Sony’s spaceship-esque PlayStation 5 console commands attention with its massive, yet avant-garde design. While some may attempt to hide its sheer size, others display their PS5 with pride. But where do you deposit this chonky boy? Does standing tall look hot but run maybe too hot temperature-wise? Will it tip over without any proper reinforcements holding it up?
Folks, this is no lightweight delimiter. It’s a matter of gaming pride, it’s about our pride, our glory, how we’re redefining entertainment. Okay, we’re kidding. It’s none of those things, it’s about putting the PS5 flat or vertical. So let’s figure out the right way to introduce your new ultra-powered bestie into its new home (while guarding your investment).
PlayStation 5
Sony’s Gaming Masterpiece.
The PS5 is Sony’s premier gaming console launched in 2020, and it comes with both a standard and digital-only version.
While other factors like stability, acoustics, and ergonomics may influence PlayStation 5 alignment as well, this article will focus its comparison on what we’ve deemed the three most essential considerations for users - cooling performance, aesthetic design, and practical spatial logistics.
This way you get the essential info without getting lost in an endless rabbit hole of incremental details just for the sake of completeness.
Design And Aesthetics
Let’s take a look at this purely from a form-perspective. One look at the PS5’s curved white panels and dark core, and you know Sony was going for a stand-out, space-age design befitting a next-gen console launch. The LEDs casting blue glow along the inner edges bring a really nice stylistic flair here. Plus, the overall tall, lean silhouette seems conceived as a showcase piece…like some futuristic artifact on display in your living room.
Set it upright and watch those angular white wings grab everyone’s attention, looking straight-up like one of those modern skyscrapers from a bougie sci-fi metropolis. However,some argue laying it flat better highlights that slick dark core and clean split-level shape, almost giving it a stealthy look.
But let’s also talk about thestabilitybehind the form here. There’s no question, whether it’s placed vertical or horizontal, the PS5 is flexible enough to slot right into any gaming setup.But at nearly 13 pounds and over 15 inches tall, placing the PS5 vertically can prove a lil tricky if it does not have ample back support(you’re going to find yourself in a leaning tower situation here if you’re not careful). From this POV, the horizontal setup seems to win just by a tiny inch.
Cooling And Ventilation
There’s no doubt about it, effective cooling is literally make-or-break for gaming rigs that want to avoid the throttle down the road. And on that front,the PS5 delivers with liquid metal heat transfer and a centered 120mm intake fan to suck in cool external air through the vents. Whatever internal heat’s generated then bounces out the back ports.If you’re wondering which setup wins purely on a specs level, Sony crammed in over 290 square inches of ventilation all around, so it breathes easily whether you’ve got a vertical or horizontal thing going on.
Now a bit of physics does give vertical a slight edge airflow-wise. Cool intake naturally rises upward, lining up perfectly with the PS5’s centered side channel intake. More ground clearance also reduces risks of external dust gunking up the system over time.
Some of the independent tests we came across online compared the thermal imaging between both setups. According to those, thePS5 runs a cool 2-3°C lower average when vertical, backing Sony’s own guidance about the setup (they’re kind of on Team Vertical).
While such a small margin is a non-issue for most gamers out there, thanks to gravity, over years the PS5 can accumulate a lot of cable mess, pet hair, and gunk inside those bottom vents if left horizontal. But then again, that’s a rather long timeline to consider.As long as you’re keeping it in a tidy space with enough clearance on all sides and giving it down a nice little wipe-down every now and then, it doesn’t really matter all that much.
Space Utilization And Practicality
Finding room for the PS5’s husky 15.4 x 10.2 x 4.1 inch frame requires some careful space planning regardless of the orientation you’re going for.The most important thing to keep in mind is that the optical drive must remain accessible while also keeping all sides open for ventilation. Plus, there’s always the external power brick’s extra footprint to account for. Well, that, and any surge protectors or power strips you have there.
Vertical, on one hand, is all about clearing room for that height. While media stands often have tower sections ready to roll, not every desk or TV setup can accommodate its stature.And even if you’re thinking of wall mounting, you need about four to six inches of clearance up top as well for unobstructed flow.Convenience-wise, lying it flat does allow for easier disc access without much top-side reaching or awkward fumbling.
However, plugging cables in vertically lines everything up to eye-level, all nice and neat. So, while the vertical footprint may be slimmer shelf-wise, horizontal placement can win out in space-constrained scenarios as long as ventilation needs are fully good to go. At the end of the day, placing this sculpted console is all about that balancing act between fit and airflow.
In Conclusion
At the end of the day,the best orientation for the PS5 entirely depends on individual needs and context.If you are someone who prioritizes a striking design statement and has limited space, standing the console vertically might be the way to go. However, ifstability, traditional aesthetics, and integration into existing media setups is more important for you, then placing it horizontally is the better choice. Sony has made sure that the PS5’s design is versatile enough to humor all preferences (unless you’re planning to go diagonal or something).
If you have a cat, for the love of god place your PS5 horizontally!
FAQ
Are third party stands worth considering?
We get the temptation to accessorize, but Sony has already given us plenty of warnings that only their included stand belongs under your vertical PS5. Sure, aftermarket stands sound nice for that extra stability assurance, but think about it, the slightest chance of janky reinforcement risks accidents.
Plus, airflow gaps with third party stands could impact the cooling process or even increase noise. And forget about those wall brackets without Sony’s stamp of approval. Folks, regardless of horizontal or vertical setups, Sony blesses one stand to rule them all – what ships in the box.
Are external cooling accessories like fans necessary?
Not really. Sony has optimized the PS5 with a liquid metal thermal beast of a heatsink and custom airflow to crush heat buildup way ahead of any clip-on fan. An external fan will likely just make more noise than have any cooling effect. Moreover, external blowing actually risks messing with optimized heat patterns built right into the device. Save your pennies. The internal tech banishes plenty of heat all on its own.
Can I safely secure cables or other items on top of a horizontal PS5?
That nice flat central surface when you lay it down kind of looks like a convenient extra storage space. But don’t even think about parking cables, trinkets, or other junk on or around your PS5! Sony’s crystal clear: nothing extra touches the console’s exterior no matter how you align it. Anything plopped on top risks messing with the carefully designed airflow, keeping your machine cool. Remember, the vents along the edges don’t just look slick, they suck in air critical for cooling. So please, be kind to your PS5 and keep it 100 percent clear.
