With the PS5 vs Xbox Series X console finally leaping off of the internet and arriving into actual homes, those lucky enough to have had early hands-on time with the consoles have found an interesting comparison point: it sounds like the PS5 could be much better at cooling than the Xbox Series X.
Of course, the heat a console kicks off is a fairly big deal: after all, if the box is boiling hot, that may well impact where you feel comfortable leaving it in your house. And heat can also cause a lot of noise from fans, as anyone with a deafening old PS4 can attest to.
READ MORE:How to make your PS4 more quiet
Keep reading for a full rundown on what is going on with the PS5 and Xbox Series X in terms of heat and sound, according to these lucky people that have tried the consoles out already...
Does the Xbox Series X have heating/cooling problems?
A video by Jeux Video’s Ken Bogard, which seems to have been taken down, spoke about some heat problems with the Xbox Series X. Luckily, VGC translated and typed up the video before it was mysteriously deleted.
Bogard apparently said, "The Series X is hot, like really hot! It doesn’t make any noise, but damn it’s hot! The console is emitting heat like crazy. It’s almost like a fireplace shaft. You can heat up your flat with it."
All of these heat was reportedly generated just by navigating menus and running backwards-compatible games, seeing as brand-new Xbox Series X games are not yet available.
Bogard isn't the only person that has experienced this, either. Giant Bomb's Jeff Bakalar, who tested the console for CNET, has said this: “Here’s what’s crazy… this was just plugged in in standby mode behind me and you guys, the entire thing is a little toasty,” as you can see at around 29:10 in the video below.
However, Bakalar did stress the fact that he has been testing a pre-release console rather than the finished product, so this heat situation may not be present in the final retail version of the Series X. Only time will tell on that front, of course.
For now, then, this is probably not worth worrying too much about: the final Xbox Series X may have better cooling than this pre-release version, and even if it doesn't, here's hoping it will be quiet anyway. Sound is arguably a bigger deal than heat, in this writer's opinion, since you don't want to have a console that sounds like a plane taking off.
READ MORE: Affordable headsets revealed for PS5 and Xbox Series X
What about the PS5 heating/cooling situation?
VGC has also been translating and transcribing PS5 reactions that are coming out of hands-on experiences in Japan, including a few interesting comments about the cooling situation on Sony's new console.
Dengeki said, “the quietness of the fans was more impressive than the loading times,” which will be a huge relief to people that are used to the mighty roar of their PS4 fanning away heat.
Dengeki added, “While playing Astro’s Playroom and Godfall, I didn’t notice the sound of the fan. When I was about to finish playing, I quickly confirmed, ‘is this a fan?’ Finally, when I touched the main unit, it didn’t feel hot."
4Gamer was similarly impressed, saying, "I started playing one of the launch titles, Godfall, and after some time passed, I checked [the temperature]. The breeze coming from the exhaust port was gentle and didn’t feel exceedingly hot.” They added, "While you may think, ‘isn’t the fan loud?’, it’s quite the opposite."
In terms of pre-release test units, then, it sounds like the Xbox Series X is kicking off more heat than the PS5, but both consoles have been described as quiet. Only time will tell if the retail versions are any different, of course, but we're hoping that Xbox Series X heat is not going to be a real problem.
READ MORE:Check out the best 4K TVs for PS5
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!