Modern consoles are designed with efficient cooling systems and can manage heat effectively under most circumstances.
Instead of purchasing additional fans, maintaining a well-ventilated, clean console environment is more beneficial.
They sound like a dream come true, right?
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Unfortunately, the reality may not live up to the hype.
Some cooling fans are more effective than others.
However, the majority of aftermarket cooling fans provide negligible benefits.
This stand not only promises to cool your PS5, but help you organize your accessories and games.
The reason lies in the design of these cooling fans.
Many are designed to attach to the exterior of the console, blowing air onto the outer plastic shell.
This is not very effective because the heat is generated inside the console, not outside.
External fans have a hard time reaching the internal components where cooling is most needed.
Related:Do You Need Liquid Cooling for Your PC?
Furthermore, these fans often operate independently of the console’s built-in cooling system.
They’re designed to work in a variety of conditions and have sophisticated cooling systems built right in.
When you’re playing a demanding game, these systems work harder to keep the console cool.
When you’restreaming Netflixor browsing the web, they scale back to save energy and reduce noise.
The result is a console that’s capable of cooling itself efficiently under most circumstances.
This is where we get to the crux of the issue: the placebo effect.
Again, as long as your console isn’t shutting down or displaying overheating warnings.
First, see to it it’s in a well-ventilated area.
Don’t put it in a closed cabinet or stack other electronics on top of it.
Give it plenty of space to breathe.
All of the vents must be clear of obstruction and have a few inches of clearance.
Second, keep it clean.
Dust can clog the vents and insulate the console, trapping heat inside.
Regularly dusting the vents and usingcompressed airto blow out any accumulated dust can make a big difference.
The PS5 actually has dedicated dust ports you could vacuum.
This involves opening up your console and replacing the stock thermal paste with a high-quality alternative.
So, do you need a cooling fanfor your Xboxor PlayStation?
In most cases, the answer is no.
Your console’s built-in cooling system is more than capable of handling the heat.
Just keep it clean, well-ventilated, and replace its cooling components when they fail.
