Launch PS4 Fan Noise

[jtu128]

I've done a little Googling and it seems to be a fairly common issue that the original PS4's fan tends to get loud during some games. Some have suggested opening up the console and dusting as a solution. I did just this recently, but it wasn't overly dusty and did not improve the noise issue. Does anyone know of a solution other than buying a slim?

[dyne]

I had this same issue. Sent it in for official SONY extended warranty repair that I of course paid extra for. They sent a system back that literally had dust in the hdd bay and was worse. Finally bit the bullet and got the slim. It's just as loud. I love the system and games but Ill think long and hard buying another SONY system blind.

I also had a white OLED Vita that just one day refused to turn on. Sent that in for repairs. The one I got back lasted a week before doing the same thing. The other issue was that they never updated the serial numbers in their system to have a proper chain of ownership so my warranty on the 3rd system was immediately voided since they don't have the serial number on file attached to my account.

[jtu128]

Originally Posted by dyne

I had this same issue. Sent it in for official SONY extended warranty repair that I of course paid extra for. They sent a system back that literally had dust in the hdd bay and was worse. Finally bit the bullet and got the slim. It's just as loud. I love the system and games but Ill think long and hard buying another SONY system blind.

I also had a white OLED Vita that just one day refused to turn on. Sent that in for repairs. The one I got back lasted a week before doing the same thing. The other issue was that they never updated the serial numbers in their system to have a proper chain of ownership so my warranty on the 3rd system was immediately voided since they don't have the serial number on file attached to my account.

That's a bummer, I'd heard the slim runs nearly silent. If that's the case I may not risk it. I also read online the thermal paste may need replaced, guess I'll try that next.

[Snake_XRS]

My launch PS4 sounds like an Apache, it's actually annoying as hell. I've cleaned it out, maybe it's just on the way out.

[thenexus6]

Yeah my launch PS4 was loud after a while then constant in some games like Last of Us.

It broke so I got another one (the 1TB CUH-1200). It was quiet for a while then the same thing. Some games are fine, others are a jet engine.

Alot of people have luck opening and clearing theirs (outside of warranty) getting the dust and maybe replacing some thermal paste.

[Blu-rob77]

My launch was noisy as hell. I just gave to my son and got a slim they were dirt cheap on bf.

[jtu128]

I'm a little mad at myself I didn't jump on one of the BF deals, I probably could have flipped mine and broke even. I may just wait for the next sale if the thermal paste replacement doesn't work out.

[jamfan75]

My launch day PS4 was quite loud. It was on an open shelf in front of the tv with the rear exhaust a few inches from the bottom of the TV. I noticed how warm the air was, and more or of concern for the TV, I turned the PS4 sideways... so the exhaust was coming out to the left. After that it became significantly quieter. No more hot air accumulating near the exhaust either.

I now have a PS4 Pro and have used this sideways configuration since getting it.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by jamfan75

I now have a PS4 Pro and have used this sideways configuration since getting it.

Even horizontal, my Pro is silent in comparison to the launch PS4. If the slim is as quiet as the Pro, that's such a good thing. I think the noise-factor of the launch PS4 should be considered a design flaw.

[mutelight]

Originally Posted by jtu128

That's a bummer, I'd heard the slim runs nearly silent. If that's the case I may not risk it. I also read online the thermal paste may need replaced, guess I'll try that next.

The bolded part is the ticket.

I gave away my launch PS4 but it was quite loud by the end but I didn't replace the thermal paste.

However, on my launch PS3, that had all the backwards compatibility and whatnot, I had the same issue. Opened it up, cleaned out all the dust and removed the heatsinks to be greeted by completely dried up thermal paste. Put in some more thermal paste and it was much more quiet.

Some games will naturally push the hardware harder than others so the amount the fans ramp up will depend on the load the game is supplying to the hardware.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by dyne

I had this same issue. Sent it in for official SONY extended warranty repair that I of course paid extra for. They sent a system back that literally had dust in the hdd bay and was worse. Finally bit the bullet and got the slim. It's just as loud. I love the system and games but Ill think long and hard buying another SONY system blind.

I also had a white OLED Vita that just one day refused to turn on. Sent that in for repairs. The one I got back lasted a week before doing the same thing. The other issue was that they never updated the serial numbers in their system to have a proper chain of ownership so my warranty on the 3rd system was immediately voided since they don't have the serial number on file attached to my account.

You are first person I've seen say the slim is just as loud as the launch PS4.

[DaveSimonH]

Originally Posted by jtu128

That's a bummer, I'd heard the slim runs nearly silent. If that's the case I may not risk it. I also read online the thermal paste may need replaced, guess I'll try that next.

Originally Posted by mutelight

The bolded part is the ticket.

I gave away my launch PS4 but it was quite loud by the end but I didn't replace the thermal paste.

However, on my launch PS3, that had all the backwards compatibility and whatnot, I had the same issue. Opened it up, cleaned out all the dust and removed the heatsinks to be greeted by completely dried up thermal paste. Put in some more thermal paste and it was much more quiet.

Some games will naturally push the hardware harder than others so the amount the fans ramp up will depend on the load the game is supplying to the hardware.

Apparently the thermal paste drying out is an issue with PS4s. With that in mind, it makes sense that the fans would get louder as its running at a higher RPM to manage the APU temperature.

[dyne]

Thermal paste doesn't always work. SONY serviced mine and I cracked it open myself and did it with some Arctic Silver and it didn't take long to get loud again. The fan is too small to move the heat wihout spinning at high rpm's. This is the one thing MS got right by making their box bigger and having a bigger fan and vent holes.

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

You are first person I've seen say the slim is just as loud as the launch PS4.

Yeah it pisses me off. In FF15 and MGS5 my slim sounds exactly like my launch system did.

[tigertron]

For some reason Playstations are very hit and miss regarding fan noise. My PS2 was almost silent, my PS3s sounded like jumbo jets and my PS4 is half way between the previous consoles. Some games it's quiet and others it's noisy, but the great thing about the PS4 is that it changes fan speed, whereas my PS3 just stayed the same.

[Steelmaker]

I removed the casing on my launch PS4 last night along with the power supply and hard drive and blew out all the dust with a can of compressed air. It has definitely made a difference in noise level. I ran Titanfall 2, Nier Automata, and DriveClub. It was noticeably more quiet.

[jtu128]

Good news, after I replaced the thermal paste and cleaned out the dust my loud PS4 is silent again. Bad news, I did something to jack up my disk drive because now it is loading and ejecting extremely slow. I think I may have damaged one of the threads which connect to the drive and powers the eject/loading of a disc. Fortunetly it still works once the disc boots but now I have to trouble shoot :/