PS3's third-gen heatsink reduces size, complexity, boosts efficiency

by Christopher Grant { Apr 25th 2008 at 5:29PM }

Believe it or not, but there are people who will be positively thrilled to hear the latest third-generation heatsink for the PlayStation 3 has eliminated heat pipes in its quest to keep your PS3 cool. We're not necessarily jumping for joy over here, but we were interested to read that the third-gen heatsink has also been split in half, with two separate heatsinks cooling the Cell and RSX processors separately. Also of note is the reduced number of components, decreasing the complexity of the part and, one could expect, its cost. Lastly, the new heatsinks (which have fans attached to them, of course) consume less power than either of the previous generations – up to 70 watts less in fact. Toss in some smaller chips and you've got a seriously efficient machine. The march to PS3 profitability continues on.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: Heatsink, Manufacturing

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marty @ Apr 25th 2008 5:35PM

Well I'll sure be sleeping better these days knowing that. And to think I was all worried that the PS3's third generation heatsink would be larger, more complex, and less efficient! D'oh!

Christopher Grant @ Apr 25th 2008 5:41PM

I know! What a relief ...

Zertoss @ Apr 25th 2008 5:48PM

Marty's comment is made so much better by his TF2 Engineer avatar.

Co @ Apr 25th 2008 6:13PM

Yet so much worse considering he is employed by Microsoft.

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 25th 2008 6:35PM

IGN gives GTA a 10!!!!

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/869/869381p1.html

Anticrawl @ Apr 25th 2008 7:09PM

Yeah the video review for GTA on IGN was a bit over-the-top. He sounded orgasmic over the game, sure I'm somewhat looking forward to it but I doubt it is game of the year material just because it isn't all that original. I will be picking it up day one.

Co @ Apr 25th 2008 9:10PM

In reply to Fernando:

IGN Quote: "The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in."

How in the world can a game get a perfect 10 with pop-in? 9.5 sure... but c'mon.

Dan CiTi @ Apr 25th 2008 11:53PM

10/10 does not mean flawless. It cannot.

Bellerophon @ Apr 25th 2008 5:40PM

Hmm, I think I wet meself.

Vol @ Apr 25th 2008 5:41PM

< Troll >

You mean people have a need for a better heatsink when they don't turn it on but for just movies?

< / Troll >

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 25th 2008 5:42PM

Impressive, my young Padawan.

Vol @ Apr 25th 2008 5:46PM

I'm not your Padawan. But that was an impressive reply time to my comment.

PojoMofo @ Apr 25th 2008 5:47PM

Fernando's spider sense start tingling when PS3 trolling occurs.

Vohaul79 @ Apr 25th 2008 5:43PM

Enter witty RROD banter here:

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ Apr 25th 2008 6:44PM

lolz teh Gay60 still RRODS.The failz reyt iz lyke 670% now!

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ Apr 25th 2008 6:44PM

Whoops...sorry, that wasn't witty enough.

Zertoss @ Apr 25th 2008 5:43PM

Improved heatsink efficiency is always good news.

Ninjakamster @ Apr 25th 2008 5:48PM

I really want to get the 60gb model next month, but then I feel guilty it consumes the most energy out of the models.

I hear the 1st gen 60gb consumes 200 watts whereas the 2nd gen 40gb takes 160 watts. : /

I wonder when these 3rd gen models will come out and if they'll have software compatability (ala 80gb) or none (ala 40gb)

All models can play PS1 games through software, even the 20/60gb ones, they emulate the PS2 through hardware but not PS1. Thats why some games like Chrono Cross don't work on the PS3. : (

Looks like hardware compatibility will never come back.

I know I should get a PS3 to play PS3 games but there's times I'd like to play some PS2/PS1 games with the wireless Dualshock. : )

el serpiente @ Apr 25th 2008 5:51PM

Jesus, just buy the PS3 already.

Chameleon @ Apr 26th 2008 11:13AM

@serpiente

amen ....

rokobungi @ Apr 25th 2008 5:50PM

since when does a heat sink use 70 watts of power??? is it a peltier cooler or something?

JonFitt @ Apr 25th 2008 5:56PM

(which have fans attached to them, of course)

Jon @ Apr 25th 2008 6:08PM

I have never heard of a cooling fan+heatsink requiring 70 watts, let alone capable of using 70 watts less... I think Engadget/Joystiq is confusing the 70 watts loss to the Cell/RSX chips (200 watts 1st gen vs 130 watts 3rd gen).

Travis @ Apr 25th 2008 6:07PM

10 thousand different next gen models are completely unfair to those who have earlier models of PS3 and 360...

my 360 sounds like a garbage disposal...and my buddies is whispery excellence...

dunno what the PS3 sounds like...but it's George Foreman grill-esque appearance will probably be changed, making the early model owners look like they own some sort of time capsule...

Jon @ Apr 25th 2008 6:11PM

Every consoles has new hardware iterations. The PS2 had countless. Improving efficiency and cost, as well as sourcing components from different factories is one of the small reasons why we have different versions of hardware.

Jouten @ Apr 25th 2008 6:14PM

A garbage disposal? That's pretty damn quiet compared to what I have to listen to when I play my 360! My neighbors always know when I am playing my 360 cause they can hear it whenever I turn it on!

As for PS3, my PS3 is super quiet, although at times it can get a little pesky and become audible if I am playing a game that taxes it a bit.

My 'Wii', I haven't played it much. And even with the little time that I have played it, the dad gone video card 'overheated' and now displays an array of artifacts all over the screen. I will have to send it in for repairs and it will cost me...I might just not do that and just sell my games and accessories for it since I almost never play it. Wait, my fiance wants to repair it or get a new one 'since it's so cheap to just buy another one...' - I'm beginning to see a link here on how the Wii might be selling so well...

Enough rambling. After owning all 3 consoles, I have to admit, the PS3 is a very high quality machine compared to the other two. However, I put up with my 360's noise pollution because of the great games it has...

Travis @ Apr 25th 2008 6:14PM

i know, i know... I'm just saying that I LOVE my 360 (and am getting a PS3 soon) but the 360 sounds like Rosie O'Donnel at a buffet somedays, and with certain games... I just wish there was a fix for it..OTHER than whenever the RROD comes to my door (year and a half and no RROD yet)

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Apr 25th 2008 6:35PM

Wii is on it's third motherboard as well. But those revisions have been just to stop mod chips...

Which pisses me off slightly because I would LOVE to be able to import a couple Wii games. Oh well, guess Battle Fantasia is my hottest import right now.

CJLopez @ Apr 26th 2008 6:23PM

To Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force):

You could just grab a Freeloader ofr $20. the back draw is that we don't know until when we can savor this beauty, cuz firmware will be cracking this in the near future. But then again, when has a console company stoped from pirating and doing what we must not do?

dylan @ Apr 25th 2008 6:17PM

Does this mean they can make it look less like a Foreman Grill?

Jouten @ Apr 25th 2008 6:24PM

Hell, they might even go for a more 'Flash Gordon' spaceship appearance! =P

dylan @ Apr 25th 2008 6:34PM

that would be awesome! Considering that is the main reason I have for not buying one, if they catered to me on that level I'd start hanging out on PS3fanboy.com.

Otto Zero @ Apr 25th 2008 6:56PM

Yeah making the system lighter, quieter, smaller, more future proof with new firmware updates and Home.

Good job Sony after F.U. Big time in the first year your back on track. Hell you (sony) even brought back the Rumble feature..... All is forgiven!!!!!!

.
..
....
......
Oh yeah one last thing (steals Steve Jobs Favorite line) please improve Backwards Compatibility For PS2 Games.

J @ Apr 25th 2008 7:16PM

This makes me happy I've waited so long to get one.

mykie @ Apr 25th 2008 7:28PM

What's the most impressive is that this gigolo saves up to the equivalent of 3.5 Wii's worth of juice.

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-2.htm

WorMzy @ Apr 25th 2008 7:33PM

Awesome. In another couple of generations it may even be worth buying a PS3. Key word = may. :D

343 Guilty Fart @ Apr 25th 2008 8:14PM

I, for one, welcome our new heat sink overlords.

Thierry @ Apr 25th 2008 8:57PM

I think I'll wait for the green PS3, it's good to save heat and energy while gaming.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 25th 2008 11:09PM

When the article speaks of the wattage, it's talking about the savings in chip power consumption, not the savings in heat sink power consumption.

Since the chip it's cooling uses far less power, they can use a smaller, less complex (and cheaper) heatsink.

I think these heatsinks are already in PS3s, BTW. This is just a supplier showing what they've already done, not what they're working on.

sonystation3 @ Apr 25th 2008 11:25PM

Hi just get the first gen ps3 they are way better check out http://www.sonystation3.co.uk

Sakesaru @ Apr 26th 2008 12:53AM

A fan would never use 70W of power to begin with. If it did, the machine would have been a hell of a lot louder then the 360, and would likely have launched the machine to the moon.

If you read the actual article, what they're referring to is the amount of heat the HSF can handle. The new HSF is actually crappier then the last, and even worse then the one before that. But that doesn't matter because the PS3 doesn't need that much cooling.

Well, according to the article at least.