00:35.580 of three different metals, gallium, indium, and tin. 00:00:35.580 --> 00:00:39.400 The word eutectic means that it has a melting point lower 00:00:39.400 --> 00:00:41.760 than any of the three metals do on their own. 00:00:41.760 --> 00:00:42.640 Pretty cool. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:45.160 The kind of liquid metal used for chip cooling 00:00:45.160 --> 00:00:47.380 doesn't solidify until you lower the temperature 00:00:47.380 --> 00:00:49.780 down to negative 19 degrees Celsius, 00:00:49.780 --> 00:00:52.680 or negative two Fahrenheit for you Yankees out there. 00:00:52.680 --> 00:00:55.360 So unless you're taking your PS5 outside 00:00:55.360 --> 00:00:57.460 during wintertime on the Canadian prairies, 00:00:57.460 --> 00:00:59.700 it stays liquid under normal conditions. 00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:02.500 But liquid metal isn't something that Sony just invented. 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:04.540 It's actually been around for a while, 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:07.160 and it's had a small niche in the PC enthusiast space, 00:01:07.160 --> 00:01:09.080 with some enthusiasts and over-clockers 00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:11.200 favoring it over thermal paste. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:12.620 And it can be very effective, 00:01:12.620 --> 00:01:14.120 regardless of whether you're using it 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:15.900 on top of the integrated heat spreader, 00:01:15.900 --> 00:01:18.820 or going a step further and delidding your chip, 00:01:18.820 --> 00:01:21.060 replacing the stock thermal integration material 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:22.580 with liquid metal. 00:01:22.580 --> 00:01:23.780 Liquid metal works better 00:01:23.780 --> 00:01:26.380 because it's a more effective conductor of heat. 00:01:26.380 --> 00:01:27.500 In contrast to thermal paste, 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:28.620 which usually has some metal combined with some gas, 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:29.620 the thermal paste does a better job of heating it, 00:01:29.700 --> 00:01:33.240 silicone, liquid metal is, well, all metal. 00:01:33.240 --> 00:01:36.660 But why exactly did Sony decide to go with liquid metal 00:01:36.660 --> 00:01:39.920 when plain old thermal paste is cheaper, more common, 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:42.700 and seems to be good enough in most cases? 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.800 I'll tell you right after this message from Taskade, 00:01:45.800 --> 00:01:47.120 our sponsor for today's video. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:49.660 Taskade brings your team's tasks, notes, 00:01:49.660 --> 00:01:52.820 and communication into one unified workspace. 00:01:52.820 --> 00:01:55.820 You can plan, organize, and prioritize upcoming tasks 00:01:55.820 --> 00:01:57.240 in the team roadmap. 00:01:57.240 --> 00:01:59.460 See your team progress in a shared calendar 00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:02.940 and plan out multiple projects across teams and workspaces. 00:02:02.940 --> 00:02:04.820 You can chat with teammates and see new changes 00:02:04.820 --> 00:02:06.620 across all devices, including mobile, 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:09.180 and on your browser using the Chrome extension. 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:12.680 So head to Taskade.com and get a free lifetime subscription 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:13.860 on a new or existing account 00:02:13.860 --> 00:02:15.760 by using promo code TechQuickie. 00:02:15.760 --> 00:02:17.900 Okay, Sony, why liquid metal now? 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:20.020 The PlayStation 5 has power approaching 00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:22.120 that of an upper mid-range PC, 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:23.760 which is not something we've been able to say 00:02:23.760 --> 00:02:25.260 about previous consoles. 00:02:25.260 --> 00:02:27.940 This means that there's a heck of a lot of computing muscle 00:02:27.940 --> 00:02:29.260 packed into a relatively small, 00:02:29.260 --> 00:02:33.680 small area with the CPU and GPU residing on the same chip. 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:36.880 And as you might've guessed, it generates a lot of heat. 00:02:36.880 --> 00:02:39.480 Even so, Sony could have used thermal paste, 00:02:39.480 --> 00:02:41.500 which is cheaper per unit than liquid metal. 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:43.500 But not only did Sony go with liquid metal 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:46.520 to cool off that high performance SOC more efficiently, 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:49.560 but it also helps to keep the PS5 quieter. 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:51.880 Had Sony used regular thermal paste, 00:02:51.880 --> 00:02:53.620 it would have needed to spend more money 00:02:53.620 --> 00:02:56.500 on higher performing heat sinks and fans, 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:58.820 which would have both made the system louder 00:02:58.820 --> 00:03:00.200 and driven up the cost. 00:03:00.200 --> 00:03:02.900 So even though liquid metal is pricier, 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:06.140 it still saves money for Sony in aggregate, 00:03:06.140 --> 00:03:08.140 since they don't have to spend as much money 00:03:08.140 --> 00:03:09.980 on the rest of the cooling system. 00:03:09.980 --> 00:03:13.100 But what about for you, the home PC enthusiast? 00:03:13.100 --> 00:03:15.080 Is liquid metal a good idea for you? 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.060 If you just need a single tube of the stuff, 00:03:17.060 --> 00:03:19.620 it's not much more expensive than regular old thermal paste, 00:03:19.620 --> 00:03:21.280 so why not go out and get some? 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.380 Well, the big knock on is that because it's liquid, 00:03:24.380 --> 00:03:27.180 it flows much more easily than thermal paste, 00:03:27.180 --> 00:03:28.820 meaning it's easy to spill. 00:03:28.820 --> 00:03:30.600 And it's high connectivity means 00:03:30.600 --> 00:03:32.680 it can easily cause a ShortCircuit 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:34.500 if you get it anywhere on your system 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:36.600 other than on top of your CPU. 00:03:36.600 --> 00:03:38.440 This is the same reason that some people 00:03:38.440 --> 00:03:39.940 opt for ceramic thermal paste 00:03:39.940 --> 00:03:42.520 over regular metal-based thermal paste. 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:44.480 Your system might run a few degrees warmer, 00:03:44.480 --> 00:03:46.820 but there's no risk of a short, 00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:50.660 a risk that just gets larger with liquid metal. 00:03:50.660 --> 00:03:52.940 So if you do decide to go this route, 00:03:52.940 --> 00:03:56.220 start with a small amount and be very careful when applying. 00:03:56.220 --> 00:03:58.820 Also, many liquid metals should not come in contact 00:03:58.820 --> 00:04:01.740 with aluminum coolers, as this can cause degradation. 00:04:01.740 --> 00:04:04.000 But if you take the appropriate precautions, 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:07.960 it can make your home rig pretty cool. 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:09.440 Ha, see what I did there? 00:04:09.440 --> 00:04:10.280 So thanks for watching, guys. 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:12.080 If you liked this video, hit like, hit subscribe, 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:14.440 and hit us up in the comments section 00:04:14.440 --> 00:04:15.580 with your ideas for topics 00:04:15.580 --> 00:04:17.280 that we should cover in the future.